Dogs or Cats?- Page 2

[Addison D.]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 2:58pm

I'm always interested in how people choose to use the word "needy".

Often, it strikes me that a more accurate phrase might be "loving".

Why so scornful of the ease and generosity with which many dogs give their affection?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 3:25pm

I think he means that dogs need more attention than cats.

Dogs have to be taken for walks and need constant attention. Cats can be perfectly happy by themselves, at times.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 3:45pm

Dogs are pack animals, they require feed back and approval from outside. They will display and give their love freely. Cats will walk over your still bleeding corpse to get what they want. They are like Honey Badgers, they don't give a sh*t!

[Jim Colyer]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 3:56pm

Americans today love dogs more than they love their neighbors.

[silversurfer2]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 4:17pm

Love Dogs. My dream was/is to have a Great Dane.
But alas, I live in a City Apt and wouldn't do that to this wonderful Breed.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 5:39pm

Provided you have the time to take them for daily walk, some of the large breeds like Great Danes and Mastiffs do very well in apartment situations. They are much less active indoors than some of the smaller breeds and are quite content to lay around on the couch all day until the time for a walk comes along. This biggest issue you might run into is whether you can deal with the amount of space they take up on your sofa.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 6:15pm

I love both, but can't own a cat as I am allergic. So I live vicariously through my mother's cat, who is a HOOT. I've never seen a more loving cat in my life. He jumps up and wraps his arms around your neck like giving a hug and just purrs and purrs. When my father came home from the hospital the final time and was confined to a bed, both the dog and the cat never left his room until he passed away. The dog passed away two days later.

Updated On: 7/15/13 at 06:15 PM

[StockardFan]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 8:19pm

We have a Chinese Water Dragon that I carry around the house with me all the time. Plus we have a cat. And we are getting a Jack Russell puppy in 3 weeks. So I guess we like 'em all!

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 8:29pm

...Cats will walk over your still bleeding corpse to get what they want. They are like Honey Badgers, they don't give a sh*t!

SNAFU, a friend of mine once said we must always remember that if they were only bigger, our cats would eat us. And I suppose there is some truth in that.

But the myth of feline independence doesn't take into account (a) breed, or (b) treatment during the critical period of (IIRC) 4 to 12 weeks.

My Burmese Blue sits at the front door and cries unconsolably whenever he sees the suitcases come out. Housesitters confirm that he spends most of his time when we are away calling for us to return. He plays fetch and other games, and, until he went deaf, came when his name was called. (Nowadays he comes in response to hand gestures.)

The only cats I've had that were "standoffish" were rescues that had been neglected during their "adolescence". A cat that isn't handled regularly during his/her formative years may well develop some slightly feral traits.

But though I like dogs just fine, any species that potty-trains its own young is obviously superior.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 7/16/13 at 9:18pm

I have a cat who always waited at the window for me to return from school before I graduated. I am a cat person from the very start, and he gives me love anytime. I still have that cat who will be nine years old this fall.

So dogs and cats both give affections, it depends.

Updated On: 7/16/13 at 09:18 PM

[jackieoh]

Posted: 7/16/13 at 10:47pm

I have four cats; our most recent addition was left behind by a neighbor when he moved last summer. She kept showing up on our back porch so we finally took her in.

One of my cats had an adverse reaction to anesthesia when he was fixed. He has issues with balance and agility and when we first took him home from surgery our vet suggested that we put him to sleep. I'm grateful every day that we didn't because he's the sweetest lap cat you'll ever meet. He needs more guidance and attention than your average housecat (most say he's more like a dog than a cat) but he's wonderful.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/16/13 at 10:53pm

We have two cats right now. Luigi and Gimble. I've always been a cat person.

I'm ambivalent about dogs. I don't hate them, but I don't love them either.

Updated On: 7/17/13 at 10:53 PM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 7:01pm

I have four cats; our most recent addition was left behind by a neighbor when he moved last summer. She kept showing up on our back porch so we finally took her in.

Good for you, jack!

There's a special rung in hell for people who simply move away and abandon their animals. Yes, many cats can feed themselves if left to their own devices. But they fall prey to predators, moving vehicles and sadistic humans.

I just don't understand how one can give one's heart to an animal and then drive off without it. I really don't.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 7/17/13 at 7:12pm

You'd be surprised what stupid people do to animals. We ended up with a senior cat at the pound once because someone saw a woman dump him out of her car on the side of a busy road. He was declawed, making it even worse. Fortunately, the nice person who saw this took him and brought him to us.

My sister got a 6 week old kitten once because a neighbor found a box of them dumped by the mailbox at their apartment complex. It had been snowing. People are such jerks.

I'll admit, it makes me sad when animals end up in shelters, even though I do work with one. But, as long as it is a no kill one, at least I know the animals are safe and being taken care of until they find their forever home.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/18/13 at 6:49am

My hope is that every person who dumps an animal by a road, or leaves an animal they have agreed to take care of to fend for itself in the elements, suffers the exact same fate themselves in life.

I really do. I want them to die in the street with no food or shelter.

That's exactly what they deserve.

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 7/18/13 at 8:48am

Dust bunnies!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/18/13 at 5:22pm

A friend of mine recently adopted an abused dog that was malnourished and has been nursing it back to health. She had scheduled a short trip and a friend of hers was taking care of the dog and let it play in her yard. Someone actually broke into the yard and stole the dog leaving a note that they believed the dog to be abused and in danger (based on the dog's appearance). After canvassing the town and flooding the shelters with photos and notices for over a week, she's finally been reunited with her dog from a shelter that ran the dog's microchip.

Don't take matters into your own hands. There are indeed a lot of horrible people out there, but if you just see an animal and don't know the story, contact your local animal protection agency to investigate.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/18/13 at 5:24pm

^ You mean don't be a vigilante?

Very good advice, indeed.