Cats vs Dogs: Which is the better pet?

I posted a link in my own personal blog that showcased an article about dogs who gave their lives to alert their owners to a fire. I stated that this was further proof that dogs were the superior pets. This got me thinking about that age old question, which is the better pet?

I'm a dog person. I'll openly admit that up front; I'm not above being biased. My mom has two brothers, one had a cat, the other had a dog. The cat was anti-social, every time you'd walk up to pet it, the thing would run away and hide. One time it was asleep, I was petting it, not roughly or anything just gently stroking it's head and it bit my hand. It hurt like a mofo. The dog, however, was a big friendly golden retriever who never hurt anybody. It was at this point that I officially became a dog person. Add to this, the fact that we grew up with a black lab who was a sixth family member for fifteen years, dogs do have a head start in my mind.

Dogs make great companions. You come home from work or whatnot, they'll excitedly run up to greet you, tail wagging. It's a great feeling to come home to that. Dogs wear their hearts on their sleeves, they don't hide their adoration of you in any way. They'll sleep at the foot of the bed or lay on your lap. Not only that, but they encourage healthy habits. Not only will he gladly take that pizza crust off your hands, but he'll insist you go with him or her for a nice long walk or go out to play fetch. Not only do they make great companions but they offer protection as well. Dogs are territorial and if something is threatening their owner, they will stick up for it. Whether it be barking to alert you to a burglary attempt or fire (as was the case in the aforesaid article) or actually dialing 911. The defining trait of dogs is loyalty. While many will recognize this situation from the Jurassic Bark episode ofFuturama, there have been a few recorded instances of dogs sitting by the graves of their owners who have passed on until they too die.

While owning a dog has many benefits. It is not without drawbacks, puppies are a handful. They chew through furniture, have accidents, and require a lot of attention. It's not a bad thing most of the time, but sometimes you just want to sit and relax while they insist you play with them. If you start rubbing their belly, which they will request frequently, it is their understanding that you will never stop. When you do, they look at you oddly like, "Why did you stop? I was enjoying that". They also love food. Every night when we sat down to dinner, we could see our dog's head pop up over the edge of the table as she tried to see what we were having. She would lay her head on our laps and give us the sad eyes (something dogs excel at) in an attempt to get a few scraps of food.

As I said before, I had a bias against cats due to my uncle's. I have since come across many cats who were quite friendly so my view of them has softened. Cats are more independent then dogs. If you're busy then a cat might be a better fit for you. Aside from having to clean the litter box, cats can sustain themselves. They ration out their food to last longer where dogs scarf it all down in seconds. As such, you may not have to feed your cat as frequently. They also don't beg and can entertain themselves with a ball of string or a scratching post. This is not to say that they don't like playing with you. On the contrary, you can join them in playing with said ball of yarn and they will be more then happy to engage in play. Cats are also capable of the loyalty that I described in dogs. They too have dialed 911 or alerted their owners. I don't know if any have sat by their owners post mortem, but I'm sure it's happened at least once. Like dogs, cats also don't mind cuddling, not so much as dogs but they will curl up on your lap or rub your leg affectionately. They are more conservative in their displays of affection. Dogs will always be ready to lick your face where as a cat may only acknowledge you once in a while. It is because of this that they have been given the reputation of being snooty.

While I am, and always will be, a dog lover. I can see why a cat would be a better fit for some. They are, as a friend of mine once said, apples and oranges. What it boils down to is which one works better for you. Some people get the best of both worlds and get both dogs and cats. I myself will probably always prefer dogs. While dogs can be more of a hassle I truly believe that they are more then worth the trouble and you will come to love them even if they do jump on the table to steal your hamburger. Cats are low maintenance and might be a better fit for someone who is too busy to tend to a dog's needs.