Do you feed them, walk them, clean up after them and pay the vet bills, only for them to ignore you when their favourite person walks into the room? 

‘Spare human syndrome’ is a real phenomenon where a family pet prefers one partner or family member over another, leaving the second person feeling like the “back up” human.  

New Opinium¹ research, from Insure Your Paws, an award-winning² pet insurance provider, finds that 40% of dog owners and 38% of cat owners say their pet has a ‘favourite human’ in the home.  

The findings suggest that while pets may enjoy the company of the whole family, many reserve their strongest bond for one particular person, leaving the rest of the household to accept life as the 'spare human'. 

Andrew Simpson, Head of Pet, at Insure Your Paws said: "Most pet owners like to think they're their pet's number one. The reality is often very different. Many dogs and cats form particularly strong bonds with one person, whether that's the person who feeds them, walks them, spends the most time with them or simply the person they've chosen for reasons known only to them.” 

"Unfortunately, that means there can be a few disappointed family members who discover they're actually the spare human.  But every pet deserves proper protection.” 

Sources

¹ Opinium online survey conducted with 1,000 cat or dog owners in the UK from 3-6 March 2026.   

² Insure Your Paws - Winner of the Pet Insurance Award at the National Insurance Awards 2026.