Typical iPad buyer is male, pet-owning video game player

Marketing firm BlueKai compiled the profile of the typical iPad buyer, listing those three traits in the "highly likely to buy" category, as noted by AllThingsD.

Scientists or health care workers, international travelers, apartment dwellers and proponents of organic food also scored high on the list. The firm also noted vitamin takers, domestic business travelers, married couples and college graduates as common attributes of iPad owners.

BlueKai created an infographic (below) to reflect its findings, including a few data points from other research firms. According to comScore, 45.9 percent of tablet owners belong to households earning $100,00 per year or more, while Nielsen has discovered that 70 percent of all iPad use occurs in front of a TV.

Though a number of the traits listed by the firm appear to be unrelated, some of them reflect specific use cases for the iPad. For instance, Apple is seeing adoption of its touchscreen tablet in the medical industry with a growing number of applications emerging to support the field. Additionally, international and domestic travelers would presumably have more opportunities to use a lightweight portable device.

The rise of iOS gaming could also explain the fact that iPad owners are highly likely to be video game purchasers. One recent study found that iOS and Android now account for 58 percent of portable game revenue in the U.S. The two platforms comprised just 19 percent of the market in 2009 and 34 percent in 2010.

When combined with the Apple TV, the iPad can even pose a threat to game consoles, as the new AirPlay Mirroring feature in iOS 5 allows for multiplayer wireless big-screen gaming. Gaming giant Nintendo is feeling the effects of the shift to mobile gaming, as the company expects to lose 20 billion yen ($26.3 million) in the second half of fiscal 2012.

A recent survey showed that the iPad is also a big hit with younger demographics. Nielsen sampled 3,000 American children to discover that both kids 6-12 and teens are most interested in the iPad.

In just 18 months, the iPad has quickly become a significant portion of Apple's revenue. The company sold a record 11.12 million iPads during the most recent September quarter, more than double the amount of Macs it sold. Apple is expected to sell more than 50 million tablets in calendar 2012.