Have a look at the charts below. They are the result of a study about how Americans feel towards their companion animal, either a dog or a cat in this instance.
I think the first image provides some remarkable statistics. More than half of the people surveyed said they would give up the Internet forever to keep their pet. That must make sense but it would be a massive sacrifice especially to some people.
I can completely sympathise with the 51% who would rather eat a person instead of their companion animal. Although it would be rather difficult to prove it because there are not that many people around to eat!
The 43% who would jump into boiling water to save their pet I think is an amazing figure. To jump into boiling water would quite possibly be fatal and if it was not fatal it would leave massive injuries. I’m not sure that I would have the courage to do it.
At one time I thought I was an exception when I stated that I would kill somebody to save my cat or to protect my cat. And yet this survey states that 32% of the participants would kill a person to save their pet so I am definitely not alone on that one.
And how about the 25% of participants who said that they would lose an arm so that their companion animal could walk. That also is a huge sacrifice and I’m not sure I could make that sacrifice myself no matter how much I love my beautiful cat companion. Could you?
And then 23% of the surveyed people stated that they would give up their own life for their pet. I suppose that this relates to the situation where in order to save your pet you end up losing your life. This would be an extremely rare situation. Sometimes having read this survey I wonder if the people who answered the questions did so theoretically rather than strictly on a practical basis. What I’m saying is if the moment came when you had to give up your life to save your companion animal would you do it?
Cat owners are most likely to save their cat companion in a fire rather than save a priceless family heirloom. That to me makes a lot of sense and I would think that most people would agree with that. To starve for a day so that your cat can eat is not much of a sacrifice either so once again I would have thought that most committed cat guardians would go along with that one. In fact to starve for a day would be positively beneficial to many.
The tug-of-war that sometimes occurs between a family cat and a significant other (a spouse or partner) is a good test and cat owners are most likely to choose their cat over their spouse. I suppose it depends on how much you love your spouse or significant other!
Overall, the statistics from this Abodo pet survey impressively inform us that, in America, cat and dog owners are very strongly attached to their companion animal and they would go to the ends of the world to protect them. It is a confirmation that the vast majority of people consider their cat or dog an important family member. It also indicates to me that all the bad stories we read in the online press about cat abuse and irresponsible cat ownership only relates to a minority. Although a minority is always too much with respect to animal cruelty.
You make a good point, Eva. I think people will only know what they will do when the moment happens. To try and answer the question hypothetically or in a questionnaire is different to answering the question in reality. Nobody will know what they will do until the moment happens. I think that is the point that you’re making and it’s a good point.
This is a hard one to answer honestly. Of course if my pets were in danger I would defend them and try to save them, but at what cost? I don’t want to burn or lose a limb anymore than the next guy. If push came to shove my instincts would kick in and someone would probably perish.
I want my cats to live a long and healthy life if possible, but I do not plan to die for them nor place my children at risk either. One example of this who be if driving with my family and an animal ran in front of the vehicle. Hey people I just do not know. Eva_
The tug-of-war that sometimes occurs between a family cat and a significant other (a spouse or partner) is a good test and cat owners are most likely to choose their cat over their spouse. I suppose it depends on how much you love your spouse or significant other!
When a significant other asks you to choose between them and a pet you love it is a form of control and a type of abuse. Take your pet and run the worst is yet to come !
In a heartbeat!
No doubt in my mind.
Of course I would!