Cats vs. Dogs

Which do you prefer? Which did you grow up with as a kid (if you grew up with any, that is)?

I currently grew up with cats. We found a stray when I was young and brought her home. Then she had kittens, and we still have that kitten to this day. Because I never really had a dog when I was younger, they always seemed a novelty to me, so I'd love to own one.

However, I still think that I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for cats. I absolutely love them so much.

I've actually been thinking about this question a lot lately. I used to hear people say, Oh, I'm a dog person, or, Oh, I'm a cat person, and I would silently comment, Why choose? I am both!

I grew up with dogs. My parents were of a generation that still believed cats were almost vermin. Most of their peers did not understand the appreciation we have for cats. So, we had dogs. And I love dogs! They make me smile. There's something about a happy dog that just makes me grin!

But in my adult life I have always had cats. And lately I have had to acknowledge to myself that while, yes, I still love dogs and value them as creatures and companions, I do prefer cats. None of this is rational of course nor can it be argued in any meaningful way, but I do have my reasons!

One reason is that cats really do not require quite the care level dogs do. Cats do not need to be taken for walks and they can get quite enough exercise inside if the set up is appropriate. But they are affectionate, and even though they can be quite loving they never seem quite as clinging as dogs can be. I find cats to be very beautiful also. Oh yes, dogs are lovely too! But cats are exquisite, to my eye.

They are subtle creatures, cats. I love them.

I grew up having both, although it was a ratio of one dog to several cats and the cats were all indoor and the dog was almost entirely outdoor (expect in the winter when it was really cold.) I love both cats and dogs but I'd have to say that generally speaking I prefer cats, although I'd love to have my own dog someday. I think it's a combination of their size and their fierce independence that I love about cats. It always seemed to me that dogs would love just about anyone but with cats you really had to earn their affection.

I always thought it was dogs, because my Gran had a dog and she was such a sweetie pie we would look after her all the time, and she was great. But then I got two cats in a moment of Madness, and now I have to say I am a cat person. I love my guys, they are so loyal and so cute, and just amazing. I think maybe we got lucky and not all cats are as great as mine, but honestly, I would always take a cat over a dog now. Cats are much better for people who work because you can leave them alone all day and they wont be bored, or need to go out to the bathroom. This is vital for me as I work every day and I would hate to think about having a poor dog alone all day!

I am actually someone who prefers a cat over a dog because I have only grown up with little kittens in my household. My mom always had a cat when she was small so that was a birthday present of mine when I was younger. Since then I have always cuddled and played with kittens and cats. I love how they are such caring and loving creatures (at least the kittens and cats I have had in my lifetime). I am therefore very fond of cats and I will definitely be introducing little kittens to my children. I hope they love then just as much as me!

I really love both cats and dogs, but I prefer cats as my companions. The first and most important reason is; I don't have the right conditions for a dog. They seem a lot needier than cats. I've seen my cat play by herself even when I'm around, and she never seems to miss me a lot when I have to be away for half a day, as long as I leave her water, food and a clean litterbox. I might be wrong, but every dog I ever saw seemed really lonely when his guardian left even for 15 minutes. Also, if it's not an outdoor dog he needs to be taken out for his bathroom needs, and every dog needs to have a good walk at least once a day. A cat seemed like a natural choice, since I can leave her alone for a while (especially now when there are two of them), I don't have to walk them, and they are very open and pushy about their needs so I never worry that they're missing something. The other reason is, well, I prefer cats a little bit. As I said before, they're not as needy. I know that it really depends on the animal, not the breed or the species, but on average dogs seem to want a lot more attention. My older cat demands petting only a few times a day, and they're short sessions. My younger cat is a lot more cuddly, but he's happy just purring on my lap and getting an occasional stroke. There's also just so much superstition about cats, and, well, I Have always wanted to be a witch...

