# The Most Important Decision Ever!! Dog or Cat? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 17, 2000, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876 "2000-07-17T19:14:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/21 "2000-07-17T20:24:21Z")
Where I live, it’s much easier to find aparments that allow cats than ones that allow dogs. So if you rent and will be moving at any point in the future, that could be a factor. That said, I’m a cat person, but someday I want to have a dog. A big one, like a lab or somesuch. But not 'til I have a big yard or live in the country so there would be places I could take the dog to run around. I don’t feel it’s fair to the dog otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/22 "2000-07-17T20:45:16Z")
I’m a cat person, but I like dogs too, but dogs are high-maintenance: (1) yes, if no yard, you have to get your lazy ass up and walk it – especially fun in the winter with snow and ice, yes? Even if you have a yard, you gonna go out there and scoop the poop so you and your visitors don’t step in it? (2) what do you do if you travel? I can go on 4-day trips and leave my two cats, even with just one litter pan. Just leave a huge bowl of food and plenty of water and go on my merry way. On longer trips, I just have my son drop by the apartment every 4 days or so to refill the food and water and clean out the litter pan. (And the litter pan should not be smelly if you scoop out the clumps every other day or so.) (3) clawing curtains, etc. -cats can be trained to use a scratching post. I am anti-declawing, but that is an option. (4) you don’t have to bathe a cat unless it’s an outdoor cat (which it shouldn’t be). As for men not liking cats: standup comedian Rich Hall once said that deep down, men admire cats because they want to be like them – cool and independent. Finally, as others have said, whatever you decide, please, please get your pet from the animal shelter. ---
**Author:** ![Sledman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/23 "2000-07-17T20:45:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Maeglin \* > \*\*I can’t believe all this anti-cat malarky. I am a male, and I have four cats. My apartment doesn’t smell, and they don’t have the disgusting habit of drooling all over you when they show their affection. Dogs are fine and well, but I wouldn’t get one. > > MR \*\* How much do you spend on cat litter then? Or more to the point, are you just fooling yourself like every other cat owner, into believing that it doesn’t smell. Ask the non-cat people if it smells like cat piss. Which BTW is there forever once it happens. ---
**Author:** ![little\_bit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@little\_bit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/little_bit)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/24 "2000-07-17T20:50:01Z")
Hate to poop on someone’s parade… cats only smell up your apartment if you don’t clean the litter box. & if you’ve ever been in a dog owners apartment you _know_ they have a dog long before you see it. ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/25 "2000-07-17T20:54:06Z")
Less than two hours into the voting and dogs seem to have the lead. I really wasn’t expecting this kind of response, I was just posting a little thread and then I actullay had to do some work at my job (the bastards!). When I come back, Uncle Beer has moved my thread and people seem to realy like dogs better than cats. I would add something witty and memorable here, but I have to get ready to go home for the day. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/26 "2000-07-17T20:54:45Z")
dogs need baths (as mentioned), they, themselves, smell across the room, cat’s don’t and if litter isn’t a fun option, you can also teach them to use the toilet (where dogs drink out of…) cats also have the inherant ability to scope out visitors who HATE cats and snuggle right up. handy… ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/27 "2000-07-17T20:56:33Z")
- - - It really doesn’t matter to me; if the snake is big enough it will eat either just the same. - MC ---
**Author:** ![bovary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e68b1a/32.png) [@bovary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bovary)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/28 "2000-07-17T20:59:55Z")
Dogs do stink, Cat boxes stink, Scooping poop out of a litterbox takes 30 seconds Washing a dog, 15 minutes. Walks everyday dogs bladders are as big as whole cats. I’ve had Laya my cat for a year now and Sam my dog for four months. Cats are easier Dog’s will always love you Cats love you until they’re bored I would choose a cat ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/29 "2000-07-17T21:04:41Z")
Hate to say it, but dogs only smell when the owner is too damn lazy to wash them. Dogs actually tend to be less destructive than cats, and dogs _usually_ don’t wreck your stuff or piss on it if they’re mad at you, which my sister-in-law’s cats do all the time. I have a very large dog, a Newfoundland, and not the biggest yard in the world. They love walks but are also content to sit on the couch instead. They love my kid and have huge hearts. Yes they drool after drinking water, so wipe their mouth. You would do as much for a SO, which a dog kind of is, if you’re a dog person. Renting can be a problem, but enlightened property owners don’t mind dogs, and also understand that limiting dogs by size is stupid. If I rented out my house, I would rather have a big Lab or something than an ankle-biter any day. It’s a question of temperment, intelligence and attitude (tho big dogs aren’t always the sharpest pencil in the box). More information which will be relatively useless in making your decision! I do agree with dog rescue, check the web for a rescue program for your favorite breed before just buying one. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/30 "2000-07-17T21:09:10Z")
Fuck it. Get a monkey. ---
