Cat Or Dog Person?

Discussion in 'Pets & Critters' started by K E Gordon, May 1, 2016.

  1. K E Gordon

    K E Gordon Veteran Member
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    I love both cats and dogs and both have great qualities. If I had to pick one though, I would go with cats. Cats are easy to take care of in my opinion, and are much less demanding than dogs. I think they are every bit as loving as dogs are. My cat comes every time I call him, and other than being a bit destructive at times..is a great friend and companion and perfect in every way. Dogs are more fun, understand a bit more language, and aim to please their owners for the most part and are loyal and protective however, they do require more maintenance and can be hard to handle.
     
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  2. Arlene Richards

    Arlene Richards Veteran Member
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    I'm definitely a cat person.

    Dogs are too high maintenance and there are liability issues. I also cannot stand the barking.

    I've known some sweet dogs, but I've known many overly defensive dog owners who are out of touch with reality.
     
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  3. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    Definitely cats. Cats require something from you before they decide to let you be their friend, while dogs love whoever puts the food in their bowl. Cats make you pay for their loyalty, and I enjoy the challenge. Dogs are too easy that way. On the other hand, cats are easy to maintain. While mine certainly prefer that I'm there with them when they want me, and get angry with me when I go away for a couple of days, as long as they have a clean litter box, food, and water, it's not like they're going to suffer irreparable harm, or cause it. While my youngest cat likes going out in the back yard during the day, she's already accepted that she can't go out every day, and her litter box is indoors, so there's no problem there if I'm gone for a couple of days. You wouldn't want to do that with a dog.
     
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  4. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    Dog seems "smarter", though you may kick him repeatedly, and he will return to be kicked again. Cat, you may kick one time, but you will never again get the opportunity to do it a second time.

    Dog, will piss on your furniture, thinking nothing of it. Cat will hold it's needs, for many hours, until given the proper place to relieve itself. Dog shits, sniffs, walks away. Cat shits, buries it, sniffs (to determine adequate burial), runs like hell to get away from the scene.

    Cat pretends (IMO) to not understand commands. Dog, tries harder than needed to keep in good stead with "master". Cat, has no "master". The cat "rules the roost", generally, though neither cat nor master are aware of it.

    CAT is unique! Frank
     
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  5. Krissttina Isobe

    Krissttina Isobe Veteran Member
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    I too like both cats and dogs, but I'm definitely a cat person more than a dog person. I got to youtub.com to watch cat videos for we can't have pets where I live. At my facebook page Nala the cat who gives to cat charities is there all the time keeping me company at facebook aside of other cats that I've liked on facebook. Cats are a joy, so clean, so funny loving to play with boxes like Maru from Japan.
     
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  6. Diane Lane

    Diane Lane Veteran Member
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    I've pretty much always had cats. I did have a dog at one point, but she came with a guy, and he wasn't worth keeping. I am very sensitive to sounds these days, and just about everyone here in my neighborhood has dogs, so I'm subjected to their barking enough. I couldn't handle it in my own home, although I do find many dogs cute. I agree, dogs tend to be more labor intensive, and these days, my energy is in short supply. Any stray in the 'hood knows s/he can come here for a free meal if needed, since I feed the stray cats in the driveway twice a day, and there's always a full water bowl. The possums and raccoons often stop by, and so does the occasional pooch.
     
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  7. K E Gordon

    K E Gordon Veteran Member
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    I think my cat was partly socialized by the dog I used to have. I think this is why he plays fetch, and comes when called. He just thinks it is the thing to do. Thank goodness he never learned to bark! Barking dogs can be a major drawback.
     
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  8. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    Cats will do tricks if they think of it first.
     
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  9. Arlene Richards

    Arlene Richards Veteran Member
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    Cats are sly. They will definitely ignore you if they don't want to be bothered. They'll also pretend to be asleep hoping you'll take the hint and go away. If you keep trying to play/pet you might get a sucker punch or scratch. Good idea to keep nails trimmed because they know how to angle the paw to inflict maximum damage.
     
