NEW YORK — Relationships are all about give and take, right? Well, it turns out many Americans with cats are more willing to compromise with their pets than with other people! Overall, the average person makes three compromises per day — adding up to over 92 per month, according to a new poll.
The recent survey of 2,000 American cat owners reveals that 44 percent of respondents have said goodbye to a relationship — whether platonic or romantic — due to a lack of compromise.
While almost two-thirds (64%) are actively working on how to compromise, seven in 10 of those who live with others wouldn’t even give up being able to sit in their favorite spot on the couch in exchange for a more peaceful relationship. In fact, those who live with someone else have disagreements about household cleaning duties nearly every four days.
Most would prefer to wash the dishes (27%) or do laundry (27%) to pitch in around the house. Almost half say their least favorite chores are cleaning the bathroom (44%) and emptying the cat’s litter box (40%).
Along with studying human relationships, the survey also investigates the cat-human bond and found that although cats are famous for their moods, they’re actually easier to get along with than people. The survey, conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by PetSafe, reveals that almost half of cat owners (44%) find it easier to compromise with their cats than with the adults in their lives.
Two in three cat owners agree with the statement, “There’s nothing I won’t sacrifice for my pet,” which might be why many respondents are also worried about buying natural and non-toxic products for their furry friends.
So where are cat parents most — or least — likely to compromise when it comes to caring about their feline friends? Results show that 41 percent admit they feel guilty when they do make purchases that aren’t natural or non-toxic for their cat — and over a third (36%) prioritize buying natural, non-toxic cat litter, even if it doesn’t perform as well as non-natural options.
“The research shows that cat owners want safe and effective products for themselves and their cats. But it seems that clean products that work for cats, like cat litter, haven’t been available up to now,” says spokesperson Karla Attanasio, global director of PetSafe, in a statement. “Since we shouldn’t compromise the cleanliness and efficacy of our own products, we shouldn’t compromise them for our cats.”
Despite clean cat products being a top priority, over half (52%) of cat owners say it’s harder to find natural and effective products for their pets than for themselves. Even then, respondents say it’s a higher priority to find clean products for their cats than themselves (23% vs. 13%).
“Cat owners shouldn’t have to compromise for the products they buy for their furry friends,” says Attanasio. “In a world where it’s difficult to negotiate with those around us, we should have peace of mind about the products we bring into our homes, consume, and use for our pets.”
Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 American cat owners was commissioned by PetSafe between Feb. 7 and Feb. 11, 2024. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).