**Author:** ![Sledman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/31 "2000-07-17T21:19:32Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by little_bit \* > \*\*Hate to poop on someone’s parade… cats only smell up your apartment if you don’t clean the litter box. & if you’ve ever been in a dog owners apartment you _know_ they have a dog long before you see it. \*\* So I am going to assume you are a cat person. Now based on what you say dogs smell up an apartment worse than cats? Hmmm… I disagree but then again I am a dog person. Now perhaps it is a case of the owner no longer being sensitive to their pet’s odor. In the case of my dog I do not notice an odor and we are still trying to rid our house of the lingering smell of cat piss from the previous tenants. Nice place, 5 acres and a pond but that damn cat piss is driving me nuts. And yes we have shampooed the rugs repeatedly. I believe a survey is in order. My apologies Bratman for the hijack. Get the dog or you will be sorry later is my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/32 "2000-07-17T21:34:22Z")
> [@](#): > > How much do you spend on cat litter then? Or more to the point, are you just fooling yourself like every other cat owner, into believing that it doesn’t smell. Ask the non-cat people if it smells like cat piss. Which BTW is there forever once it happens. Cat litter costs a whopping $2.79 per week. For four cats. I also have this handy fruit oil spray that relieves the awful ammonia smell from the litterbox, which takes all of 30 seconds to clean. I never said that cat piss doesn’t smell. It just _doesn’t stink up my apartment_. It is very easy to take care of. I also have an inexpensive enzyme treatment (it costs maybe $6 for a big bottle)which dissolves and deodorizes cat piss stains. MR ---
**Author:** ![Sledman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/33 "2000-07-17T21:39:45Z")
Wait a minute… Something just occurred to me. Anybody remember this the thread… My Dog Lied to me! I thought Bratman had a dog… Fingers begin to tap on desk… Brat how about an explanation… ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/34 "2000-07-17T21:48:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Fuck it. Get a monkey. He already said his girlfriend is moving in with him! 🙂 Anyway, if you’re into walking, get a dog. But remember that with a dog you can’t just pick up and go. You _have_ to be home every 8 hours to walk him. And my dog falls into depressions when we’re gone too much. When you go on vacation, you have to find a sitter, etc. I _adore_ my beagle, but I have to admit that dog ownership isn’t for everybody. Sometimes it’s a drag to take care of him. Cats, while not offering the easy affection and loyalty of a dog, are certainly easier to take care of. Also, a lot of dogs tend to bark a lot - something to consider when you have such close neighbors. Good luck! BTW, I was only KIDDING about the monkey joke, people! ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/35 "2000-07-18T00:24:48Z")
Cats all the way… 1. They only smell up the room that the litterbox is in, and even then, only if you don’t change it. And that enzyme stuff does work. 2. Less care needed. 3. Choose a kitten that’s affectionate right off, and you generally get a cat that’s just as affectionate as any dog, can sit in your lap while you read/watch TV, doesn’t drool, doesn’t make much noise, and is self-aware enough not to know things over with its tail. There’s a reason so many places allow cats and not dogs… ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/36 "2000-07-18T01:14:02Z")
As for Sledman’s problem with piss odor – the previous owner must have had a male cat – I’ve heard of male cats that piss all over even after they’ve been neutered. (They’re marking their territory.) Get a female cat. If you get her from the animal shelter, they’ll probably recommend a vet who’ll spay her at a discounted rate. Even if she’s not an outdoor cat, you don’t want a female cat in heat waking you up in the night with her caterwauling. ---
**Author:** ![Welfy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e56c9b/32.png) [@Welfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Welfy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/37 "2000-07-18T01:19:03Z")
I think it would all depend on the individual animal. There are people on the board who talk about their cats smelling up the house, peeing everywhere, etc. When I had cats they never stunk up the house and they never peed in the house either. Now that I have a dog, he pees EVERYWHERE (and he’s not a puppy, he’s like 7-8 years old!) so we have to shampoo the rugs all the time. We wash him regularly but it doesn’t get rid of that “doggy” smell. (Cat person here, but dogs are wonderful too) ---
**Author:** ![tygre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@tygre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygre)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/38 "2000-07-18T03:45:47Z")
Get a cat. You can leave for the weekend and not have to pay through the nose to have it boarded, don’t have to leave at 5 a.m. in the freezing cold to walk it, and the smell is much less. I’ve had both a cat and a dog and now have no pets (except my son’s hamster), and the dog was a LOT more work. –tygre ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/39 "2000-07-18T14:50:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sledman \* > \*\*I thought Bratman had a dog… > > Fingers begin to tap on desk… > > Brat how about an explanation… \*\* Ok, sledman, here’s your explanation. I don’t technically have a dog. The dog in the story is 15 yrs old, the family dog since I was 12, but I was the one who trained her, took care of her, and although she is technically the family dog, she is still viewed by everyone as _my_ dog. That dog (named CoCo) lives at my parents house. I have since moved into an apartment, but I still take care of the dog and all matters regarding her health are my decisions (an operation she had earlier this year for an infected uterus and when the decision needs to made to put her to sleep, it’s going to be my call) CoCo does not live at my apartment because my parents don’t think it’s fair to the dog to change her surroundings after 15 years from having a yard to run in to being cooped up in an apartment. Plus they don’t think it’s fair to separate CoCo from Tigger, an 8 year-old fox terrier my parents got to keep CoCo company when I left for the AF. Make sense to you? BTW, you’re link didn’t work for me. Try [this link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=28130) ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876/40 "2000-07-18T15:26:40Z")
Picture this scenario - you are at work, no one is home, someone breaks into your apartment. A cat will sit on a bookself a lick its privates. A dog will bark its head off, maybe bite an ankle and generally try to defend the place, then lick its privates. I’d go dog just because they actually would perform a useful task. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-important-decision-ever-dog-or-cat/25876.md?page=3)