Dogs or Cats?

[theoriginalavatar]

Are you a dog or cat person and why?

(If you like neither, I am not really interested in your opinion )

Perhaps you can share if you prefer some other kind of animal....ferret....horse....etc.....

[hordak]

Are you a dog or cat person and why?

(If you like neither, I am not really interested in your opinion )

Perhaps you can share if you prefer some other kind of animal....ferret....horse....etc.....

If someone were to break into my home, or come by the back yard with bad intent while the kids are out playing

this

http://thm-a01.yimg.com/nimage/66fc77e82a58b45e

tends to get the point (stay away) across better then this

Though i must admit i do like the independence of cat (being able to go away for a few days)

[Gwen]

i'm a dog person. i do like that cats are less maintenance. more independent and such. but i just personally connect with dogs. i like their loyalty and unconditional acceptance. i like most dogs but don't want to live with most. there has to be something there. i can just see it when i look in their eyes. i know which ones are for me. our family currently has 2 cats and a collie. the dog is mine, the cats are the kids. one of my boys is a cat person, has been from the time he was very little. my youngest likes all animals. the rest of the family doesn't seem to have any particular attachments. hubby would prefer to have no animals.

[Guest Godless]

I dunno, Hordak, I'd say this is pretty terrifying.

I would say that I prefer cats because they're smarter and less attached to humans, but my cat is an exception to both of those generalities. She's adorable though, and I love her to death, even if she does follow me around everywhere and has the attention span of a two year-old.

[annamaureen]

I'm a big animal lover and like both. But if I had to pick, it would be dogs! Cats can be affectionate but it's just not the same as a dog's loyalty and desire to please.

[Dravin]

I like both. Well, I like outside dogs, cat's I don't mind being inside critters. Which means that unless I have a suitable yard I'd have to stick to cats. I'm not a fan of toy/tiny dog breeds and keeping something like a Lab locked up in a house/kennel (I know, take it for walks and the like) just seems like an all around bad idea.

So cat's get the edge for convenience and practicality for my foreseeable living situation.

P.S. We have one family cat that is some 15 years old, it'll be sad when he goes. The short life span of cats and dogs might actually keep me from getting anymore.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Dravin

[Twisted_Fairytales]

Dogs! I have a GS/Lab mix, awesome dogs!

[Dravin]

Dogs! I have a GS/Lab mix, awesome dogs!

I've seen some chocolate labs and I always thought they were beautiful dogs.

[Truegrits]

I love animals, period! I do, however, prefer dogs. I have raised Labs, Siamese cats, parakeets, and chickens. At the moment I have four dogs, three cats, three hens and a rooster...and fish. I have rescued rabbits (several), an iguana, hamsters...have yet to meet an animal I did not like, but can not say the same about some humans I have come into contact with.

[aruth5000]

cats... they eat sleep and stay out of your way

[marts1]

My cat, who has taken on the roll of being the boss untill I get very serious which is a rare occasion, will be missed a great deal when he's gone. At that time I will probably get a dog that keeps his tongue anywhere but on me.

[Lbybug]

what about dogs who act like cats....or vice versa?

i prefer dogs. mainly cause i'm horribly allergic to cats....and they're mean.

[James_Fryman]

cats easily, Dogs are too hypers for me and I love how cats are independent and quite. I love their eyes as well :) My step dad hates cats though so we cant have any

[Guest Godless]

cats easily, Dogs are too hypers for me

Lol, you haven't met my cat. I swear she has some crack hidden in my apartment somewhere.

[pam]

I am so totally not a cat person. Perhaps one reason why I love ALF. Totally a dog person here.

[john doe]

I love dogs but I would never own one. There's nothing worse than getting dog poop on the bottom of your shoe. We just buried the perfect cat, every time I would walk into the room he would find a quick exit out of the room. The only time he would come near me or whine is when he wanted food or his box needed cleaned. Once I took care of that he would go to the opposite end of the house and shut up.

[pam]

haha JD. You had cat that I think your wife said she saw 5 times in the 11 years. :)

[Bini]

I would say that I prefer cats because they're smarter.

Untrue. This is a huge misconception. Dogs trump cats when it comes to "brains", as they are far more superior when it comes to comprehension and problem-solving. Dogs have the natural capability to recognise and respond to multiple and various commands and requests. They also learn the same way as we do, taking cue from eye contact, gestures, vocalisation and then directly imitating its master's actions. All things cats do not cognitively match up to. Which is why canines are primary candidates for guiding and assisting the impaired, and for search and rescue units.

To OP. I love animals, period. But for my lifestyle, dogs, are my first and number one choice. Why? Because with dogs you can build a special bond. And depending on how special that bond is, your dog just might save your life one day. Dogs are sympathetic and will protect their kin.

[marts1]

The reason cats are not responsive like dogs is simply because they can't be bothered. I've had my cat do some of the stuff a dog does such as fetching but he mostly just wants to relax.

[Bini]

The reason cats are not responsive like dogs is simply because they can't be bothered. I've had my cat do some of the stuff a dog does such as fetching but he mostly just wants to relax.

Certainly it's possible for cats to execute a command or two that a dog can do. But their abilities are limited. Another misconception is that cats are lazy or simply "can't be bothered" but that's untrue as well. Cats are just as energetic and interested in life as dogs but they function very differently. Cats have been domesticated thousands of years prior to dogs becoming domesticated companions, and yet, they have not progressed in showing that they're capable to perform multiple tasks (and by tasks I don't mean simple stuff like: sit, stay, come, fetch). As mentioned before, cats don't read body language and cannot problem-solve as dogs do. Their comprehension just isn't on the same level. That doesn't mean they're dumb animals. They're just not as cognitively high. Still, that's pretty darn cool that you have a cat that can fetch on command. My dogs hate that game. Edited March 17, 2010 by Bini
Had to rewrite post.

[Lbybug]

i find this funny because my dog went on a doggy-play-date with my friends' dog yesterday. she calls her dog "the disappointment"......"my dog doesn't play fetch, she doesn't shake a paw, she doesn't roll over. sometimes you can get her to sit, and she usually won't come when you call her. but put her in a playground on a slide....and not only will she go DOWN the slide, but she'll run back up the equipment to go down again and again....yep. that's my dog"

i find it funny that marts had a cat that would fetch, but my friends dog doesn't i might share this with her, just to bug her.

[marts1]

Studies are forever changing..last one I heard was cats are smarter then people :)

I made a vid of the cat fetching as I have never seen a cat do such a thing. I have heard of it once before tho.

Edited March 17, 2010 by marts1

[Bini]

Studies are forever changing..last one I heard was cats are smarter then people :)

I made a vid of the cat fetching as I have never seen a cat do such a thing. I have heard of it once before tho.

There aren't just studies of cats lack of progress in comprehending and executing various tasks and commands. There's history too. People have tried to train cats to perform useful assignments for a long time and there's no progression. I don't believe that's a result of all those cats not being bothered. Deciphering a word from their master's voice, then finding that object which he requested and then bringing it to him, is just too highly cognitive for them. That's all I'm saying :]

[annamaureen]

Adding to the "are dogs or cats smarter" debate... dogs have been bred for thousands of years to perform certain tasks and work with humans. Cats have not.

[marts1]

I have seen a cat trained to use a toilet but like I said they usually just can't be bothered. When a cat wants to do something I would say it would out perform a dog.