I grew up with a dog in the house throughout most of my childhood. Sometimes we'd have more than one. So, I always considered myself a "dog person". When my oldest son was little we got a puppy and that girl became a most wonderful contribution to our family!! We'd had a few stray kittens adopt us over the years....almost always they were "outside only" cats because I was fearful of having one inside....having listened to and believed all the nightmares about cats destroying your home. When our dog was about 8 I was (grudgingly!!) talked into adopting a kitten and was on pins and needles at first. It soon became apparent that she was NOT set on vandalizing our home! But honestly...I have to admit I never wanted to adopt another one because I thought THAT one MIGHT! LOL

Now...we have two cats in our home (hubby came complete with one last year). And...although I still love dogs I have to say the cats fit my lifestyle better than a dog would. We're on the go a lot and I'm not sure I have the time or energy that a dog would take. Our girls seem to tolerate the level of attention they get when we're around and can easily manage on their own for a bit. And my hubby, who is a super-duper animal lover, gets his "dog fixes" whenever we go for a walk. On a lucky day he gets his face licked more than once!

I have never owned a cat but I have over the years owned multiple dogs. I think generally, dogs seem to be more friendly and more accustomed to spending time around humans. Cats on the other hand, seem to like to do their own thing more and may often leave the house and not come back for many hours. I think cats are better equipped to live on their own as they are not only more agile than dogs, but their personality in general makes it this way. I still think that cats however make great pets. My uncle owns 3 beautiful cats and they are really well behaved. Overall though, I just find dogs more appealing because they have a better personality than cats in general.

dogs rule! think their personalities are more predictable than cats, though i do like cats just think they can be rather nasty for no reason, plus males stink, dogs are more in touch with human emotions.

I like cats and dogs, and have always had both for most of my life. Now, I am married to a person who does not like cats, so I don't have one anymore, and just have my two little dogs.
I think that both make excellent pets; although it depends what you want from a pet, to decide which is most appropriate as a pet for each person. Dogs are usually extremely attached to their owners, and will often cry all day, or worse, tear up the house when they are left alone for hours while the owner is away at work. Cats do much better at this, and don't mind being left alone all day.
However, if you spend a lot of time with your dog, and play fetch, or just go to the beach for a happy run together; then a dog is a much better choice than a cat would be. Even though a cat can be taught to walk along on a leash, most of them aren't trained for that; and a dog loves to go for walks with you.

Just a word to the wise on if you are looking for a cat. Do not get one from a place that will not let you handle the kittens before you take them home. My Daughter and son in law decided they wanted a cat. They went to the place, a Shelter/Vets place that they had gotten several dogs from. They had cats there, that were pregnant. When this one cat delivered 13 kittens Yes 13~ No type error. Anyway, they decided they would take two, and picked them out. The only thing was, they could not interact with them until the day they were scheduled to take them home. What a mistake. Those Kittens were wild!
They took them home, and there was no way they were going to cuddle with their new owners. After a few months of having the cats, and seeing them occasionally the black and white one disapeard. They still have the other, sometimes at night, she will come in (thru the doggie door) and go get some attention from my daughter. There is NO way my Daugter could innitiate the interaction. It all has to be the cats idea.
If you want a cuddlely cat. Do Not get one from a place that won't let you hold and play with them before you acually take them home. You will regret it if you do.

What a sad experience for your daughter, Judy ! I can see where this could happen when the kittens were just kept caged, and fed, and nothing else.
I have actually see the same kind of thing happen with puppies when they are just raised in a kennel with no human attention until someone buys them and takes them home.
I know there is a huge fuss about home breeders, however; these dogs and cats are usually raised underfoot in the house, and handled by the family from the time that they are born, so they will be much more socialized than a puppy that was raised in a kennel.

Definitely dogs! I grew up around a couple of dogs and never cats so I suppose that's the reason.

I wouldn't say they freak me out, but I just cant grow to like cats in the same way. If I saw a "stranger" dog, I could gauge very quickly how it is around me and how it would behave (aggressive, mellow etc) and I seem to get along with every dog I meet.

Cats on the other hand, I can't. I'm always apprehensive about them. I feel if I get close to them like I would a dog (my face near their, for example) there's always a possibility of the cat swiping my face with it's sharp claws! Maybe this will sound silly to cat owners/lovers, but yeah.. Cat's are too unpredictable and 'cold' for my liking. You feed, water, groom and shelter them and they know it. Dogs know it too, but I sense an appreciation for it from them, that I just don't get from cats.

