alt Hacker NewsI don't see why bird ownership wasn't similar to cat.. Would mammal be important or would there be a hidden variable in being able to house a dog or cat as one sometimes needs less permissions for smaller animals in rental agreements, etc..
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That they didn’t break down the bird owners between parrots and canaries/finches was a major oversight - while some canary/finch owners do let their birds out and handle them, parrots (even budgies) tend to interact far more with human keepers than finches and canaries do.
The difference may lie in how as mammals, living with a dog or especially a cat is more similar to living with another person. Intelligent birds require a lot of interaction which is good for reducing mental decline, but the relationship is different — most birds spend a substantial amount of time in a cage and generally need to be controlled more, whereas cats and dogs usually freely roam about the house with a few areas that are off-limits.
Have you ever had a cat?
I ask because people are often surprised at how social cats are. Sure, some are extroverts and just love everyone like any golden retriever would. But most cats will want to be in the same room if you even if they aren't cuddly (all the time). They greet you at the door and like to play with you. They're just introverted and need time to warm up
I wonder if it's really just a function of how much work is involved in taking care of pets. I have had pet turtles and cats for years. Cats easily require 10x the amount of work to keep them happy and healthy.
would be interesting to see rabbits included as well, it's a social mammal and does well in rentals
Survivorship bias: Cat owners with stronger cognitive skills are more likely to notice and evade their cats’ murder attempts.