Cats vs. Dogs: This Map Shows Which Pet the World Prefers

If you want to get to know someone—or start a fight—ask them if they prefer cats or dogs. For as long as we've been raising these pets in our homes, debates have raged over which one is superior. Budget Direct recently looked at attitudes toward both pets in different countries, and while they weren't able to determine which animal is best, they did find out which one is more popular around the world.

To create the map below, Budget Direct compared the location data of posts with pro-dog hashtags and pro-cat hashtags on Instagram. They found that posters tend to prefer cats in 91 countries, while dogs are more popular in only 76 countries.

Some feline-loving countries that helped cats reach world dominance include Canada, Russia, and China. The United States broke with the majority of the world, with 38 states there preferring dogs to cats. But America isn't alone: Australia, Mexico, and the UK are also home to mostly dog people, according to Instagram data.

You can see where each country falls in the dogs-vs-cats debate in the map below. Dogs may have lost the popularity contest overall, but don't feel too bad for them: Dog owners are reported to be twice as happy as cat parents.