Cats v Dogs (BBC2, 8pm)

CAT-LOVERS like myself are hoping for good mews now that dog lover Chris Packham and cat woman Liz Bonnin are setting out to answer the age-old question: which makes the best pet – cats or dogs?

Using the latest scientific research and a specially commissioned national "pet census" (the first ever taken in the UK) to discover exactly how the public feel about our canine chums and feline friends, this two-parter sets out to solve the question once and for all.

Packham owns two poodles, Itchy and Scratchy, while Bonnin is well-known for presenting Cat Watch, the Horizon three-parter which following felines as they roamed far from home.

While tonight's episode tests cats and dogs physical abilities and the strength of their senses, next week's show looks at the loyalty and affection at the heart of owning a pet.

"We visited labs in Vienna and Hungary, which helped us get under the skin and into the minds of these animals. I'm very passionate about my dogs, so I really enjoyed filing it," Packham told TV Times.

"We measured the levels of oxytocin (the 'love hormone') in dogs and cats when they're reunited with their owners. Dogs have a great surge of oxytocin when they see their owners, but around 50 per cent of cats didn't register any change. They didn't display the same affection as dogs did," says the Winterwatch presenter who admits he's changed his behaviour following tests on his poodles.

"As they've got older my dogs dogs have become far more distressed when I leave and they tend to sit in my suitcases. the tests showed their heart rates rocketing. I've changed my behaviour since filming that, and I don't want them to be alone again," says Packham.

His partner, Charlotte, is a zookeeper with big cats who has some hand-reared tigers who have become friendly with Packham, but he still finds dogs more rewarding. "My two have me wrapped round their paws. Keeping them happy is my primary goal in life. I even moved house for them. It's so brilliant knowing they're there every morning and walking them in the woods is the best bit of my life," he adds.

He and Bonnin journey around Britain to decide which they think makes the best pet, gathering supporting evidence to argue their case and to try and convince each other which is best. The series will cover a range of subjects, from cat and dog experiments demonstrating the latest scientific research into animal behaviour and physiology, to historical sequences which explore how their relationships with humans have evolved, as well as meetings with extraordinary cats and dogs around the country who display special talents.

The presenters even undertake the ultimate test for a pet owner – a pet swap for a week. I'm still hoping that top cat holds sway over top dog Packham.

Room 101 (BBC1, 8.30pm)

THIS week, it's the turn of model Katie Price, comedian Greg Davies and Citizen Khan star Adil Ray to tell Frank Skinner what really gets on their wick, in the hope he will banish their bugbears to the infamous room for ever. The celebrities' gripes include friends who give their dog specific instructions and talentless people on talent shows.

Keeping Up with the Khans (C4, 9pm)

THIS documentary exploring the impact of immigration on Page Hall, in Sheffield. Each edition of the four shown, focuses on a different community, beginning with the refugees, fleeing war to seek asylum in Britain and battling red tape as they try to start a new life. They include Haider from Lebanon, Libyan Ehab, Cameroonian political dissident Pride and Omar from Sudan, all living together in a house rented by the Home Office. They are all in limbo, unable to work or study while they wait to hear if their request for asylum has been granted.

Viv Hardwick