Dogs and Cats Lecture Review

Instructor: Dr. Lynn Weber
Position: Professor, Veterinary Biomedical Sciences
Role: WCVM Associate Dean Research & Graduate Studies

Trends in dog and cat ownership: Explore the evolving patterns of pet ownership in Canada.
Market trends for the pet care industry: Study the financial aspects related to pet ownership and care.
History and domestication of dogs and cats: Understand the historical context of domestic pets.
Reasons for pet ownership: Analyze psychological and social motivations behind owning a pet.
Mutual health benefits and risks of pet ownership: Discuss the health implications for both pets and their owners.
Notable differences between dogs and cats: Compare and contrast the behaviors and traits of these popular pets.

Statistics (2016-2020):
- Households owning pets:
- Dogs: 38.4%
- Cats: 39.5%
- Overall, there has been a gradual increase in pet ownership over these years, suggesting a societal shift towards increased companionship from pets.

Statistics (2022):
- Total number of pets in millions:
- Cats: 8.5
- Dogs: 7.9

Statistics (2022):
- Pet cats: Average cost of $2,542 CAD per cat in 2021
- Pet dogs: Estimated yearly care costs were over $1,000 higher than for cats.
- Major expenses include:
- Professional dental care
- Food
- Pet health insurance

Finding: Dog food and health insurance tend to be significantly more expensive than those for cats.

Statistics (2022):
- Pet Stores by Province:
- Ontario: Over 770 pet stores
- Quebec: Approximately 500 pet stores
- Yukon & Northwest Territories: Less than 10 pet stores combined
- Trends: Online retail for pets is rapidly increasing, overtaking traditional brick-and-mortar stores.

Early Domestication:
- Originated with hunter-gatherer societies, which predates other domestic animals.
- Dogs are descendants of an unknown ancestor of wolves, not just gray wolves.
- The relationship started as mutualistic co-existence, transitioning from working animals to companionship.
Key findings:
- Wolves raised by humans are not as skilled at using human social cues compared to dogs.

Domestication Effects:
- Altered appearance and behavior of dogs to be more responsive to human interactions.
- Increased ability to digest high-carbohydrate diets due to mutations in the AMY2B gene, leading to greater amylase enzyme production.
- Dogs are omnivores, while cats maintain a carnivorous diet preference.

Domestication Relevance:
- More recent compared to dogs, linked with agricultural practices.
- Cats opportunistically followed rodents that infested grain stores.

Dependency and Socialization:
- Dogs are more responsive and reliant on human interaction in contrast to cats.
- Cats retain more of their wild behaviors and have not been as heavily influenced by domestication.

Definition of Relationship:
- Described as a continuous, bi-directional bond between humans and animals characterized by admiration, trust, and love.
Biophilia Hypothesis (Larry Glickman, 2016):
- Suggests an innate human affinity for the natural world, promoting close relationships with other life forms.

Benefits:
- Provides social support and companionship.
- Improves mental health through positive biochemistry.
- Encourages physical activity, teaches empathy and social skills to children.
- Contributes positively to psychological health through animal-assisted therapies.
Risks:
- Potential for infections and allergies.
- Emotional burden from pet loss.
- Financial considerations for pet care.

Cognitive Decline:
- Research shows pet ownership is linked to slower cognitive decline in older adults, particularly those living alone.
Dealing with Social Loss:
- Studies indicate that pet ownership can mitigate depressive symptoms associated with significant social losses, such as the death of a spouse.

Elderly Study Findings:
- Elderly Japanese pet owners reported increased social interaction, lower isolation, and enhanced trust in neighbors.
- Dog ownership correlated with improved motor fitness through increased walking activity.

Definitions:
- Involves structured interactions aimed at therapeutic goals for people with various challenges.
- Documentation: Progress notes are taken, and treatments are individualized.

Casual Interactions:
- Involves visits with pets with no specific therapeutic goals.
- Typically volunteer-run and flexible in duration.

Definition:
- Projecting human traits onto pets, prevalent especially with dogs rather than cats.
- Higher degrees of anthropomorphism are associated with stronger emotional bonds between owners and pets.

Key Strategies:
- Awareness of zoonotic diseases and maintaining hygiene, especially in areas where pets go.

Dogs:
- Highly trainable, social, respond to human cues.
- Better understanding of human speech and signals, especially with socialization.
Cats:
- Generally independent, harder to train, selective in response to humans.
- Can distinguish when their owner is speaking directly to them.

Cognitive Capabilities:
- Dogs can learn to retrieve toys by overhearing owners mention toy names without direct command.

Comparison with Other Mammals:
- Dogs exhibit similar cognitive skills to other mammals in tasks such as understanding gestures and navigating their environment.
- Dogs can demonstrate more advanced cognitive abilities in specific situations, including social interactions and signaling.

Contact Information:
- Dr. Lynn Weber
- Email: lynn.weber@usask.ca
- Further Exploration: Signature Series Podcast - Research | University of Saskatchewan