cats vs. dogs which makes a better pet?

Here are some interesting stats:

68% of American households own a pet.

Of these, 60 million own a dog.

47 million own a cat.

12 million own a fish.

8 million own a bird.

7 million own a smaller mammal.

5 million own a reptile.

3 million own a horse.

http://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/pet-statistics

 

I have done the lizard thing as a small child, the rabbit thing as a child, the bird thing about 15 years ago, and the cat thing now for the past 3 years.

Never had a dog mostly because I have always lived in an apartment. My dad was a dog lover however.

Had friends with a ranch and rode their horses with them to do chores like mending fences along the fringes of the ranch. Horses are super smart and sometimes they even head for low limbs to knock you off their back. I had to lie backwards flat in the saddle once for one old nag that wanted to knock me off.

Lizards are easy. All they want is a fly or two to eat -- preferably alive.

Rabbits are the most tame. Mine was a wild jackrabbit baby that I raised from soon after its birth. She eventually got out and got away when she was finally big and fully grown. She lived in a cemetery behind our rented house so it was probably quite safe for her there. I missed her after she left however.

Birds are smart and very messy eaters. They will knock half the bird seed out of a tray in the process of eating the other half. And they wail like chickens when you try to give them a bath.

My record with cats is 2 feral females trapped and spayed and released. And 30 kittens adopted-out.

 

My new sb was just telling me about cat cafes. Apparently they are big in Japan.

 

Love this !!!

Such beautiful kittens.

 

Mine does that too.

Mine does that crazy zipping around too. I think cats fantasize. I think they fantasize about chasing and escaping. When mine does that he'll race to the other end of the house and hide under something. Then he races to the other side of the house and hides under something ..... And I wonder, "What is he thinking?"

 

Cats rule, dogs drool...

Seriously though - I like dogs, but their submissiveness kinda gives me the creeps. A dog loves you because he is genetically programmed to submit and be loyal to the alpha of his pack, and we have selectively bred them for this trait for ten thousand years or more. If a cat likes you, however, it's because he's chosen to do so. You have to earn that affection and loyalty.

 

Not arguing that point, I was arguing the point that dogs and wolves are genetically the same thing. They are not. We have selectively bred dogs, which changes their genetics. We artificially choose dogs for certain genes, and kill them when they have genes we don't like. Dogs and wolves are not genetically the same. Dogs of different breeds are not genetically the same. Yes, they can inbreed, but they are genetically different. Genetic differences are most of what cause differences in appearance/personality, etc.

 

What a fickle and emotionally abusive animal.

What if the cat decides you're not it's type? Do you return it? Pet counseling? Arbitration?

 

Most of the cats I've had were very friendly and affectionate pets. I think cats become nasty when their owner doesn't handle them properly. They are kind of complicated animals and they are very intelligent too.

 

I don't really prefer one over the other. I think both cats and dogs are great in their own way.

 

I was right there with you until you added the "very intelligent" part.

I think cats are 'toons -- hard wired in a lot of ways. Apply the proper stimuli -- wiggle a string in front of them, say -- and they can't help reacting.

They are nosy and curious. And they're not stupid. But very intelligent? Can't agree.

 

I had a Blue Russian cat, and it was very intelligent. It seemed to even get embarrassed sometimes. Lol. It knew how to open the door too. I've seen videos of other cats who have figured out how to open doors and other such things too, which takes some intelligence and planning and figuring.

 

I love Siamese cats, they are so cool looking.
I owned an orange tabby who use to follow me around the block when Id walk the dogs. Id turn around and there he was trotting behind, then hed jump in and out of bushes along the way.
... great hunter, he would spend a day or 2 outdoors, but was super affectionate when in the house. He was the last kitten from a feral female cat someone had brought into my vet.

The cat I have now is super playful. Probably would be a great hunter if he was an outdoor cat.,,, he sits on the top tier of our home office desk and chirps at the birds outside.

 

My cat loves me and licks my fingers and face.

If you raise a cat from the time it was a kitten you get a better relationship with the cat.

 

Sounds like my cat too sometimes.

The vet calls my cat "semi-feral".

 

How many of each type exists [in millions]?
Freshwater fish 139.3
Cat 94.2
Dog 89.7
Bird 20.3
Saltwater fish 18.8
Small animal 14.0
Reptile 9.4
Horse 7.6

And apparently a few people own Ewoks.

 

Is that worldwide or USA only ??

I am guessing worldwide.

In the USA there are more households with dogs.

In Europe more with cats.

Overall between the two the cats win.

But in the USA dogs do.

 

That is in the USA. More households have dogs but there are more cats.

And a few people have pet Ligers!

 

My cat would probably kill and eat me if he could too.

He kills and eats everything else that walks, crawls, swims or flies !!

So I already know what this Ligor is thinking.

 

He's thinking, you look like an hors d'oeuvre.

 

What is this creature? I think I want one.

 

They are cool looking, but not so cool that I would want one.

 

I know, not all cats are bad, but they way some people describe them, it sounds like they are kind of narcissistic. It sounds like they are trying to put a positive spin terrible personality traits.