Rate your feelings towards dogs and cats

In My Humble Opinion
1

I am interesting in determining what correlation exists between people’s feelings towards dogs and cats.

I don’t dislike cats, but I don’t care much about them. Based on the many cats I’ve met, I’m sure the feeling is mutual.

On the other hand, I love dogs. No matter what mood I’m in, I always cheer up when I see a dog. Dogs are just wonderful animals that brighten any day and make life worth living. When I was an impressionable little kid, I watched one of the Planet of the Apes sequels, and was inconsolable for about an hour when I heard that some disease had wiped out all the world’s dogs.

Anyway - I am interested in your opinions on the relative merits of dogs and cats. Of course, written opinions are welcome, but as an engineer, I must ask you to quantity your feelings as well.

I am going to create a scatter plot with the responses. Please include, at the top of your post, a pair of numbers indicating your feelings towards dogs and cats, where:

-100 indicates you absolutely despise all <dogs/cats> and wish they simply didn’t exist.
0 indicates you don’t feel one way or another toward <dogs/cats>. You wouldn’t mind if your significant other bought a <dog/cat>, but you wouldn’t encourage it either.
100 indicates you absolutely love all <dogs/cats> to the maximum extent possible, even troublesome ones, ugly ones, Chihuahuas, etc.

For instance, my ratings are:

Dogs: 90. There are some dogs I don’t like, but most of them are god’s gift to humanity.
Cats: -10 Cats are okay, but more trouble than they’re worth IMO.

The plot will be most interesting if you take time to carefully consider your ratings, rather than just saying stuff like “DOGS -100 CATS 100 BOOYA CATS!”. Try to avoid round numbers like 50, 0, and 100.

2

Dogs: 100
Cats: 100

3

Cats: 100
Dogs: 60

I love my dogs, but I don’t care for strange dogs because I can’t read them. A cat is an open book. If one approaches you know it’s friendly for the most part. I’ve had dogs come running with a full-on snarl only to realize after I’ve pissed myself that this is just how they play. And at other times a dog might seem friendly as heck until you stop petting. Then they want to eat your arm off.

I’ve never met a cat I didn’t like.

4

Dogs - 50
Cats - 90

I’m mildly allergic to dogs, I hate the barking and the jumping. They are also a lot of work (walking, etc). Overall, I like cats better. I have two cats and they are very affectionate and sweet. They are very easy to take care of - not a lot of trouble at all. I think cats are very low maintenance pets. And of course, purring > barking.

5

Both are 100’s. I didn’t even hate Genghis Khan he being the regular client of the vet I used to work at who swiped my hand when I foolishly let it get too close to his cage (i.e. my fault not his).

6

I used to like cats, but somehow my opinion of them has changed over the years, and I don’t enjoy being around them.

I used to dislike dogs, but I do have a dog now and she is a cute and likeable animal. But I don’t like strange dogs at all.

So … hmm. I will rate them both about the same, although for different reasons.

Cats -90
Dogs -90

7

Cats 100
Dogs 99

I like most dogs, but not all. I simply adore the kittehs and haven’t met one I didn’t like.

8

Dogs -15. They’re smelly and messy and heavy. Plus I don’t really have time to give them the attention they need.
Cats 75. If I had just one residence with more than one bedroom, I’d have a cat. They are the opposite of dogs in the above aspects. Plus they are more independent. Their only downside is a slightly greater propensity to wake you very early in the morning.

If I had a dog, I’d have a Molosser-type dog because if you’re gonna go big you might as well go big (but again, only if I had the time since they demand even more time than other dogs.) Unfortunately that might rule out a cat just due to the dogs large size (unless they grew up together and even then its sketchy.)

9

Dogs 80
Cats -20

I love my dogs; even the one that I’d dislike if he weren’t mine, and like other people’s friendly dogs. I don’t feel the need to interact with random dogs being walked by their owners, and I don’t care for untrained dogs.

I don’t want to see any cats getting hurt, but I don’t want to own, or spend much time with one. The thought of having a litter box in my home repulses me, and I wouldn’t want to put up with all the scratching, either.

10

100 on both.

Q

11

About -100 for both. I find myself resisting the urge to kick them all. We have a dog and the wife and I are tempted to poison it.

12

Dogs – 100
Cats – 99

13

How I feel about a dog depends- if he’s friendly I’ll feel about his head, feel him lick my hand. If he’s not friendly, I won’t stick around to feel him bite.

14

Dogs: 100. I’ve had dogs all my life, except when I went to college and 5 years after. I’m with the OP. Meeting a new dog is more exciting than meeting a celebrity. (Mainly because, for the dog, meeting a new person* is* like meeting a celebrity.)

Cats: -10. I actually like cats. They’re pretty cool animals. But one of my dogs hates them, and I’m allergic to them. If an SO decided to get a cat, I’d be pretty upset.

15

Dogs : 25
Cats : 95

Joe

16

Dogs: 95
Cats: 75

I do like cats. They have personality, they’re easy to care for, they so often do weird or comical things. However, there is no question that dogs are my favorite and if I had to pick just one I’d be happier having a dog than a cat.
I always finding it touching when I read a story about the loyalty of dogs.
I remember reading an SD article about how when people who own cats die at home, the cats usually waste no time feeding off the dead body. In contrast, you have so many stories about dogs who don’t want to leave their master’s side even if the master dies. I feel few other animals (including many humans) are capable of being that loyal.
(Examples:

http://www.cantonrep.com/stark/x1042536875/Loyal-dog-stayed-with-owner-after-he-went-missing?img=2

and of course Greyfriars Bobby - Wikipedia)

When I think about the fact that many people will give up a dog for frivolous reasons, compared to how loyal dogs can be, it makes me feel like if there is any species that has a soul I’d guess it to be dogs over humans.

17

Dogs: 100 (I have 5 of them)
Cats: 50 (I can take them or leave them, but I always pet them when I see one)

18

Dogs: -100
Cats: -100

19

Dogs 99 - I love my dog and love most dogs, but there are dogs out there I’d prefer not to be around. Usually they are very small and ill-trained.

Cats 75 - I’ve met plenty of cool cats, but I’ve experienced cats that perpetually run and hide from people. Not what I’m looking for in a pet! I also am always afraid that a cat is going to up and claw me, whether out of anger or just playing around. Those guys are fast. My dog has accidentally clawed me while roughhousing but I know when it’s coming and it doesn’t draw blood. It wierds me out when cat owners have to tell me “oh don’t touch the cat on the head/tummy/butt/tail because he’ll bite you.” WTF, cats?

20

Cats 80, Dogs 70.

I love them both but I’m smart enough to acknowledge that they can be troublesome and a bother. Dogs much more so so they score a bit lower. Still, I loved all my cats and dogs. I have framed pictures.