I used to think I liked them both equally until I moved in with a woman who owned four cats.
Now I don’t think it’s cruel to annoy cats because they deserve it.
Dogs on the other hand…
They like you, whether or not you are the Provider of Food.
I have also noticed a difference between the personalities in those who prefer one over the other.
Anyone agree or disagree to any extent?
One more thing-
why the hell is it that so many people who like cats turn into weird-ass CAT PEOPLE?
The most extreme case is that crazy lady I saw in the news once who loves her cats so much that she has been getting plastic surgery to make her face more cat-like.
But other CAT PEOPLE are those who have cat calendars, cat mugs, cat T-shirts, all sorts of nauseating cat paraphenalia.
This is less common with dog people. For them, owning a dog is enough.
I have a dog and two cats. Generally speaking, I’d say the key difference is this - With the dog, I dictate the terms of the relationship. With the cats, they dictate the terms of the relationship. The nature of the dog is to be a pack animial with a strict hierarchy, and if you are the clear leader, the dog generally will have no problem being the follower. The cat doesn’t give a crap if you think you’re the leader.
'scuse me??? as opposed to the dog people who seem to believe that since THEY own a dog, that means said dog should go with them shopping, to the fair, to the park, to MY house etc.? Or as opposed to the dog people who PAY groomers to paint their dogs nails, style their fur (hair?), put ribbons on them? or as opposed to the dog people who dress their dogs up in matching outfits? or who have their mugs, t-shirts, bumper stickers etc. with I heart my dog head???
Dogs like to go for walks, that’s why they come along.
I suppose there are some weird-ass dog people, but I have seen many more CAT PEOPLE, as was stated in my OP.
“This is less common with dog people…”
I know that cats and dogs are different because in the wild, cats are mainly solitary and dogs are pack hunters.
I just wonder why someone would choose the less sociable animal as a pet if they are looking for companionship.
I am starting to get a theory-
Maybe it is more socially acceptable for women to get all sorts of pet paraphanalia than it is for men, and maybe more women prefer cats to dogs, hence more cat-related crap. Plus, the poor dogs who have painted tonails and ribbons and outfits seem more often to be little dogs owned by mostly older women.
The stereotype of an old lady with fifty cats is more common than the old lady with 50 little dogs. Or one or two big dogs.
*sorry for my rambling, but i once DID know an elderly DOG LADY. She had five dogs- one was a doberman, the others were mixed breeds. She was the only one I have ever come across. I liked her.
Though some cats are less sociable, I think this generalization is not true. Some cats are very demanding of attention, and won’t take no for an answer.
Cats in general are easier to care for, as you don’t have to walk them 4 times a day, so for busy people a cat may be a better option. But to assume that a cat will be less affectionate than a dog is wrong, IME. It depends on the individual animal.
BTW, I personally know more “strange dog people” than “strange cat people.”
And yes, I take my dog to the groomer, but he is a massivly shedding beast that leaves tumbleweeds around the house. He has not ever and will not ever wear clothes (except for a cute bandana at parties).
For the most part I’m a dog person. I find dogs are more fun to have around because they will interact with me when I want to interact with them. Plus, it’s easier to snuggle with a dog than with a cat. Since I moved into with my new mate I’ve come to enjoy his cat. Cats can be cool, I guess. His cat is quite the trip, especially when she finds some small object to play with. She is more able to amuse her self than his two dogs.
That said, if I were on my own, I would not get a cat, I’d end up with a German Shepard.
I grew up around dogs and am allergic to cats, so I and my sinuses have always preferred dogs. I also know a deranged cat nut, which has also, I’m sure, biased me against cats. And I’m with Turpentine on that; cats do seem to make their owners act weird, one might even say obsessive.
I have lived with several cats over the years, and they have all been very sociable, at least to people they liked. But cats show their affection for you in subtle ways. And sometimes an animal will just plain take a dislike to you. (never happened to me, though)
FTR, I love both dogs and cats.
Cats. While I do like the occasional slobbering jumping up on me with messy paws dog, I prefer an animal that grooms itself and has a definite personality. My BF said once in reference to cats: “I like having an animal that will tell me to f*ck off.” My cat is very easy to snuggle with and there is nothing more soothing than a cat’s purr.
I do think both dog and cat owners go to extremes at times. Both dog and cat owners can have t-shirts or mugs or clothes for the pets. It depends on the person. I personally have known more dog fanatics (see dog shows?) than cat fanatics, but I know both exist.
Taken from the pages of a prep service I subscribe to:
Cats Rule, Dogs Drool:
According to a new Harvard study, cats really are smarter than dogs. The research used a standard human IQ scale and found that cats rated an average IQ of 7.2 while dogs rate 5.3
My bit: However, both cats and dogs had trouble holding their pencils.
One of Cecil’s points here is that people have enough trouble trying to create a culture- blind intelligence test for HUMANS, let alone a inter-species IQ test.
There’s no way to tell which is smarter. I’ve seen both cats and dogs do things that make them look dumb as shit. Their differences in behavior are evolutionary.
I don’t think intelligence is all that important in choosing a pet anyway. Otherwise everyone would have pet chimps or small children. And look at how many people keep turtles and hamsters and the like. They’re not the brightest bulbs.
Now that i think about it, I am more interested in patterns in behavior between people who really like dogs and those who strongly prefer cats.
And why the hell CAT PEOPLE are so frickin’ weird…
Really? I would’ve thought the dogs would have little problem holding the pencil–they like sticks. The problem would have come when they ate the pencil.
Cats. I always knew I liked cats better, but when we got a dog, I realized that I don’t really like dogs at all, unless they belong to someone else. I’m just not into the whole sloppery-tongue bad-breath jumping up on my clean clothes things.
As for showing affection, there have been several occasions when I was upset and crying when my cats would come sit on my lap and purr. I love that.
I prefer dogs. They are much friendlier than most cats. There are exceptional cats out there also. Kelli’s cat, Murphy, is the most loving cat I have ever net.
What do they say about great minds?