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Thing is....by my observations anyway, dog people are more likely to be MEAN to cats, while most cat people will simply ignore dogs. I ignore them, for the most part...unless it's a wiener dog lol. I love those dogs.
This is why I don't like dog people for the most part.
You get a free pass for your allergies
People who are okay with owning both dogs and cats are fine, but people who only own dogs and see cats as a nuisance to be eliminated are the types of people I've run into, and I can't understand them. Why would you want to torture and kill another animal just because your dog doesn't like it or just because you don't like it? It may be difficult to believe dog lover / cat hater, but there's a chance that the kitty you poisoned was every bit the family pet / beloved companion to its owners that your puppy is to you. I don't understand how people like that think. How would the person who put out anti-freeze for the neighbor's cat feel if someone threw a poison steak into his yard? For some odd reason, though, the dog would somehow win favor and sympathy, while the poor family cat would just be seen as "meh." There's a chance that if someone poisoned a dog she would have to pay vet bills, pain and suffering, and final expenses for the pooch, while if someone killed her cat, the law would be much more lenient to the offender. Chances are she would again be chided for letting the cat out, and this would all be seen as her fault.
I need to stop thinking about it. Thinking about it is making me want to do mean things to dogs that chase cats. It's not the dogs, though. It's the OWNERS. I remember some classmate I had in high school who gleefully recounted tales of torturing and killing cats. In retaliation, I told her that I hated dogs that killed cats and wanted to do the same to them. That didn't win me many friends; I'm sure you can imagine, but I felt like I needed to say something to show her she was a terrible person. (I've owned dogs who have killed kittens, by the way, so I guess I didn't really want to kill the dogs who killed the cats. I certainly thought about it, though. I will admit.)
Cats are expected to be kept under house arrest in dog-friendly neighborhoods. The pooch can be taken for walks, but take the cat outside and potentially expose it to dangerous stray dogs, and you are a bad pet owner. Dog person who made that rule, are you an idiot? Cats deserve fresh air and room to run around as much as any other creature. The fact that a stupid dog might chase it isn't my issue any more than if you decided to walk a lion and it got away and killed a dog.
Well, I guess I should probably mention the downsides of cat ownership:
Cats are not as intelligent as dogs. I guess we all knew that, but in the pet setting, it is kind of hard to tell. Rover is chasing his tail, while the cat is outside chirping at the birds. The sly mimicking pussycat will never be a working animal, though, because she's not that trainable, and, although she's fascinating, she kind of lives in her own little world.
Don't tell my cats that. My cats are far smarter than my dog. The cats act as my alarm clock, waking me up exactly one hour before I have to get up EVERY MORNING. (which has actually saved me a few times when I've forgotten to set my phone alarm).
It appears that cats cannot tell the difference between food and fingers. I was feeding a group of cats once and put the wet food in my hand; that was a mistake. The cats chomped down on my hand as if it was just another piece of meat in the can. By extension, I don't trust cats around open wounds. Dogs will lick sores, but I don't know what cats will do.
Well, technically, your hand IS just another piece of meat, and you were offering it to the cats. That was your fault!!
They can be aggressive, especially if they are not spayed / neutered.
There is no excuse to not spay/neuter one's cats.
Cats are also extremely territorial and don't really travel well. They take a while to adjust to new surroundings.
Small injuries, usually scratches or bites, are common for cat owners. Declawing may increase the frequency of bites inflicted by the cat as well as change its temperament from docile to cantankerous. It's not recommended, and many argue it should be banned as a standard procedure, yet a fair amount of shelter cats are declawed pet cats that changed after their surgeries.
I have clawed cats. I never have scratches or bites. Ever. Declawing is CRUEL and INHUMANE. It removes the first section of their digit to the joint. Definitely not cool or ok.
You have to interact with a cat on their terms, not yours. This pet views you as an equal, not a master.
I disagree about viewing you as an equal. I will argue cats will view you as inferior to them! Cats have staff.
Training a cat to do anything takes time and dedication.
Most cats carry diseases, but that's not usually a concern, unless you routinely kiss your cat in the mouth or let it have contact with your mucous membranes.
Hmmmm, I've had cats my whole life. They sleep with me, and I often awake to my cat licking my face. (perhaps tasting me for breakfast....?) I've NEVER gotten sick from them.
