The purrfect match: The influence of personality on owner satisfaction with their domestic cat (<i>Felis silvestris catus</i>)



Evans, Rebecca ORCID: 0000-0001-8894-5938, Lyons, Minna, Brewer, Gayle ORCID: 0000-0003-0690-4548 and Tucci, Sonia
(2019) The purrfect match: The influence of personality on owner satisfaction with their domestic cat (<i>Felis silvestris catus</i>). PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES, 138. pp. 252-256.

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Abstract

Pet animals, and the quality of the owner-pet relationship, have an important impact on owners’ lives. Further, similarity of owner-pet personality may impact on owner satisfaction though this has not been investigated in relation to cats. In the current study, cat owners (N = 126) completed a two section questionnaire. The owner section assessed three of the Big Five traits (agreeableness, extraversion, neuroticism), dominance, impulsiveness, the Dark Triad (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy), and owner satisfaction with their cat. The pet section assessed the Feline Five (agreeableness, dominance, extraversion, impulsiveness, neuroticism). Positive associations were identified between owner and pet dominance and owner and pet impulsivity. Higher owner dominance also positively correlated with cat extraversion, impulsivity, and neuroticism and owner Dark Triad traits were positively correlated with cat dominance, impulsivity, and neuroticism. None of the owner personality traits related to satisfaction with the cat. Overall, owners were more satisfied with cats high in agreeableness and low in neuroticism. Dissimilarity in owner dominance and cat agreeableness, and owner impulsivity and cat agreeableness were correlated with higher satisfaction. Satisfaction was also positively associated with similarity in scores for owner Dark Triad and cat agreeableness. Future research is recommended, focusing on matching of non-identical personality traits.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Big Five, Companion animals, Dark Triad, Feline Five, Personality, Satisfaction
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 17 Oct 2018 14:12
Last Modified: 17 Oct 2023 18:24
DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2018.10.011
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URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3027635