I had both dogs and cats. I think each person's preference depends on their personality. Of course you can like both, but sometimes it feels like they were made for completely different kinds of people! In the end I prefer cats, and by much, precisely because I think they are more in tune with my personality, they're more compatible with it.
I had a sweet little Yorkshire for a dozen years, and obviously I cared for her immensely, but that did not give me as much joy as cats do. The problem with dogs is that they need a lot of love and they give a lot of love, and not everyone is ready for that kind of commitment. Because it is, indeed, a commitment. When you get a dog you'll know you'll have to make lots of efforts to make him/her feel loved. It's a bit like having a baby, there's the same dependence from you, the same complete loyalty and great love, and those are beautiful things. But not everyone wants those things. I don't want adoration from an animal.

With cats it's different. They do need love, and do they give love, but more as an independent entity from you. The key with cats is respect. Respect of their nature, of what they are, of their needs, their privacy, their nap time. You just need to provide them with the pluses that make their lives that much better, but they have a plan of their own and they intend to follow it! I like their spirit, and I love the fact that they won't change just for me. That's how it is for me, although sometimes when my cat pushes me away with his paw I watch the videos of dogs almost breaking their back from joy when their master returns after a long time, and I start yearning for a dog of my own!

I had both cats and dogs when I was growing up. Dogs are great because they are so protective of those they love. Cats will cuddle up to you and they are such fun to play with. They love their toys. Cats are more independent than dogs and do not require as much attention. Dogs are fun to play with and can be trained to fetch, walk with you, ect. Right now I have a small dog and she is very affectionate toward me. She follows me from room to room and likes to be close to me all the time. She either sleeps on the floor next to my bed or on the bed right up against me. I would not trade her for anything, although I do miss having a cat.

I grew up in a household where we were only allowed to have dogs as pets. My mother was (and still is) highly allergic to cats. I had several friends who owned cats, and I loved going over to their houses to play with the cats especially kittens. When I moved out of the house, I really wanted to get my own cat, but my mom kept saying she could never come over to my house if I got a cat. So, I didn't get one for several, long years. When I got married, my husband and I decided to get a dog. I grew up with owning them, but my husband never did. He had cats! He thought dogs were too much work. Eventually, the dog we adopted got really ill and passed away suddenly. I really missed her and wanted a pet. We decided to get a cat, two as a matter of fact! I love them! I am totally a cat person! My dream has come true. When my mom does visit, she can only be in my house for 2 minutes, and she can't breathe. So, it is a very short visit!

Though I have more cats than dogs, I don't prefer one over the other. I love both of them. In fact, I love all kinds of animals. Ever since I was a kid, I have had a soft spot for them. I grew up to my dad and grandfather raising chickens, ducks, and goats in our backyard. I played with them more than my neighbors actually. Now, I own three cats, and the rest of the family has six dogs! They all get along, so I am very happy about that.

Though cats can be snobs at times, they are also very sweet. They would snuggle up to you when you least expect them to. On the other hand, dogs are very loyal. They would protect you when you are in danger, and they would yip and jump in joy whenever you come home.

I'm definitely more of a dog person. I always loved cats growing up, but once I finally had one, he just didn't like me. Cats in general just don't like me much, I must not put out very cat-friendly vibes or something. Dogs are great though- I currently have three but I've had six total in my life. And I definitely prefer big dogs to small dogs.

I grew up only having dogs, and your occasional goldfish and hamster. Mostly dogs though. My parents were dog people so that explains why we never tried having a cat in our house. When I got older and got married my husband informed me he always had cats!!

I am an animal lover so I was up for just about anything. Honestly, I was afraid of having a cat basically from inexperience. We ended up getting 3 cats( not all at the same time!) and I fell in love with them. Now we have 2 cats and 2 dogs and my baby (and most spoiled) is my cat Sushi. He is loving and cuddly and loves to be with me.

Very blessed.

Danyel

We had both cats and dogs when I was growing. For most everyone else in my family though, the dogs were the pets while the cats were barn cats. Except when one of them had kittens, none of my brothers paid much attention to the cats. Except, once in awhile, in the winter, no one fed the cats. I grew up on a farm and we had a large barn which, with the cows and the horses, was pretty warm all winter, so they weren't out in the cold and, since they surely weren't starving, I imagine there were enough mice and other critters to keep them fed.

While I liked the dogs (we had two, Wags and Freckles), I made friends with the cats, getting to know their individual quirks. My mom wouldn't allow any animals in the house, but one of them would come up to my third-story window, and I'd let her in at night. She was in my room one day when we all went somewhere, I don't remember where, and when we got home, the cat had had kittens in the middle of my parent's bed. My mom tried to be angry, but everyone could see the humor in it.

