I think whether or not you like cats or dogs depends a lot on how good you are with them to begin with.
I haven’t been in a an owner/pet relationship with a dog since I was 11 so I don’t fully grok how their minds work. I’ve been owned by one cat or another since I was 5–I know exactly how their minds work, and in a disturbing number of ways, my mind works like a cat’s. With one exception (a feral cat I adopted at about 4-5 months–it didn’t work out), every cat I’ve had has been a friendly and affectionate companion who can sense and respond to the moods of other people in the house. Kid crying? Cat shows up and makes it all better. Time for bed? Cat helps tuck the kids in and purrs them to sleep. Etc. I’ve even “tamed” a bad kitty who would growl and attack anyone who wasn’t her mama(my wife). Took about 2 days and I observed, “She needs a kitten.” Got her a kitten. Two of the friendliest cats you could ever hope to meet.
If you were to give me a puppy–maybe a nice lab/retriever mix, I wouldn’t know what to do with it. It’d grow up into a neurotic, needy barker and a nuissance. It’d be every dog I’ve ever hated and we’d both be miserable.
I wish I could take credit for my dog’s behavior, but I can’t. I got her when she was 6. Her owner passed away unexpectedly and no one in the family could take the dog. The rescue I volunteer for was asked to take her. Her former owner took her to puppy basic classes, obedience classes and agility training. She has her canine good citizen certificate as well. The former owner’s daughter gave us every single record the dog had, from the vet and the trainer.
She still needs reinforcement of her training, but since she has all the basics, it is really easy. She is 9 now, and we still do agility (but just for fun) to reinforce the bond between owner and dog.
I don’t understand people who don’t like animals. I’ve always had pets (mostly cats), and it really feels strange to not have animals around. To me, they’re a necessity of life!
Dogs require a real investment in time and attention that is not the same as what a cat needs. Dogs are very social animals, even more so than humans. If you can invest the time and attention early in the relationship you may end up with a dog that will wait for you at home while you do other things. It won’t be happy while you are gone, but if you convince the dog that you are the alpha and you will return and spend time together, you will have a good dog.
A cat wants attention on it’s own schedule. If you pay attention to the cat when it approaches you and give it a little affection, and food, a cat can be left alone and be happy.
But a dog is never happy being alone, they will tolerate it but they aren’t happy. They have much stronger social expectations and needs than cats do.
Yeah. I think this is why our experience with dogs was better after we retired and were able to be home most of the time. I don’t think having one dog in a household where the people are away for 8-10 hours is a good idea. Dogs need company. If you’re seldom home but must have a dog, then have two. Everybody’ll be happier.
I’ve been a cat guy since I was 3. I like dogs, but one thing you have to love about cats is that I’ve never seen one that needed a trainer or behaviorist.
Like Inigo, my mind is very attuned to my cats. I like to tell people I communicate telepathically with mine because sometimes it seems like I do.
Cats are very independent in that if you leave them alone they don’t tend to go crazy and tear the house apart. But when they see you, they’re all over you, all purring and talking. They definitely live their life on whatever schedule the people in the house do. They know dinner time, they know when to start sitting by the window or listen for the garage to open. They know bedtime, mine even seem to sense weekends, I think because if the sun is up and I’m still in bed, it’s fair game to climb in and sleep late.
I’ve had more dogs I’ve enjoyed as dogs than cats I’ve enjoyed. I’ve had two good cats and three bad cats in my life. The three bad ones could care less if I shared their space - except to put food in their bowl I was not at all necessary to their existence (and two of those three didn’t even associate me with the food). I’ve had half a dozen good dogs and not really a bad one in the mix.
There is something wonderful about a good cat, however, for me they are much riskier animals. My current cat is a doll. If all cats were her, I’d be a cat fan.
My first pet was a cat, and I loved her. I didn’t think I liked dogs until I was well into my 20s. My first husband and I got a dog from a shelter, and I liked her okay. Then he left me, and it was just me and the dog. That’s when I realized how fantastic dogs are. She was totally loyal and attentive. It was like she could read my mind and I could read hers. Without that dog I think I would have lost my mind those first few months of abandonment. Ever since then, I’ve loved dogs. I still like cats, though; I think they’re cute and funny. Dogs, though–there’s nothing like the bond between a dog and its human.
See, I never get that particular categorisation of cats/dogs. You have to put so much more effort into owning a dog. I would definitely feel more enslaved by the needs of a dog than I do by those of my cat, which are minimal in comparison.
I dunno about that. I’m pretty good with animals, and when I was young I had a cat or three. I think that one’s relationship with animals is just like any other relationship: you’re not going to be happy with it unless the positives outweigh the negatives.
In my old age, the negatives of having a pet outweigh the positives. I don’t want to fool with them anymore, it’s that simple.
I find it interesting the name of the OP of this thread, as I have a furry, purring Inigo Montoya curled up next to me at the moment.
I also have a lab mix snoozing at my feet.
(And for the record, I also have a 45gal aquarium of tropical fish, a 75gal goldfish/turtle pond, a horse, and two classroom pet snakes. I don’t want to know what kind of person this makes me.)
Imagine my embarassment. :smack: I totally knew that. I meant lab/golden retriever. Both of which seem like innately pleasant, intelligent and fun-loving critters.