Ad Watch: It's OK To Be a Cat Guy



Gay Guy,

The Much Love Animal Rescue team in southern California has launched the "It's OK To Be a Cat Guy" campaign, which emphasizes that cats are not just for lonely ladies. They are also for tough guys -- with or without social skills.

Other versions (biker, bartender) are also on our gayads/straightads Tumblr.

I have to admit, I've known many single straight guys with dogs. I've only ever known one who had a cat. And, yes, he communicated with the animal in "baby talk." Nice guy. But that was a little unsettling.

I like this campaign. But maybe it raises the question: Is there a gay/straight divide on dog/cat preferences?

Readers?

--Straight Guy

P.S. For the record, I am a dog guy. But that's just a preference, not a judgment. Kittens, especially, get me right in the soft spot.

5 comments:

Nance said...

Straight old female, here. Could my opinion possibly matter less? Still, I think I would resent being gender-profiled (or type-casted according to affectional orientation) for pet preference.

Who needs that poll? If you seek a pet, don't ask some expert; ask YOU!

Straight Guy said...

I don't disagree, Nance. But the whole point of the campaign seems to be to bust some gender stereotypes (we like that here at GG/SG). You can't do that without acknowledging that there are accurate profiles in play.

So let's assume they know their numbers and their market. Why don't single guys adopt cats at the rate that single women do? Or guys in general? If they want to move the needle, they have to admit to a current baseline.

There is also a huge surplus of rabbits up for adoption. Wonder what the demographics say about that?

Dorn said...

Guys can't walk a cat to the park to pick up chicks. Cats also don't convey a sense of responsibility the way dogs do (they can basically survive on their own for a week with no attention and not even notice you were gone). I might be making a weak argument that subconsciously, a dog is a form of a mating ritual.

Anonymous said...

I like these videos. I wouldn't have anything in common with these guys except for the cats.

Gay Guy said...

Is the cat/dog thing another variation on pink/blue? I think so. I'm pretty sure that children's picture books are the culprits here.

I've only had cats, so that's a gay vote. But, I am an urban apartment dweller so cats fit the space better. I would want to be able to give a dog room to run.

Truth be told, I'm not all that much of a pet person. I never would have had the cats except that the boyfriend at the time wanted them.

There have been a flight of ASPCA ads on TV of late, encouraging folks to give money to shelter abandoned and abused animals. Those dog faces just kill me.