As an adult, I have only had cats. Although I like dogs well enough, in the beginning, when I lived in apartments, cats were easier to keep and later, of course, my cats wouldn't appreciate me getting a dog. My two older cats are 24, and I have had their mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, whom someone dropped off in my porch one day.

I wouldn't mind having a dog, but probably never will.

I used to like cats better than dogs because cats seemed to be a more independant animal, but still enjoyed attention; whereas a dog just wanted to be in your lap and being petted every minute, and even worse, some dogs think they have to lick your hands, arms or face. Yuck ! !
Another thing that I really liked about cats is that they can purr. I always loved having my cat sleep close to my head and listen to the purring as it vibrated through my head.
It has been around 12 years since I have had a cat, and I have pretty well become used to just having a little dog instead. My Yorkie-Poo, Chipper, is my best little buddy, and he is beside me almost all of the time, and is so very intellient that he understands just about everything that I say, and even most of what I am thinking.

I personally like dog over cat because I grew up with a dog in the house throughout my childhood. Dogs give unconditional love and are always willing to please you. I have 10 good reasons to support my point - http://www.petsworld.in/blog/10-reasons-...-cats.html

I grew with fish, dogs, and rabbits. Then I got my first cat after my grandmother 'accidentally' ran over my dog. Then I had cats and dog until it was only cats. Part of the reason is that my family went from a house with a backyard, to a country house, to another house with backyard, and then to a series of small apartments. I don't tend to like small dogs as pets, I love other people's small dogs though. So I don't feel like it's right to own a dog when I live in a small apartment. When we lived in a house with a backyard, every decent day allowed us to keep the backdoor open so the dog can decide if they want to be inside or out while we worked. In an apartment, there just isn't enough room for a dog to be without walking them three times a day. Cats on the other hand can deal with a smaller space because they sleep sixteen hours a day. As long as there is a warm lap, food, and water, they're happy. So, for my lifestyle right now having a cat is the best. I still love dogs but cats require less active attention and physical room to be happy. Plus, cats can simply be in the room without you having to throw a ball or pet them constantly. You can simply be with a cat instead of the constant reassurance that dogs thrive on.

Hands down it would always be a dog for me. That's part of the training I got from our first dog. As I had said before, our first dog taught me the nuances of caring for a dog. That's why I was so devastated when she left me after 10 years of companionship. Until now, I sometimes think of her and surely I'm still missing her because she was very protective of me. In return, I had treated has a family, like my child.

Pardon me if you are a cat lover, I mean no offense to cats. But a cat cannot protect me from an intruder. A barking dog is one indication of a home's security which a cat cannot provide. But I agree that cats are cuddly unlike big dogs. However, I also have a small dog now who is cuddly like a cat. In fact, she looks like a cat in some of her pictures.

While I have had dogs over the years, I am a cat person through and through as they seem to hold a special place in my heart. If you were to ask me why, my answer might seem a bit confused because I DO like dogs, it's just that cats just seem to hit me in the right way. For example, cats are self-cleaning, while dogs require bathing. Another thing is, dogs have an odor that I find intolerable for the long run, even when they've been washed. On the other hand, I can bury my nose in my cat's fur and smell nothing but sweetness. Of course, the smell of a cat's fur depends on whether the cat has sweet smelling breath or not as they lick themselves all day, but I have never known any cat to be particularly smelly unless he was gravely ill. Dogs are also louder than cats, especially when they aren't trained not to bark indoors. I have always had sensitive hearing so a meow is more welcome to me than an ear piercing yap, or a ground-shaking woof. I've never really owned a cat who was a constant talker either, so perhaps such an animal would be more disagreeable to me, I don't know for sure. Another thing I like about cats is the litter box. A dog needs to be let in and out all day long, while a cat more-or-less takes care of himself by using the box. Yes, you have to clean the box, a chore that some people find intolerable, but I don't mind it at all. Finally, a cat just seems to be more able to exist without a lot of help. They are rather independent animals, although they do love their people. They aren't as needy as dogs are and can basically entertain themselves for hours. Some cats are needier than others but I have never owned that type. I like to be able to walk around without a cat draped over my shoulder and get my work done without having to constantly stop to play with a cat. Don't get me wrong... I do play with my cat, and give her all the adoration she desires... she just doesn't desire much. Dogs need love and adoration all the time for some reason.