# Are cats as pets becoming more 'Manly man" acceptable? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 18, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885 "2012-08-18T17:46:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885/41 "2012-08-21T23:33:26Z")
Yeah, see, I would figure real MANLY MEN would prefer cats over dogs. Dogs, you gotta take care of allllll the tiiiime. They ALWAYS want you to PLAY with them and stuff. You can’t leave them over night, you have to make sure they don’t die eating their own shit, and they are just co-dependants. Cats don’t give a shit. And they certainly don’t EAT it. That sounds WAY more manly than a weiner dog. At least, these are some of the reasons _I_ prefer cats over dogs. But I’m a woman. And not a very manly one, either. And now I have a puppy. This is MrTao’s fault. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885/42 "2012-08-22T02:09:02Z")
I have a fish. Am I gay or straight? A piranha. Why do you ask? Should I get a goldfish instead? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885/43 "2012-08-22T02:15:49Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I have a fish. Am I gay or straight? > > A piranha. Why do you ask? Should I get a goldfish instead? Depends. Do you like fishsticks? (That works better spoken). ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885/44 "2012-08-22T02:20:21Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > You really don’t know cats. Do you know how many scratches I regularly have on my arms and hands from “playing” around? Do you know how many times I’ve been ambushed from the tops of bookshelves or under tables? Living with a cat is like living with a hairy, psychotic ninja. Who occasionally likes belly rubs. You’re right. A cat’s other purpose is to bite your feet while you’re sleeping, then run away like a jerk. I had a boyfriend who had a cat. God, I hated that little asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885/45 "2012-08-22T02:23:43Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Couldn’t care less about societal associations, or whatever fluff you’re peddling here. Good answer. History is kinda gay anyway. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885/46 "2012-08-22T02:27:48Z")
both cats and dogs are EXCELLENT but should not be compared. it’s like saying, which is better lasagna or ice cream? cos, DUH, both are EXCELLENT. I feel cranky, maybe I’d best go to bed. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885/47 "2012-08-22T02:48:34Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Depends. Do you like fishsticks? No, but I like Depends. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885/48 "2012-08-22T03:08:24Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Couldn’t care less about societal associations, or whatever fluff you’re peddling here. I’ve always, for as long as I can remember, preferred dogs to cats, and thought cats were for wimps. Dogs are obscenely fun, they love to be roughhoused with, they have tons of energy, don’t get all butthurt about getting a little water on their fur, will go for a swim with you, they’ll hunt with you. Very cool animals. Cats are lazy, prissy, and total assholes. Who wants a prissy little pet whose sole function is to look fluffy? > > I was somewhat joking when I said I suspect a man who has a cat is gay, but I do strongly suspect that I could take him in a fight. Yet, cats can kill mice. And we all know how you feel about mice. Sooo… what does that make you? A super wimp? ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885/49 "2012-08-22T03:22:28Z")
I’ve had dogs all my life but my last one died not long after I got married. We decided that a puppy wouldn’t be the best mix with two small boys (toddler & baby) so I got a cat (about 6 months old when I got him). My wife had a cat already so we had some experience with them. I have to say he’s a great little [critter](http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd313/Ash51a/cats4.jpg) to have around. These days he beats up dogs that wander into our front yard 😃 I still love dogs & we’ll get another when the boys are older but until then the [cats](http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd313/Ash51a/cats2.jpg) are great and love being around the boys. Plus, they are funny as hell to watch playing together and messing around in the yard - we now have 4 cats (thanks to my wife, along with about 8 chickens who free-range in the yard and the cats just ignore). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Surb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Surb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Surb)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885/50 "2012-08-22T03:44:55Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > You’re right. A cat’s other purpose is to bite your feet while you’re sleeping, then run away like a jerk. I had a boyfriend who had a cat. God, I hated that little asshole. I gotta ask, the boyfriend or the cat? ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885/51 "2012-08-22T05:57:01Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Good answer. History is kinda gay anyway. Yawn. The point was it’s absurd to pretend anyone rolls their eyes at a foofy little cat has fallen prey to post WWII conformity. Hell, when I was four years old, after my cat died I begged my dad for a dog because a dogs seemed to be a much cooler and fun pet to have. The cat just slept and ate all the time. I don’t think I had any awareness of stereotypes of prolonged bachelorhood being associated with homosexuality, or anything of the sort. I was just a little tiny girl and thought dogs were fun, and cats were lazy and boring. > [@Shakes](#): > > Yet, cats can kill mice. And we all know how you feel about mice. Sooo… what does that make you? A super wimp? Does this mean I get a cape? > [@The\_Surb](#): > > I gotta ask, the boyfriend or the cat? _rimshot_ Why both, of course. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cats-as-pets-becoming-more-manly-man-acceptable/631885.md?page=2)