I love both dogs and cats, but which are better pets? Dogs, of course. But for all those cat lovers out there, let me tell you why.
My opinion alone can’t sufficiently back this claim because my dad is allergic to cats, preventing me from owning one. However, Carolyn Wofford, my grandma, who has owned three cats, 20 dogs, and even one monkey, might just be an expert.
Even though the number of cats she has owned herself is relatively small. When compared to all of the dogs that she has had over the years, she is still a significantly experienced cat owner. One of her cats, Moppy, has been determined by her local veterinarian to be the oldest cat in existence in Swinney Switch, a small town near Beeville, Texas.
So, after conversing with my grandmother, I have developed a few categories that I think would accurately determine which animal is the better pet.
First, who gives better companionship?
Dogs generally go above and beyond in this category. They never leave their owners’ side, and their happy disposition is something that dogs can’t help but share with everyone they meet.
Cats might seem like a good companion, but the fact is, cats will ignore you. The only reason they don’t disturb you is because they don’t care enough about you to bother you. Sometimes, cats even seem like they dislike their owner, scratching and biting them, just so they will stop petting them. Cats have anger issues.
“Cats aren’t really pets. They’re just an existence,” expert Carolyn Wofford said.
Obviously, dogs are man’s best friend, not cats.
Second, which is a more practical pet?
Dogs are the first animal that comes to mind when thinking about animals with public responsibilities. Dogs in the police force working to keep everyone safe definitely prove this, but they don’t just stop there. There are seeing eye dogs, emotional support dogs, bomb detecting dogs, and guard dogs.
Cats, however, can only ever be emotional support animals, and to make things worse, they will waste first responders’ time as they get stuck in trees and need help getting down.
Dogs, again, win this one.
But finally, which one is easier to take care of?
Dogs can be a handful to own. The space they need to live is ginormous when compared to that of other pets; imagine if someone ends up with a breed like a Great Dane or a Tibetan Mastiff. Dogs also have to be walked regularly, and the food they eat can be very expensive. Dogs need a lot more attention than most pets, and the replacement pillows or furniture needed if you ignore them will certainly take a chunk out of your bank account.
On the other hand, cats are generally smaller than most dogs, meaning they don’t need that much space to thrive. Their food is less expensive, and they don’t need to walk. That being said, they do need much more specialized equipment to take care of them. From refilling litter boxes to buying scratching posts, the accommodations cats require can be costly, and the hairballs they cough up will keep their owners awake as cats like to sleep dangerously close to their owners’ faces. The commitment needed to keep a cat might make one feel more like an ancient Egyptian who worships feline friends rather than a regretful pet owner.
I think cats and dogs are equally hard to take care of.
As you can see, dogs outshine cats as a buddy and a colleague. So, in conclusion, if you are looking for a friend, get a dog. If you want to feel safe, get a dog. And if you want to get a good night’s sleep, under no circumstances should you get a cat.
