養貓比養狗的人學歷高
People who own a cat are more likely to have a university degree than those with a pet dog, a study by Bristol University suggests.
布里斯托大學的一項研究發現，養貓的人比養狗的人拿到大學文憑的人數要多。
A poll of 2,524 households found that 47.2% of those with a cat had at least one person educated to degree level, compared with 38.4% of homes with dogs.
這項研究共對2,524戶養寵物的家庭進行了調查。結果發現，47.2%的養貓戶家中至少有一人接受過高等教育，而這一比例在養狗戶中只有38.4%。
The study said longer hours, possibly associated with better qualified jobs, may make owning a dog impractical.
研究指出，養狗需要投入更多的時間，這可能導致繁忙的白領養狗有些不切實際。
It also found that UK pet ownership was much higher than previously thought.
研究還發現，家有寵物的英國家庭數量遠比先前估計的多。
Cat and dog numbers were last estimated in a scientific peer-reviewed journal in 1989, which said there were 6.2 million and 6.4 million respectively in the UK.
1989年科學類同行評議雜誌曾評估，英國大約有6,200,000只寵物貓和6,400,000只寵物狗。
But according to Bristol's Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, the populations today are likely to be about 10.3 million and 10.5 million.
而據布里斯托大學臨牀動物醫學所的統計數字，如今英國大約共有10,300,000只寵物貓和10,500,000只寵物狗。
Overall, it estimated that 26% of UK households owned cats and 31% owned dogs.
養貓和養狗的家庭在全國家庭總數中所佔比例分別爲26%和31%。
The study, published in Veterinary Record, suggested a number of other characteristics, aside from education level, were associated with either cat or dog ownership.
發表於《獸醫記錄》的該項研究顯示，除了受教育程度之外，還有其它一些因素會影響人們養貓還是養狗。
Of those surveyed, dog-lovers were more likely to be male, living in rural areas and under the age of 55.
調查顯示，喜歡養狗的人多是55歲以下且居住在鄉村地區的男性。
But cat owners were more likely to be female and living in smaller or single-person households.
而貓主人則更傾向於是居住在小戶型公寓中的單身女性。
The age of children in a family also appeared to make a difference, with cats being more common than dogs in homes with children under the age of 10.
此外，家庭中小孩的年齡也會影響寵物的選擇。對於小孩還不滿十歲的家庭來說，養貓比養狗更加普遍。
However Dr Jane Murray, a lecturer in feline epidemiology at Bristol University, said the variation in education level between owners was the most striking difference.
而布里斯托大學貓冠狀病毒博士簡·馬雷表示，主人教育程度高低所導致的養狗還是養貓的差異是最明顯的。
"We don't know why there is this discrepancy. "
“我們尚不清楚爲什麼會存在這種差異。”
"Our best guess is that it's to do with working hours and perhaps commuting to work, meaning people have a less suitable lifestyle for a dog. "
“我們只能猜測，花在工作上的時間太長意味着人們沒有足夠的時間去遛狗。”
