Public Relations Blog

Are readers more likely to be cat or dog people?

A client of ours writes a mystery series that is funny, engaging, and every book so far has gotten an endorsement from Janet Evanovich — you can’t get much better than that in this genre.  Her new book, which will be released this fall, has all of the great trappings we’ve come to expect, plus a special guest: a cat.Now, I haven’t seen the manuscript yet, as it is still in the midst of the writing/editing process, but I was thrilled with the idea that a furry friend was going to be a part of the excitement.In the spirit of cat love, we suggested she might start a campaign involving cat photo submissions on her Facebook page and a Pinterest board featuring our fine whiskered friends.  Well, she has been bombarded with submissions and it made me wonder: is there a link between the kind of animal lover you are, and reading?

IMG_1364This is one of my cats (I have two).  I mean, look at this face—it screams mystery, intrigue, and “I am just going to sit near you and sleep for the next several hours so you can be engrossed in your book.” Not to predict my future as a stereotypical cat lady or anything, but I can tell you that cats are the perfect reading companions—quiet, manageable in size, and they sleep for about eighteen hours a day.

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Dogs on the other hand are an entirely different story.  This is my dog Katie.  I love her to death, but I think dogs work against our ability to read.  First of all anything I do that doesn’t involve her makes her jealous, so a book, although not a threatening cat or dog rival, is still something that takes my attention from her antics.  Just when I get into the good part of a novel, a slimy, oinking pig toy is tossed in my lap for playtime.  If I don’t give her what she wants, she will likely eat a roll of paper towels or hold my daughter’s favorite stuffed animal hostage.  No amount of doggie biscuits alone will meet her ransom demands.

Do readers = cat people? What kinds of books might a cat or a dog person like the most?  I am going to suggest that more people who like/own cats read books, especially mysteries.  Dogs are a bit more of a challenge. What do you think? To share your dog/cat photos with us, Tweet us your opinions or pet pictures @McKinneyPR!