OK, but why would it be different for women?

No idea. Perhaps men are indifferent to the pets women have, while women do care?

As the initial poster was stating, men who have dogs seem to fare better at attracting women, while men who have cats seem to fare worse. There was nothing about women's success at attracting men, and the effect different animals have on it.

> As the initial poster was stating, men who have dogs seem to fare better at attracting women, while men who have cats seem to fare worse.

What's your evidence for that? There's nothing in the Independent article about it.

I'm not claiming any evidence, just restating what the earlier commentator had said.

Toxoplasmosis (which is due to a parasitic protozoan that is passed on by cats) effects men and women's personalities differently. It may be due to this effect that there would be a sociological difference.

Interesting. But that would require that women, collectively, be aware of the difference. And that seems unlikely.

If this is a thing, I guess that "likes Lassie" is as good an explanation as any.