Cats vs Dogs

Do I want a cat or a dog?

Caveat

I am not an expert on cats and dogs, however having lived with both for almost all my life I am able to give you some useful tips from my own experience. 

I am not going to bore you with the obvious differences e.g. dogs bark & cats meow. Although anyone who watched a YouTube video (see link ) where a cat appears to be barking through a window might start to doubt…

So, let me help you to decide whether a cat or a dog will be best companion for you:

Who is The Master?

The first thing one should understand is a very simple “master and servant” relationship:

v     A dog will obey your command. Therefore You are The Master.

v     A cat will ignore your command. Therefore You are The Servant.

So, if neither of the above suits you, perhaps you should get yourself a gold fish…

 Your Space – My Space.

Cats. A typical domestic cat (no matter what size it is) can be described as a “compact creature”. A cat thinks as follows:-“If I fits, I sits”. Click Google images search results  to see for yourself. 

Dogs. If you are considering getting a dog e.g. Labrador or a full size poodle, you really need to make sure “it fits” and more… Click to see 21 Dogs Who Don't Realise How big They Are by Buzzfeed.

Hygiene and diet 

Cats. First thing that might surprise you is that cats are "fussy":-

• A cat will not tolerate dirty trays. If a cat does not have a garden to go out it might just pee on your pillow to make a point. "Next time you will not forget to clean my tray".  
• Cats do go on hunger strikes. A day old food or simply food not to their liking might prompt a reaction "What's that?..."Oh, Not tuna again!" 
• Self-grooming is one of the attractive features of a cat. But if you get a Persian cat you need to consider carefully if you will be prepared to brush it every day. Tip. A shelf with rubbish bags, a disinfectant and various flavours of fresh food should never be empty.

Dogs. 

• Dogs enjoy walking outside. This also requires you to like a very early morning air.. rain, snow, thunder...
• Most dogs are not so fussy about the food, however they enjoy eating cupcakes (see this video)
• Grooming is not their strong point. You need to dedicate yourself to a daily grooming routine. Tip. A spare pair of walking shoes,  a shelf with dog shampoo and air freshness might be a good idea. (ask Cooker Spaniel owners why)…

Trick or Treat. The Learning skills

Cats do not like to be ordered around. So, most likely you will end up giving a teat and end up being tricked. A cat can be extremely irritating if it ignores you when you call it to come to you by its name. However, there are a few cat breeds that have malleable character e.g. Ragdolls. Watch Daisy Blue begging for treats.

Dogs are obedient creatures. They are easily trained and they like to please it’s owners. Also, I can probably describe a dog as a good listener and will happily join you for your audio book… 

Links

Cat doing tricks. by Daisy Blue the Ragdoll Kitten
Dog doing tricks by Awesom1sm