[MikeTbob]

Originally Posted by KenJackson

BTW, all you people who claim to have cats don't understand--the cat has you.

Amen Brother!
Cats think they rule the world.

[Lakshmipathi]

Originally Posted by Dapper Dan

I heard a good one...

You know how to tell who is your best friend between your wife or your dog?

Lock them both in the trunk of your car for an hour, then open the trunk and see which one is glad to see you.

HAHAHA ..really good one

[questio verum]

Dogs can be a lot of work. And puppyhood can be a real test of patience. But in my experience, the rewards of dog ownership are unparalleled. Now don't get me wrong, I mean cats are cool enough in their own way. They're not much on playing fetch or shaking paws, but they've got playing dead down cold. And when you lay out a fresh spread of tuna they can do a pretty fair Lazurus imitation. They're especially convenient if you don't have the time or energy to devote to a dog. Doubly so if you really, really, want to avoid potty training. But when was the last time you heard of a cat rescuing it's owner from a fire or protecting him/her from a predator... two-legged or four-legged? Heard of any felines tracking down an escaped psychopath or rescuing a lost child recently? And you just can't find any bomb-sniffing kittie-cats these days. Why is that? Now, they've got that 'chasing-a-string' thing pretty well sewn up. And they can shred your favorite sofa or those brand new curtains like they were nothing. They've even got their own drug (catnip), to help as a social lubricant. But aside from their excellent toilet habits and an almost total lack of that annoying canine clingyness, they aren't much on practicality. I guess the best thing you can say about cats is that they're low maintenance.

You might surmise that I'm not a cat lover. But that's not really true. Why, with a good glaze, a well-chosen garnish, and the right side dish... Mmmm...
But seriously... bad jokes aside, I love dogs and cats. But if pressed to chose just one, I would have to choose the superior experience of dog ownership. A dog will ultimately make you a better person, if you pay attention to it's cue's. A dog's optimism is a cliche`.

If left unpressured, to make my own choices, I would choose both. And I would probably choose a Devon Rex and an Australian Shepherd. Devon Rex'es are the coolest cats ever to walk the planet. Very talkative and social, and very un-catlike. They live life on their own terms. Aussie Sheps, on the other hand are just plain smart as hell, loyal yet strangely aloof, excellent with kids, tolerant when it's needed, and assertive when that's needed. A great little addition to the household.

Btw... Why aren't penguins in your poll... ?

qv

[elija]

Originally Posted by questio verum

And you just can't find any bomb-sniffing kittie-cats these days. Why is that?

Because cats have enough brains to want nothing to do with explosives!

Also when was the last time you heard of a child's face being chewed off by a
devil cat? I just don't think that dogs are safe animals to have around. I guess
the feline equivalent would be to have a lion.

I suppose dogs could be made safer if their owners had to pass a mandatory
training course and have regular inspections.

[fingal]

I know it's probably wrong to attribute human qualities to animals, but cats can be quite soothing if you feel low, ill etc. Mine used to sense if I wasn't well, and would snuggle up to me.

They can be full of surprises too. When I was in my 20s I remember waking up one morning to the sensation of something wet in my ear. The cat hadn't managed to wake me up, so she decided to insert her tongue in my ear.

It worked.

[questio verum]

Originally Posted by elija

Because cats have enough brains to want nothing to do with explosives!

He! he! That's funny!

Also when was the last time you heard of a child's face being chewed off by a devil cat?

Well, now that's a little silly, don't you think? I mean, their little mouths are just too small. If cats were a little bigger, say 60-70 pounds (and I don't mean because of morbid obesity), they would routinely chew faces, arms, legs, buttocks, and other parts off.

Don't think so? Don't think pussy could ever be anything but cuddly and docile? Just google 'feline attacks', or 'cats attacking children'. There were a couple of attacks in NYC near the turn of the last century that were astoundingly vicious. In one case the cat pounced, unprovoked, on the little girl and slashed her over 50 times before her grandfather could pull it off.

I grew up in a large family (8 kids) on a farm, and witnessed dozens of cat attacks. In that same time I witnessed only one dog attack. A boy was bitten on the buttocks while climbing a neighbor's fence, and the dog was put down immediately.

Whenever I hear or read of a dog attack, the first thing I look at is the owner. It always comes back to the owner.

I just don't think that dogs are safe animals to have around. I guess
the feline equivalent would be to have a lion.

Hey, your entitled to that opinion. I don't know what your life experience with dogs has been, but I'm sure something spectacular crystallized this opinion for you. I have seen a few vicious dogs. Quite vicious, actually. But in every single case,without fail, there was a vicious human who made them that way. The only other causative factors I'm aware of are disease, i.e. rabies, or brain injury. And both of those are very rare.

I suppose dogs could be made safer if their owners had to pass a mandatory training course and have regular inspections.

While that might help in some small way, the kind of people who turn out vicious dogs could give a rip less about being responsible or following the law. You can't legislate morality.

I'm sure someone will misinterpret my post as being 'anti-cat'. Which is just not true. But I try not to have any illusions about the creatures around me. I treasure them all for the ways they enrich my life, and try not to do anything which would put me or those I care about at risk.

Btw... would the inspections be for the dogs or the owners?

qv

[Thrillhouse]

I had 2 cats and a dog growing up and we loved them all. The dog was a very playful and loyal golden retriever who lived to be 16 years old (an eternity for a big dog) and the cats were both marmalades. One was playful like the dog and the other thought he was a big game hunter. He would leave the house for 3-4 days some times and always come back limping or with a new cut on him somewhere. Our neighbor used to say when he died, he wanted to come back as our cat because the cat must have led a pretty interesting life. And anything he hunted, he ate. I saw him kill a goose once and the only thing he didn't eat from it was the webbed feet. Mice just were not enough of a challenge for this cat. My mom said she once saw him in a staring contest with a fox. She said one of them would have died if she hadn't gone out there and broken it up.

That being said, I voted for dogs for the simple fact that I think you can have more fun with a dog, provided you have the proper ownership skills. My cousin trains German Shepards for the police department and I've been begging him to let me buy one off of him.

[elija]

It's funny, but when I was typing my chewing the face comment I deliberately
ignored the complaints I used to get about my old boy. In his youth he used
to like attacking the postman. I blame the first postie he knew - he used to
play with him and thus it became a game He does (at the age of 20) still
"attack" people but it is a game and although it looks vicious his claws and
teeth leave no marks.

Cats can be psychos - but usually they restrict that to "small furry toys".
Sometimes the toys can be feathered.

Typically, dogs have more power and thus cause more damage when they
attack. I'm just glad that yorkies aint the size of rotties they way they bite!

I admit that I am biased - I am afraid of dogs. Having been attacked by a
pack of Old English Sheepdogs I think I have a good reason to be.

The test would be for the owners, purely to make sure that they can still
control their "beast"