I think there's a lot of credence in the pet notion as to why we choose feline or canine. There is also a strong rivalry between the two groups - in the UK at least you are either a dog person or a cat person. It doesn't surprise me that foxes and wolves are the two highest - again, perhaps because, through our experience with dogs, we can relate to these creatures more yet, unlike dogs, they seem more mysterious.
Re: Cats and dogs