The question leaves my thoughts completely split in half. Loyalty, devotion, and a happy go lucky attitude on one side, mystery, relaxation and independence on the other. As a life long dog and cat owner, the debate surely leads to some good old critical thinking. I have grown up amongst litters of kittens and then a bit later, along came the dogs. Each pet had its own traits, its own personality and its own charm, I always shed tears when I lost one and promised myself never again, only to find myself shortly thereafter, adopting another and then another...

When it comes to choosing my preference therefore, I cannot make up my mind.

Cats. For some mysterious reason, my cats have always known when I was sad. There must have been some chemical reaction that these sensitive creatures were able to pick up. They offered me all their support with a soft meow and a special kitty massage . All I had to do is pat them to gain some of their remarkable wisdom. I could almost hear them telling me ''Relax, no biggie, sleep it over and tomorrow it will be much better!''

Cats have always inspired me total relaxation. The image of a kitty sleeping on a chair by the fireplace is worth a thousand words. Sleeping 13 hours a day is my ideal lifestyle, a luxury that only cats may resort to, with nothing to worry about than eating drinking and sleeping. Life is ultimately all based on that after all!

Cats are really easy to deal with: give them food, a water bowl and a litter box to eliminate and they are good to go. If you can add a few toys to make kitty extra happy, go for it. I really never had to worry about leaving my kitties alone for work or during the week end as we visited family, they ultimately catered for each other, taking turns grooming one another and acting as if nothing happened upon our return.

Most of my cats were the picture of health. Other than getting spayed or neutered and their yearly vaccines most of them never saw the vet for health issues. They were indoor cats that lead very healthy lives keeping themselves exercised during vigorous play sessions. They all had glossy fur and bright eyes, they were highly intelligent and social, the picture of good health.

Dogs. When it comes to dogs I feel the demands of walking them, the demand for socialization, the demand for more care. Yet, all this care creates a deep bond, a bond of trust that was not experienced at such depths with my feline friends. The training, the walks, the belly rubs and the grooming all were means to create a strong relationship.

My dogs depended on me and unlike my cats, they were suffering a lot in my absence. They always wanted to be where I was and always tried hard to please me either with a trick, a glance or a thoughtful nudge. I enjoyed their romps in the yard, the walks together and the progress in their training.

Yet, dogs in my experience appear to be weaker than cats health wise. They had their limping episodes, their upset tummies, their coughing spells. While my cats allowed me to save a lot in veterinarian bills because they were always quite healthy, my dogs took care of wiping out my savings.

I have not made my mind up yet. The question is like asking a mother if they love their daughter or son more or asking a daughter if they like mommy or daddy more. Each have their own qualities and personal traits. Dogs have given me so much, but cats have comforted me all my life. Dogs or cats?Sorry but dogs and cats is my answer!

Learn more about this author, Janet Farricelli.
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