“年纪轻轻，猫狗双全”是许多当代年轻人的梦想，但他们在现阶段往往精力、财力有限，只能云养宠物或二者选一。那么是养猫还是养狗，这是个问题。对于生活在都市的人来说，他们可能更倾向于养猫。一项调查显示，猫咪已经超过狗狗，成为中国都市人最喜欢的宠物。

 

A new report released Tuesday by Pethadoop, a platform specializing in China's pet industry, said cats accounted for 59.5% of all the pets among the 30,000 respondents surveyed for the research. As of last year, there were some 58 million pet cats in China's urban households, compared with some 54 million pet dogs.

派读宠物行业大数据平台1月18日发布报告称，在接受调查的3万名受访者中，他们的宠物59.5%是猫。截至去年，中国城市家庭中约有5800万只宠物猫，而宠物狗约为5400万只。

 

China has seen an increase in pet ownership over the years, with people increasingly choosing cats. Globally, though dogs were still more common pets, including the United States and the United Kingdom, cats have emerged as the most popular pet in the European Union lately.

近年来，随着越来越多人选择养猫，中国的养宠人士有所增加。尽管在全世界狗狗仍然是更常见的宠物，比如英国和美国，但猫咪最近已成为欧盟最受欢迎的宠物。

 

Cats have also turned into a social phenomenon in China and elsewhere, with the felines¹ becoming the subject of viral memes and videos. Many cat lovers online also identify themselves as "cat slaves" and "cat sniffers," publicly professing² their pet preference.

在中国和其他地方，猫咪也变成了一种社会现象，它们成了表情包和短视频的主角。许多爱猫人士在网上还自称“猫奴”和“吸猫者”，公开表示他们的喜爱。

 

Researchers attribute the fast growth of cat pets to the lifestyle in Chinese cities, with some experts also suggesting the feline's popularity with the young generation's pursuit of individuality.

研究人员将养猫人士激增归因于中国城市的生活方式，一些专家还指出，猫咪受欢迎与年轻一代对个性的追求有关。

 

Liu Yi, the report's chief editor, said that many city dwellers³ have busy lives and relatively⁴ smaller accommodations, thus making cats their ideal companions — it's easy to raise cats, unlike dogs that require more attention and outdoor activities.

这份报告的主编刘毅（音译）表示，许多城市居民生活繁忙，住宿面积相对较小，因此猫是理想的伴侣——养猫很简单，不像养狗需要更多的关注和户外活动。

 

"Our research shows that the majority of the pet owners are people born after 1990 and 1995," he said. "Young people are looking for freedom and spontaneity in their lives, and the habits of cats are more suited to their needs."

他说：“我们的调查显示，大多数宠物主人都是90后和95后。年轻人在生活中寻求自由率性，猫的习性更适合他们的需求。”

 

Cai, a 27-year-old who works in Beijing, said she recently adopted a cat named Nanako. She added that cats were the perfect pet for dagong ren, which means “laborer” or “working people.”

27岁的小蔡在北京工作，她最近收养了一只名叫Nanako的猫。小蔡称，猫咪是“打工人”的完美宠物。

 

"I wanted a dog at first, but since I'm quite busy, I wouldn't have given them enough time," she said. "Cats are more independent compared with dogs. Nanako has kept me company through my loneliness, which someone like me who works in a big city faces."

小蔡说：“起初我想养只狗，但因为我很忙，没有足够的时间陪伴它。和狗相比，猫更独立。在大城市工作会带给人孤独感，Nanako一直陪伴着我度过这种孤独时刻。”

 

如果有机会拥有一只宠物，你会选择猫咪还是狗狗？不论选择哪种“毛孩子”，都请切记用心对待，绝不弃养。

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