Cats are nocturnal and may play, rough, with you when you are trying to sleep.
My cats jump on my bed when I go to bed, curl up, purr contentedly, and then sleep until an hour before my alarm goes off. If by some chance I must get up to pee, it is darn near impossible to move them enough to escape the covers.
Did I leave anything out? I actually feel kind of bad about making this list. I'm a fan of the underdog (in this case, the cat.)
People who are okay with owning both dogs and cats are fine, but people who only own dogs and see cats as a nuisance to be eliminated are the types of people I've run into, and I can't understand them. Why would you want to torture and kill another animal just because your dog doesn't like it or just because you don't like it? It may be difficult to believe dog lover / cat hater, but there's a chance that the kitty you poisoned was every bit the family pet / beloved companion to its owners that your puppy is to you. I don't understand how people like that think. How would the person who put out anti-freeze for the neighbor's cat feel if someone threw a poison steak into his yard? For some odd reason, though, the dog would somehow win favor and sympathy, while the poor family cat would just be seen as "meh." There's a chance that if someone poisoned a dog she would have to pay vet bills, pain and suffering, and final expenses for the pooch, while if someone killed her cat, the law would be much more lenient to the offender. Chances are she would again be chided for letting the cat out, and this would all be seen as her fault.
I need to stop thinking about it. Thinking about it is making me want to do mean things to dogs that chase cats. It's not the dogs, though. It's the OWNERS. I remember some classmate I had in high school who gleefully recounted tales of torturing and killing cats. In retaliation, I told her that I hated dogs that killed cats and wanted to do the same to them. That didn't win me many friends; I'm sure you can imagine, but I felt like I needed to say something to show her she was a terrible person. (I've owned dogs who have killed kittens, by the way, so I guess I didn't really want to kill the dogs who killed the cats. I certainly thought about it, though. I will admit.)
Cats are expected to be kept under house arrest in dog-friendly neighborhoods. The pooch can be taken for walks, but take the cat outside and potentially expose it to dangerous stray dogs, and you are a bad pet owner. Dog person who made that rule, are you an idiot? Cats deserve fresh air and room to run around as much as any other creature. The fact that a stupid dog might chase it isn't my issue any more than if you decided to walk a lion and it got away and killed a dog.
You have articulated precisely the same observations I've been making for many years. My reactions are identical to yours.
When I was just 7 years old, Our neighbor's dog got out....came over to OUR yard, went under OUR house, and attacked OUR ginger kitty. I remember seeing my precious cat in that POS dog's jaws whilst we were trying to fend the dog off of her by spraying him with a hose....that dog broke my cat's two hind legs...compound fractures, as I saw her bones sticking out. She lay on our floor hyperventilating, and clearly dying. My mom took her to the vet in hopes something could be done, but she came home without our cat so the outcome was obvious.
I began to hate dogs that day. When our neighbor's dog died about a year later....I was very, very happy.
We live in a dog world, and it pisses me the hell off.
In a society where people actually own more cats than dogs, you'd think we'd have evolved enough to treat cats with the same respect given to dogs. There is a big disconnect in there somewhere.
Companion animals should be treated exactly like what they were domesticated to be....companions. This INCLUDES CATS!
Oh, and in reference to the above post, there is some commentary about cats being less intelligent than dogs, but it is actually the other way around.
I always considered myself a dog person, then my ex-wife brought home a cat, even though I am allergic to cats. The wife went but I kept the cat. He was great. After he died, I got a couple of feral cats that could not get into a shelter. It took over six months, but now they are very friendly and affectionate - towards me anyway. It never would have occurred to me to get a cat.
When was the last time you were welcomed home from work by a cat's wagging tail or happy barks?
I'm welcomed home every day by happy meows....which beat happy barks any day. Not a fan of dog barks at all, while I love the sound of meows and best of all?? Purring!!!! LOVE the way all our cats purr like mad
I fail to ascribe intelligence to most dogs. Some are, some aren't! Why?
A nightshift worker here in Las Vegas, I take my Pet (ferret) for leash walks in the neighborhood between 2am and 4am. We hardly make any noise at all, and yet, we wake up how many dogs, on our trips, barking, waking up other dogs, and, before long, it's a chorus of barking! Most of these dogs are behind fences, in the backs of houses, but they can see us, through the cracks, and? If these dogs were intelligent, can't they see we're no danger to that household? Why wake up the owners and their neighbors?
