Australia is a nation of cat people according to new RSPCA survey

CATS are officially Australia's favourite pets, with more than 80 percent of owners taking to social media to spruik their feline friends.

IT seems that dogs aren't really man's best friend - at least when it comes to Aussies who are apparently a nation of cat people.

The NSW RSPCA conducted an online survey of 751 people across Australia to gauge attitudes towards and ownership levels of dogs and cats.

Of those surveyed, 66.3 per cent said they thought dogs were Australia's favorite pet and only 6.1 per cent thought we were a nation of cat lovers.

But it turns out that 33.9 per cent of those surveyed said they owned cats exclusively and under a third of respondents, at 22.7 per cent, owned only dogs.The majority of those surveyed, 38 per cent, professed equal love for both.

"There is a clear perception that we are a nation of dog people, but when you actually ask people about their feelings towards each animal, the truth is that they like both cats and dogs equally,'' RSPCA NSW chief veterinarian Dr Magdoline Awad said.

Owners are also likely to share their enthusiasm via social media , with more than 80 per cent of cat owners using sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to share photos of feline friends.

The RSPCA is hoping this online trend will interest even more people in becoming cat owners.

"Cats are an ideal pet for today's lifestyles,'' Dr Awad said.

"Cats are compact, they do not need to be walked, are happy to stay at home on their own and can offer a great deal of companionship.''