Dogs or Cats?

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 12:37pm

I am a big animal lover. After reading tiny's thread and seeing all the love for the cats on here, which is so wonderful, it got me thinking about "dog people" and "cat people."

I'm terribly allergic of cats. Even if I visit a residence where a cat once was, my allergies will act up. Perhaps that is why I became a Dog person... What kind of animal person are you? Any owners of both on here?

If you hate dogs and/or cats, don't be afraid to reveal yourself!

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 12:47pm

I have had both. At the moment I have 4 pomeranians, two of which are rescues from high kill shelters.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 12:48pm

SNAFU, you must love them like they are your own children! We have rescued in the past and I know how much work it is and how much love they need. Never more than two at a time, though. You have your hands full...

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 12:55pm

I grew up with cats, and I have a dog now. I'm both. While taking care of a cat is easier than a dog (mainly because cats don't need walks), many of my friends have cat allergies and wouldn't be able to come to my apartment if I had them. I have a hypoallergenic dog, which makes life easier when guests are over.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 12:57pm

The new one is a handful. She was a victim of a backyard breeder. She was not socialized with people. It has been a lot of work gaining her trust. She really wants to be loved but is terrified at the same time. She has made incredible progress over the past two weeks.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 1:00pm

My french bulldog says the answer to your question is dogs. He's quite adamant about it, actually.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 1:06pm

I have two cats but also love dogs.

Just ask Jordan!

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 1:13pm

Love them both. Cats are just a wee bit easier if you have a busy work schedule and travel. Also, growing up, we had a yard, so dogs made sense. If I had a yard, I probably would get a dog, but with my schedule, I would feel guilty have him/her indoors the whole day.

One of my cats is a dog in cats clothing, so I kind of get the best of both worlds. A very attentive, loving animal that does not need to be walked twice a day.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 1:16pm

LOL Jordan! I probably should have just titled this thread "Bitches or Pussies?"

Snafu, I am so thrilled to hear that. My husband is very active in advocating for dog rescue and ending domestic abuse of dogs as well as kill shelters. One of his good animal abuse buddies ended up with a pit bull from Michael Vick's estate. That dog was quite a handful.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 1:22pm

I love cats. Grew up with them (and guinea pigs) and will probably someday get a cat on my own, once my life is more in order.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 1:36pm

Kad, my dog LOVES guinea pigs! I take him to the pet store a couple times a week and he runs right over to the guinea pig cages and just stated at them wanting to play. We even take one out sometimes and he sniffs if and really wants to play. It's honestly one of the cutest things. (Of course the little guinea pig is scared to death)

[Addison D.]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 2:54pm

Dog person here, although my partner insisted on getting a cat and I grew to love having him (the cat) around. Utterly different than dogs, but wonderful. When he (the cat) died suddenly, I was absolutely heartbroken because he was the most uniquely wonderful cat ever and I knew we would never, ever find another one like him--so quirky, so full of love. Aloof but affectionate. Proud--but never too proud to come sit on my lap when I was in the bathroom.

Then we got two more cats from the crazy cat Lesbians who set up the adopt-a-cat table on Union Square. Apparently--based on my small sample of three--they are ALL uniquely wonderful. Quirky, aloof, proud, etc.

I'm amazed at the people who express concern for the cats who live with our dogs--big Airedale Terriers. Puh-leeze. The cats keep those dogs in their place. Any cat worth his salt (and who hasn't been de-clawed) can launch a surprise attack on a sleeping dog and be long gone before the dog has any idea what is happening...

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 3:02pm

My big boy cat loves dogs as well. When I take him outside, he loves to visit with the doggies that are being walked in my complex. Granted, I am holding him, but no hissing, just some curious sniffing and an occasional friendly paw (claws in).

[xxdrewboy85xx]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 3:44pm

Definitely a Dog person here. I used to have a cat that I unfortunately had to get rid of. He ran away (got lost?) for THREE months. Then one day he randomly showed back up. After that he was never the same and would go to the bathroom all over the place. Cat piss is not easy to get out, and the smell is disgusting. I did love that cat though.

I now have a Yorkie of 4 years and a Boxer puppy. I used to be a small dog person but I saw this boxer and fell in love and had to adopt him.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 4:10pm

Our cats always got along well with our guinea pigs. In fact, the guinea pigs were the ones who threatened the cats.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 4:12pm

Jordan, you have a frenchie?!? I. Am. So. Jealous.

[OperaBwayLover]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 4:16pm

I love cats, although to be fair, I've never had a dog. My parents did when I was a toddler, and I don't really remember said dog. She was a German Shepherd, and considered my brothers, sister and myself to be her puppies. Supposedly she was EXTREMELY protective of all of us.

Both of my cats (that now live with my parents, as my landlady for my current apartment forbids pets) were rescued. I have a male Maine Coon who has beautiful coloring and proved the saying 'you don't adopt a cat, a cat adopts you.' Quite friendly, too. He would come visit, then go along his merry way, until one day he showed up on our doorstep, after being absent for several months, with his ribs showing. Highly likely that he was owned by someone in our neighborhood who moved away and abandoned him. After that, and after he got into a fight with another cat who wandered into our yard (yes, he had 'marked' his territory) and required stitches, we took him in. My mother tells me that after I leave after visiting them, he wanders all over the house looking for me.

My second kitty, a female orange tabby, came from a newspaper I used to work at. She is shy and timid with everyone except me, when I visit my parents. She rubs all over me and follows me around the house. If I eat anything while I'm there, she often tries to help me. BBQ Vienna sausages tend to bring out the beast in her-don't know why.

And my parents have four cats of their own that they rescued. Best way to get a cat, in my opinion.


Annnnd now I'm missing my kitties.

[tazber]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 4:47pm

I think you know my answer.

But I love dogs as well. I just prefer cats as companions. My 2 boys are like my children.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 6:20pm

Cats! I was stranded by a crazy woman who my roommate was only meant to look after 'till she came back. She never came back. Gucci--a Norwegian Forest Cat apparently, has been my best friend--he scratches the screen whenever After8 comes on.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 6:23pm

Cats, but I've currently got both.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 6:54pm

Both, but only have cats due to our schedules. If we were home more, a dog would be a happy addition, though not sure how the chats would like it. You need to be honest with yourself about your abilities before you adopt. NEVER give an animal as a gift unless you are ready to take them yourself.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 7:21pm

I like both too, I just end up with cats more often. Right now my family has both a dog and some cats. The dog is small because she's half chihuahua. She tries to play with the cats, but they don't like it.

I also work with an animal rescue group. Well, it is just volunteering. I chose to be on the cat team there because I was afraid of being intimidated walking some of the dogs. We usually get large dogs that are high energy and most of them are hard to handle at first. Like one we have now had been encouraged by previous owners that it was okay to hump people, including children. Not good, in my opinion. So, I just take care of the cats in the pound once a week. I really enjoy it. I also foster a cat in the house.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 8:07pm

Great work, Marianne!

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 8:12pm

2 Paws up for Marianne.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 2:01pm

Cats, only. Dogs are too needy.