Around two-thirds of American pet owners let their dog or cat sleep on the bed with them and buy holiday gifts for their furry companions, a survey showed Tuesday.

In addition, the vast majority of Americans who have a pet consider it to be an integral part of their human family, the poll conducted by Harris Interactive showed.

Sixty-nine percent of those surveyed said they let their pets sleep in the bed with them, while 65 percent said they give holiday gifts to their furry family member.

Eighty-eight percent of the 2,455 pet owners — or pet parents, as they tend to call themselves — polled between November 7 and 13 said their pet is a member of their family.

Dogs fare better than cats, with more than nine in 10 dog owners (93 percent) considering Rover a part of the family, against 89 percent who see the pet cat in the same light. Seventy-one percent of dog owners give their canine a present at the holidays, versus 63 percent who do the same for the cat.

Felines, however, are more likely than dogs to be allowed to snuggle up in bed with their human parents: 78 percent of cats are likely to sleep in their humans’ bed compared with 70 percent of dogs.

Americans also cook for their pets (23 percent) and dress them up (18 percent), the poll showed.

More than 71 million households in the United States have at least one pet, with dogs and cats the most popular, according to the American Pet Product Manufacturers’ Association.

source: afp.google.com

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