Now! We've come across certain dogs, with fences to the sidewalks, generally great big dogs, who come up to the fence, investigate this strange animal, and no barking at all! One these dogs, I believe, is a Husky!
I live in a townhouse complex, which issues $90 fines, for barking dogs, so that rules out my having one!
A co-worker of mine lived in a townhouse complex, where with 3 barking dog violations, it's good-bye to the dog!
Another factor which contributes to my thinking of dogs as not being very intelligent, is how many abuse their dogs, and? Crazily enough, they remain loyal to the owner! Wouldn't an intelligent dog merely eat their owner for abusing them?
I fail to ascribe intelligence to most dogs. Some are, some aren't! Why?
A nightshift worker here in Las Vegas, I take my Pet (ferret) for leash walks in the neighborhood between 2am and 4am. We hardly make any noise at all, and yet, we wake up how many dogs, on our trips, barking, waking up other dogs, and, before long, it's a chorus of barking! Most of these dogs are behind fences, in the backs of houses, but they can see us, through the cracks, and? If these dogs were intelligent, can't they see we're no danger to that household? Why wake up the owners and their neighbors?
Now! We've come across certain dogs, with fences to the sidewalks, generally great big dogs, who come up to the fence, investigate this strange animal, and no barking at all! One these dogs, I believe, is a Husky!
I live in a townhouse complex, which issues $90 fines, for barking dogs, so that rules out my having one!
A co-worker of mine lived in a townhouse complex, where with 3 barking dog violations, it's good-bye to the dog!
Another factor which contributes to my thinking of dogs as not being very intelligent, is how many abuse their dogs, and? Crazily enough, they remain loyal to the owner! Wouldn't an intelligent dog merely eat their owner for abusing them?
Yeah...I think it's reaching to say dogs are more intelligent than cats. Dogs are more trainable and conform to our standards easily; cats are very stubborn nonconformists. I guess people think that dogs are more intelligent because of that. I was just repeating what I've heard is the science. I wonder where they get all of that. It might be that a lot of animal behaviorists are dog lovers.
Yeah...I think it's reaching to say dogs are more intelligent than cats. Dogs are more trainable and conform to our standards easily; cats are very stubborn nonconformists. I guess people think that dogs are more intelligent because of that. I was just repeating what I've heard is the science. I wonder where they get all of that.
Cats are more cunning. Dogs are more "rapt listeners" to our every word. They are always seeking human approval, while cats are happy with themselves, already
Cats are more cunning. Dogs are more "rapt listeners" to our every word. They are always seeking human approval, while cats are happy with themselves, already
You can clicker train a cat relatively easy, and they are creatures of habit and love routines, so they really aren't difficult to get along with. The fact that they don't try so hard to please makes them pleasant, in my opinion. Have you ever had that annoying wannabe friend (maybe a younger sibling) who wanted to hang out with you and be like you so badly that they violated almost every rule in the social contract? Yeah, that's the human version of a puppy, not a very pleasant experience.... Of course, social norms allow you to abandon the "human puppy" to encourage him / her to develop identity, while the same (stupid) norms encourage us to indulge the real puppy. The world is backwards. Save your sanity, adopt a non-canine "puppy." (They need our love, too.)
You can clicker train a cat relatively easy, and they are creatures of habit and love routines, so they really aren't difficult to get along with. The fact that they don't try so hard to please makes them pleasant, in my opinion. Have you ever had that annoying wannabe friend (maybe a younger sibling) who wanted to hang out with you and be like you so badly that they violated almost every rule in the social contract? Yeah, that's the human version of a puppy, not a very pleasant experience.... Of course, social norms allow you to abandon the "human puppy" to encourage him / her to develop identity, while the same (stupid) norms encourage us to indulge the real puppy. The world is backwards. Save your sanity, adopt a non-canine "puppy." (They need our love, too.)
We have a cat who thinks he's a dog. He is extremely sociable and a lap cat all the way. He will be in the room with us just "hanging out"...so he's much less invasive than a dog, but every bit as sociable and loving as people imagine dogs to be.
He is the best of both worlds
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One these dogs, I believe, is a Husky!
