(12-30-2012, 07:54 AM)amy005 Wrote: I don't know if someone already said this, but I would have to say dogs and cats may be the most popular pets because they are the most cuddly and you can interact with them more then other animals.. other small furry creatures are in cages the majority of the time and don't really jump on your lap or sleep with you at night.. dogs and cats greet you at the door when you get home and always seem happy to see you.
I agree with you on this point. I have had birds, fish, rabbits and hamsters in addition to cats and dogs and I must say the latter two are much better at cuddling than any other.
(01-02-2013, 02:55 PM)dziomek Wrote: I agree with you on this point. I have had birds, fish, rabbits and hamsters in addition to cats and dogs and I must say the latter two are much better at cuddling than any other.
Birds can cuddle just as well, depending on the personality of the bird.
My cockatiel is much smaller, of course, but also loves cuddles. He spends a good hour or two snuggled under my chin every evening before he goes to bed.
I don't know why dogs and cats are the most popular pets. But i do love both. you can cuddle with and do anything else to play with the dog. and they are fun to watch.
I personally feel that they are the best companions to have for a lifetime. It is not a coincidence that it has been said that a dog is a man's best friend. A dog won't ever betray you and will always be by your side to play and cuddle whenever you need it. The same things goes for cats and a female. Pets will always be by your side in hard moments and will cheer you up to. I feel that other kinds of pets will never be the same way because some don't even like to be disturbed too much while cats and dogs run to you when you come through the door.
Dogs and cats are the most popular pets because they are the animals that have been best suited to domestication. Rabbits may be cute, but they don't make the best pets and many people view them as food. There is also the protection factor of dogs (and some cats) as well as the rodent control you get from having cats around. These are just a couple of the many reasons why cats and dogs are so popular.
In my opinion cats and dogs have been in families for many hundreds of years to the point where a dog is called a man's best friend. It just makes sense because they both are the most perfect companions or family members for human beings. They interact with humans in a way that allows a very strong bond to grow and as the years go by this bond only grows stronger and stronger. Therefore I feel as if people see this in how their friends pets react to them and they want to have that same friend and feeling of love with a pet.
I think that the only reason for such popularity of cats and dogs is tradition. At the time when animals were considered mere tools for the human, a use was found for cats and dogs as well. Dogs were bred from wolves, who are naturally living in a pack and are territorial about their living place, so they were suitable for guarding the house and hunting. Cats weren't as friendly, but they natural pray were rodents so they were useful to keep around. While we progressed somewhat from this way of thinking, it's still rooted deeply in most of our upbringings, and only some of us manage to think outside of it (I'm not necessarily counting myself here). Some animals might be more suitable as companions for humans. If we talk about age, turtles, tortoises and parrots live a lot longer than cats and dogs, for example. It was also proven to me that parrots can be very friendly and cuddly. If we talk about intelligence, pigs are smarter, maybe even mice and rats. I'm sure they can be cuddly as well. There are dwarf rabbits, hamsters and similar critters who are also very cuddly.
Part of the reason that humans have such a close relationship with dogs and cats was a practical one. We domesticated dogs first because we need protection from other predators as we traveled and hunted for food. Then as learned husbandry, they became our partners in protecting the herds and rounding them up to either change pastures or to sell. On some level, people still get dogs because they like the added protection on top of the companionship.
Cats were domesticated later around the time where agriculture got popular. Because the crops attracted animals like bunnies, rats, and snakes the cats came. They were seen as beneficial because they ate the animals that would ruin crops and get into our storages and eat our food. Many cultures admire the calmness of the cat and its quiet companionship.
Rabbits are indeed very cute as pets but they need to dig to be happy. And historically speaking, they were considered food or pests until fairly recently. Rabbits eat crops and burrow in your backyard which could affect your ancestor's survival through the winter.
Then wild animals such as monkeys, snakes, most reptiles, and other wild animals usually fall into two categories. They can either kill you, and you need to be a certain personality type to get off on having a dangerous animal. Or they are just weird enough that it's hard to get their food or take care of them, which can be unappealing. Plus, most of veterinarians are trained to take care of dogs and cats but have a harder time when dealing with a pet scorpion. So part of the reason dogs and cats are so popular is because they have a functional place in most societies while the other pets are more because we just like the animal.
I think the reason is that they are the most trainable animals, especially dogs. They can be trained not to harm people and even help them sometimes. Also, there are also small dogs that are very convenient for people who live in apartments and small houses. And, as shallow as it may seem, some people probably get dogs and cats because they're good-looking and cute. That is shallow, yes, but that is a probable reason.
