by Teri Tolliver

Created on: March 05, 2009

I speak as the owner of a very lovable, loyal, intelligent and beautiful feline. We also own two dogs, neither of which are house dogs only for the simple reasons to which I have testified to in this article. Therefore when I consider this debate I must confess that every cat I have ever owned has been a real joy. So how does my opinion of cats making a better pet than dogs hold true? Simply because I base it on my experiences with those cats, and dogs that have been my pets.

I think the most important issue in determining the winning side in this debate would be in seeing how easy it is to house brake the pet. I have found that kittens are so much easier to train to use the litter box than a puppy is to house break. It usually only takes a kitten once or twice to learn where to do it's business, but a puppy can take forever it seems. Sometimes dogs never do become truly housebroke, and have frequent accidents. This can prove to be quite stressful to the owner.

Another area of debate between cats and dogs is cleanliness. Cats are famous for keeping themselves clean, whereas a dog usually has to be bathed. This is another big stress factor for the owner, and the dog as well. That's only when and if you can catch the critter.

Let's compare these animals self control. A cat or kitten can pretty much be left alone for long periods of time. As long as it has access to food, water and the litter box it's good to go. A dog or puppy on the other hand can easily get bored or curious which can lead to a small disaster, needless to say more stress.

As far as the issue of safety goes with cats and dogs, I rarely hear of a child being bit by a cat. But dog attacks are an everyday occurrence. This is a fact not just my opinion. But if you are still afraid the cat may scratch then you can always keep it's nails short or even have it's claws completely removed.

If you're concerned about the financial aspect of this debate it might interest you to know that spaying a cat is usually cheaper than having a dog fixed. Vet visits tend to be less for a cat than a dog. Also most items for a cat such as food and medicine cost less than those for a dog.

History has it's voice in this debate too. Cats have been a domesticated animal since the days of the Pharaoh's. Cats were considered to be a god to the Egyptians. Think of the Sphinx. Although dogs I'm sure had their place too, they were not nearly so highly regarded as their beloved cats.

In closing I would choose a cat over a dog any day, simply because who needs all the added stress, time and expense that comes with having a dog for a pet. I say "Cat's rule... dog's drool!"

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