BBC World Service Online

The Why Factor

Documentaries

Factual

The extraordinary and hidden histories behind everyday objects and actions

The Why Factor: Pets

Pets

03/05/2013

BBC World Service - The Why Factor, Pets

Mike Williams asks why do we live with cats and dogs and what does our choice of pet say about us?

Why do we live with cats and dogs? Mike Williams meets cat and dog owners in Kenya and North Wales to find out what the real nature of the relationship with our furry friends is. Where did they come from? Why do we become so attached to non-humans? Can they love us back? 

Mike talks to psychologist Sam Gosling who has studied whether there really are cat and dog people. And he questions whether the relationship is really all about fluffy cuteness – could there be a dark side to our keeping of pets? Human geographer Yi Fu Tuan thinks so.

Produced by Lucy Proctor.

(Image of an owner kissing her pet cat. Credit AFP/Getty Images)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Why Factor

Pets

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Online

About BBC World Service