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  10. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    It's a puppy for me every time. :) Dogs act more like humans to me. Some cats I have know behaved just like some of the "snobby" people in the Cliques at school. The only cat I loved was the one that chose to be my Moma's cat a few years before Moma died. Having raised nine children my Moma didn't have time for pets and never even seemed interested in them even when we had outside dogs and cats, etc. But something extraordinary happened a few years before my Mom died. One day it was raining at our old homestead and after the rain stopped my Mom was out in the yard checking on things....and she heard a crying kind of noise. It turned out to be a kitten that had strayed from home or been abandoned. But my Mom took that kitten that was soaking wet from the rain, brought it inside and dried it off, and then preceded to be its Moma from that day on. She named him Smokey and that cat loved her and brought her so much joy for those last couple of years of her life. I can still see her with Smokey on her lap and the big smile on her face while she ran her hands lovingly up and down Smokey's body and you could see the love radiating back from Smokey to her. Smokey knew my Mom was sick before we did and when she was having a rough day....he was right there next to her helping her through it. When Moma passed away Smokey would go in her room which he wasn't allowed in when she was alive and he would just lay down on the nightstand next to her side of the bed. He missed my Mom and even though he was an indoor cat one day he made his way outside and got run over by a car. My husband and I found him, wrapped him in one of my Mom's old shirts I had kept and buried him in Moma's back yard. It may not be true but in my heart I see Moma and him together again and this always brings a smile to my face.
     
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  11. K E Gordon

    K E Gordon Veteran Member
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    My cat is as tame and loving a cat as you could ever have. My sister had one like that too, that was like a baby. When you get them young like that, they think you are their mommy or something and just cuddle up and are so sweet. Some of them do act out though, even if they have never been abused. The show Cats from Hell points that out. They also tend to be a bit more neurotic than dogs, and they are really not fond of changes in their environment.
     
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  12. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    I may have created some enemies among the dog lovers; it has been my experience that they usually "hate" cats, but now and then, both animals appeal to some. My big old tomcat learned easily to walk on a leash, just as nicely as a dog would. He made it to 19 years of age.
     
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  13. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    If we all preferred one to the other...what a boring and bland world this would be! :D
     
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  14. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    Well, I am not fond of cats but do admire the beauty that carry. I also found out that I am allergic to cats the week I visited my son who had a cat. It was awful, sneezing, coughing, an watery eyes, my face puffed up, ugh. When I was outside for a walk it would all go away but once I returned it started again.

    I am a die hard dog person. Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em. Is there any thing that I don't like about dogs, yes but I think that's because of their owners. Dogs seem to approach me friendly all the time but once I was out walking and I was too trusting and I got nipped on the leg. My feelings were more hurt than my leg. My sister has a pit bull named Beebee. A big dog. My first encounter with her was one that made me keep my distance from her but she loved my mother who lived with us. Just recently my sister and Beebee came to visit and my sister let Beebee out of the car with no leash and she walked right up to me just as calm as ever. My sister said Beebee thought that I was Mom. Go figure.

    As far as the care for them, my attitude has always been "Someone has to do it." and it didn't bother me at all no worse than wiping a baby's bottom and if they are trained right the clean up can be very easy. My last two dogs, Little El and Teddygirl, were trained not to poop or pee in the backyard grass. I would scold them when in the 'position' and they would stop and go to a specific area near their dog house.

    I don't have any dogs and haven't since my mother passed away. Now I just enjoy meeting and befriending the ones that I meet when I'm at the flea market.
     
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  15. Chris Ladewig

    Chris Ladewig Veteran Member
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    I like both dogs and cats and have both. My son has seven cats all of which people have dumped. All our animals are fixed. It is a pet peeve of mine that so many people allow so many animals to be put to sleep at the shelters when the problem is so easily taken care of.
     
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