Women are more liable than men to animals that are cute, for example kittens and puppies, because that cuteness mimics that of a child, he said. They are also better at caring for their pets – for example, they are more likely to take them to a vet when they need it. Our body chemistry plays a crucial role in other ways, he says. While tests show men with high testosterone levels are more level to mistreating their dogs, the effect of a hormone called oxytocin has the opposite effect.
This is a substance that switches on maternal instincts, and some experts believe pets are major producers of the hormone. ‘Women who are taking hormonal birth control act differently from women who are not taking birth control. And those who are particularly sensitive to cuteness are women of reproductive age.’ The gender divide shows itself in other ways, said Professor Herzog, who explores our relationship with animals in his book Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat. Those who collect a large number of animals are overwhelmingly women, while those who misuse animals are often men.
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