BAROMETRUL Informat.ro - INSCOP Research - Pets. Dogs vs. Cats | 57.1% of Romanians currently have at least one pet / 47.6% of Romanians prefer dogs as pets.

Chapter 10: Pets. Dogs vs. Cats

According to BAROMETER Informat.ro – INSCOP Research, edition III, conducted between September 1 - 9, 2025, more than half of Romanians own at least one pet.

BAROMETER Informat.ro – INSCOP Research is a monthly opinion poll conducted by INSCOP Research on behalf of the news platform Informat.ro in partnership with the Strategic Thinking Group think tank.

BAROMETER Informat.ro – INSCOP Research aims to bring to the public's attention topics of interest to stimulate national conversations about various subjects and essential public policies for the present and future of Romania, based on the opinions of Romanians in partnership with think tanks and prestigious academic institutions. It is an initiative through which we aim to contribute to the strengthening of democracy by using scientific and credible tools that bring the voice of citizens to the forefront of public debate.

Methodology: Data was collected between September 1-9, 2025. Research method: interview via questionnaire. Data was collected using the CATI method (telephone interviews), with a simple stratified sample volume of 1103 people, representative of significant socio-demographic categories (gender, age, occupation) for the non-institutionalized population of Romania, aged 18 and over. The maximum allowable error of the data is ± 2.95%, at a confidence level of 95%.

Graphical presentation of the data is available here: BAROMETER Informat.ro - INSCOP Research - Pets. Dogs vs. Cats

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Remus Ștefureac – director INSCOP Research: "More than half of Romanians (57.1%) currently own pets, which shows that the emotional relationship with them is an important part of daily life. The clear preference for dogs (47.6%) compared to cats (21.2%) indicates a need for active companionship and protection, confirmed by the fact that the main reason cited for having pets is the need for affection and companionship (40.4%). However, the relevant percentage of those who see pets as a tool for teaching responsibility to children (12.5%) also shows an educational dimension. Dogs are preferred especially by people of active age and by residents of rural areas, where the security and protection component has a greater weight. In contrast, cats are more appreciated by women, young people, and those in urban areas, reflecting a more emotional relationship associated with a domestic lifestyle. Politically, a slight polarization is emerging: supporters of traditionally conservative parties with a higher presence in rural areas tend to prefer dogs, while supporters of more progressive or urban parties show a greater openness to cats and other pets. This differentiation is not absolute, but suggests that the choice of pet reflects both lifestyle and the social and cultural values of individuals."

Pets

Current pet ownership

57.1% of Romanians currently have at least one pet, while 42.9% do not have any.

Among those who currently have pets, 35.2% declare that they have one, 23.7% two, 12.9% three, and 28.2% more than three.

Past pet ownership

Among those who currently do not have any pets, 42.6% declare that they have had a pet in the past, while 57.4% say they have not.

Future pet ownership

Also, among those who currently do not have any pets, 24.5% intend to own a pet in the future, 74.6% do not wish to do so, and 0.9% do not know or do not respond.

Preferred pets

47.6% of Romanians prefer dogs as pets, 21.2% prefer cats, and 3.3% prefer birds. The ranking continues with rodents (preferred by 0.5%), fish (0.4%), and reptiles (0.4%). 1.3% of respondents mention something else, 1.6% none, and 2.1% do not know or do not respond.

Prefer dogs as pets: 40% of PSD voters, 59% of PNL voters, 46% of USR voters, and 54% of AUR voters, 56% of men and 40% of women, 56% of young people under 30, 55% of those aged 30 to 44, 46% of those aged 45 to 59, and 39% of those over 60, 40% of people with primary education, 51% of those with secondary education, 47% of those with higher education, 34% of residents of Bucharest, 47% of those in urban areas with over 90,000 residents, 48% of those in small urban areas, and 50% in rural areas, respectively 42% of public sector employees and 54% of those working in the private sector.

Prefer cats as pets: 20% of PSD voters, 19% of PNL voters, 30% of USR voters, and 14% of AUR voters, 16% of men and 26% of women, 27% of young people under 30, 19% of those aged 30 to 44, 23% of those aged 45 to 59, and 19% of those over 60, 13% of people with primary education, 23% of those with secondary education, 27% of those with higher education, 40% of residents of Bucharest, 22% of those in urban areas with over 90,000 residents, 22% of those in small urban areas, and 17% in rural areas, respectively 35% of public sector employees and 21% of those working in the private sector.

Reasons for pet ownership

When asked what the main reason for choosing to have a pet is, 40.4% of respondents mention companionship and affection, 12.8% - safety, guarding, protection, 12.5% - teaching responsibility to children, family, and 10.6% passion for a certain species. 0.8% indicate another reason, and 1.3% do not know or do not respond.