# Cats rule the household. Just ask the dog. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 22, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-rule-the-household-just-ask-the-dog/766592 "2016-09-22T18:31:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-rule-the-household-just-ask-the-dog/766592/1 "2016-09-22T18:31:07Z")
Put a cat and dog in the same household. The cat often becomes the dominant pack member. Size doesn’t seem to matter. Photos > **[These cats show who's boss in these pictures of them in dog beds](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3801783/Had-ruff-night-Forlorn-dogs-shown-EXACTLY-s-boss-ousted-beds-sleepy-brazen-cats.html)** > > These cats show just who rules the roost in these hilarious photos of them stealing dog beds. They might be half the size but they know what they want when they see it and aren't afraid to get it. More sleeping cats. No pesky dogs. > **[Are these the best cat naps EVER?](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3788951/Are-best-cat-naps-EVER.html)** > > Whether it's stuffed into a bowl, tucked inside a cardboard box or leaning over a piece of furniture, cats have the incredible ability to nod off in the strangest of places. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2016, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-rule-the-household-just-ask-the-dog/766592/2 "2016-09-22T18:42:38Z")
[Sometimes](http://www.top13.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/cat-and-dog-friends-4.jpg), [the](https://dncache-mauganscorp.netdna-ssl.com/thumbseg/1666/1666272-bigthumbnail.jpg) [dog](http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/cute-cats-sleeping-on-dogs-26__605.jpg) [is](https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2272/2290162049_d4a087875f.jpg) [the](http://cdn-media.ellentv.com/2013/06/19/best-pet-1.png) [bed](http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/cute-cats-sleeping-on-dogs-20__605.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-rule-the-household-just-ask-the-dog/766592/3 "2016-09-22T18:53:47Z")
A cat rules my household. Just ask me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-rule-the-household-just-ask-the-dog/766592/4 "2016-09-22T19:26:09Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Sometimes](http://www.top13.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/cat-and-dog-friends-4.jpg), [the](https://dncache-mauganscorp.netdna-ssl.com/thumbseg/1666/1666272-bigthumbnail.jpg) [dog](http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/cute-cats-sleeping-on-dogs-26__605.jpg) [is](https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2272/2290162049_d4a087875f.jpg) [the](http://cdn-media.ellentv.com/2013/06/19/best-pet-1.png) [bed](http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/cute-cats-sleeping-on-dogs-20__605.jpg). They look comfortable. 😃 Jim Davis certainly captured the relationship between cats and dogs in the Garfield strip. Odie loses every time. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-rule-the-household-just-ask-the-dog/766592/5 "2016-09-22T19:35:57Z")
I had two queens once who ended up sleeping on either side of my dog. Once the two saw each other they started fighting … and here’s the poor dog waking up to a cat fight on his belly … I have over-sized pillows for my bed now so it’s safer for me to sleep these days … ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2016, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-rule-the-household-just-ask-the-dog/766592/6 "2016-09-22T19:51:38Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Sometimes](http://www.top13.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/cat-and-dog-friends-4.jpg), [the](https://dncache-mauganscorp.netdna-ssl.com/thumbseg/1666/1666272-bigthumbnail.jpg) [dog](http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/cute-cats-sleeping-on-dogs-26__605.jpg) [is](https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2272/2290162049_d4a087875f.jpg) [the](http://cdn-media.ellentv.com/2013/06/19/best-pet-1.png) [bed](http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/cute-cats-sleeping-on-dogs-20__605.jpg). You missed [one](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/52/5e/bf/525ebf3251e75c701648f895fb611a9c.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-rule-the-household-just-ask-the-dog/766592/7 "2016-09-24T02:12:52Z")
Nothing surprising about this. Dogs are pack animals: they are evolved to live in groups with a pack leader. Cats are solitary hunters, while they may live in colonies, those don’t have a leader. So the dog is genetically wired to be part of a 2-animal pack, with a leader in it, and if the dog can’t be the leader, he must be a follower.