My friend has a cat, Chelsea. One day I was over her house, enjoying an adult beverage and listening to some tunes. Next thing you know, her cat attacked me! I kicked the thing off of me screaming. Elaine calmly explained, “You were tapping your foot.” AAAAHHHH!
Definitely dogs. Large dogs especially, since I was raised by German Shepherds (only half joking here). And I get along with almost every dog I “meet.” Many people have told me, “I don’t understand it, [my dog] doesn’t like anyone, but he/she just came right up to you.”
It’s been said that dogs view people as “family,” but cats view people as “staff.”
I must register my vote in favor of cats.
True, they’re not as overly affectionate as dogs. But once you are deemed worthy, it’s worth it - a cat will curl up on your lap and keep you company while you read (well, anything but a newspaper), purring all the while.
Re: alcoholic cats, my Gimp is dangerous around pina coladas. I make them in the blender from the Bacardi mix, and for some reason the insane beast loves the taste. He’ll leap on the counter and clean the blender out for me if I’m not careful.
Well, I’m kinda surprised by you people with the litter box complaints. I’ve never once stepped in cat droppings, I’ve stepped in dogs’ more times than I can count. On sidewalks, lawns, baseball diamonds, basement floors, etc. Yeah right, responsible dog owners clean it up. So that means the crap I have to hose off my shoes was left by that pet of an irresponsible person. That makes me feel a ton better.
I’ll go with dogs. My parents bred bulldogs growing up, and they were the sweetest animals ever.
I had a cat when I was about 6 or 7, but I only wanted it because I thought it was going to grow up to be a lion. Since I found out that it was going to STAY that size (and also that I was allergic), I’ve had little use for the whole lot of 'em.
I vote for dogs. I’ve had both but I think dogs have waaaaaay better personalities and make life fun. Cats are pretty boring and totally neurotic.
Kind of a moot point since my landlord won’t let me have either … but definitely cats. They’re clean, quiet, and beautiful, and they DON’T force their attentions upon you. I can deal with dogs if they’re large and sedate (the little yappy ones ought to be shot), but even the nice ones insist on licking my face, and they have HORRIBLE breath. Ugh.
“Had I been around at the creation, I would have given some useful hints for the better ordering of the universe.”
- Alfonso X
You need to be careful with that - I might be wrong here, but I recall reading somewhere that alcohol is poisonous to cats. Something about their livers can’t process it like ours’ can.
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peas on earth
Cat’s “just tolerate” some of us.
Others, they can be amazingly affectionate towards. But they act this way towards people they deem suitable, not just everyone automatically.
My cat is as affectionate with me as any dog I’ve ever seen (although in less of a “pushy” way), but she’s indifferent, bordering on aloof, to most strangers.
Respect is earned, not demanded. Holds true for people and cats.
peas on earth
“They stare from windows with eyes of hate.
In ev’ry street, they watch and wait.
In ev’ry city, so smugly curl’d,
Cats are waiting to take over the world.”
-- T.S. Eliot (I think)
Visit the Internet Stellar Database at www.stellar-database.com
I agree with Gaudere I love big ol’ floppy dogs you can wrestle with and play pull the rag and are fun.
I like cats as well but if it is small it oughtta be a cat.
I guess I should clarify my earlier post about ‘guardcats.’
For mice: A cat
For burglars: A dog
Bantmof:
I stand by my original statement.
I was fortunate enough to accepted by a great, loving, funny Maine Coon Cat, and know that (as in my original post) there are cats and CATS and dogs and DOGs…
But only dogs WORK with humans as companion animals to old people and troubled childen, as guides for the physically and visually disabled, to find explosives and cadavers and those buried alive, to herd and track and retrieve.
Sure, cats are great. I’ve love 'em for all they are. But not even horses match dogs as companions, helpmates and extended “family” across species.
Want easy? Get a cat.
Dogs rule.
Veb
True, you don’t see many seeing-eye cats. Although there was the small matter of trying to keep the bubonic plague in check in Europe (and we humans expressed our gratitude by killing them for it). And if you’re gonna count herding, you also have to count the cats that were kept on sailing ships to keep the rodent population down. And don’t pigs find those truffle things? 
There are also rats that work with electricians by running wiring through small inaccessable places in old buildings.
I don’t think that the same qualities that make a good rescue animal necessarily make a good pet. I don’t care if my pet can smell a cadaver at 50 yards! OTOH, I wouldn’t want a human who was constantly sucking up to me, gauging their every action based on what I thought of it, and whimpering when I disapproved; the same quality is not any more endearing in a pet.
You misspelled “drool”!
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peas on earth
A good cat will die for you. He just won’t obey you.