I'm not feeelin the love <cat-dog>

[Howie]

After being around cats and dogs now at the same time, I see such a difference. (Big surprise eey?) What I mean is, I just don't feel companion ship with cats. They could give two shits about you as long as you feed them. Actually, I don't think that either of the two are sentient enough to connect with us on a higher plane? I just think that it is all instinct reflected back to look as if it were affection. Thoughts Burnsy - U know I luv U right?

[Spartiate]

And that is exactly why I prefer cats. Dogs are so annoying, always looking for attention and depending on you... At least cats can shit on their own, among other things...

[pj]

You just have to properly calibrate yourself to cat affection, Howie. It's easy to learn... Let's say you come home after a hard day in the trenches... DOG: Wiggles, dances, jumps up and down, sniffs you, rolls over on her back and shows you her belly, etc. This means the dog likes you. CAT: Walks past, glancing briefly in your directly. This means the cat likes you. DOG: Parks herself right in front of your chair, waiting for you to sit down so she can lay across your feet. This means the dog loves you. CAT: Brings you disemboweled birds and small rodents, arranging them neatly on your pillow as a nice surprise at bed time. This means the cat loves you.

[Mes Tarrant]

CAT: Brings you disemboweled birds and small rodents, arranging them neatly on your pillow as a nice surprise at bed time. This means the cat loves you. Ahhh!! Ain't it true. Howie, cats can show some incredible affection. It depends on the cat as well as on you, and the relationship you have with it. I've had some very heart-warming moments with my cat. Here's the other, fundamental bit: a dog treats you as its master. A cat treats you as its equal. If you ask me, cats have more potential to be "man's best friend" because of it. A master and servant can't really be "best friends," now can they.

[Howie]

You just have to properly calibrate yourself to cat affection, Howie. It's easy to learn... Let's say you come home after a hard day in the trenches... DOG: Wiggles, dances, jumps up and down, sniffs you, rolls over on her back and shows you her belly, etc. This means the dog likes you. CAT: Walks past, glancing briefly in your directly. This means the cat likes you. DOG: Parks herself right in front of your chair, waiting for you to sit down so she can lay across your feet. This means the dog loves you. CAT: Brings you disemboweled birds and small rodents, arranging them neatly on your pillow as a nice surprise at bed time. This means the cat loves you. Man........... I thought woman were hard to figure out. A master and servant can't really be "best friends," now can they. Sure!!

[Mes Tarrant]

Man........... I thought woman were hard to figure out. Ahehehe. Maybe this is why women tend to prefer cats? Because they can bask in one another's mysteriousness? Actually I don't know if women tend to prefer cats or not. Seems like it to me though, for some reason.

[nerve]

I think it also depends on the individual animal... I have three cats. one is extremely skittish, and stuck up. he moves very slowly. jumps ten feet at the slightest movement. he avoids the other two and hisses if they get too close. barely lets you pet him. and the other two are just goofy balls of love, really. so yeah, some cats are "stuck up" maybe even most of them?...but at least they're not dogs. don't get me started on dogs.

[Howie]

Ahehehe. Maybe this is why women tend to prefer cats? Because they can bask in one another's mysteriousness? Waay too much credit here!! Actually I don't know if women tend to prefer cats or not. Seems like it to me though, for some reason. "CAT: Walks past, glancing briefly in your directly. This means the cat likes you." I can see the comparison! heheheh I get to hack on cats AND woman. This is fun. lol What of dogs paperdoll? A pain in the ass?

[Moonbeam]

They are both good pets who show a lot of affection. Cats are more like wild animals; they haven't been domesticated as long as dogs, and some of them just aren't really very tame. They can be more fun to watch because of that. It just depends on what you like. Dogs--good for walking with, barking, digging holes, outdoor stuff. Cats--good for sitting on your lap while you're on the computer or watching a movie, purring, and getting hair on you and in your food. Both fill niches in our lives. Howie, it seems like you are trying to start a controversy. (Wait til Burns sees this...)

[Universal Mind]

I have never been able to really get to know a cat, even cats I have had for pets. It is like having pet rats or deer. There just isn't much of a connection. I have felt that way with every cat I have ever come across. Dogs, on the other hand, you can really get to know. They do a lot of communicating with their facial expressions, and they know how to connect with people on a personal level. I used to be a major dog lover. However, in recent years, I have become a big time dog cynic. I don't think they love people like they want us to think they do. They are really just manipulative bums who kiss your ass so you will give them what they want. They are con artists who are there to use you. The irony is that it is really the dog that is the master and the human who is the servant. Dogs are just domestically bred wolves. So when you have a pet dog, what you really have is a wolf in your house making you its bitch.

[Howie]

They are both good pets who show a lot of affection. Cats are more like wild animals; they haven't been domesticated as long as dogs, and some of them just aren't really very tame. They can be more fun to watch because of that. It just depends on what you like. Dogs--good for walking with, barking, digging holes, outdoor stuff. Cats--good for sitting on your lap while you're on the computer or watching a movie, purring, and getting hair on you and in your food. Both fill niches in our lives. Howie, it seems like you are trying to start a controversy. (Wait til Burns sees this...) yaa that's why = Burnsy - U know I luv U right? I am not trying to be a provocateur. I do realize it is a controversial subject to many. After much consideration, my vantage point is this: ▪NO, Animals are not capable of emotional attachment. It is construed as such, because we want to see it that way. Because we like the idea of an unconditional friend who always listens and never says what you do not want to here. Their actions are a result of instinct an adaptation to their environment. To their needs/wants and their ability to instinctively fall into pattern like behavior. This seems evident as an animal does something to your astonishment then the next they do something utterly stupid. (uuuh ..I do that ) I do NOT mean to take anything away from our relationship with animals, although I suppose this outlook does to a degree.

[Spartiate]

For every anti-social recluse of a cat, there is an untamed, constantly barking, canine tunnel-maker of a dog .

[Burns]

Ack! I just now saw this this! Howie, you just haven't met the right cat yet. I meet LOTS of people at my work who swear they were dog-people and couldn't give damn about cats, saying they are aloof and uncaring companions. Then a particular cat comes into their lives and changes their whole perception of cats. Then they are miraculously transformed into cat-people! Cats have the same unique personalities that dogs do, but you cannot compare the two. Cats are NOT small dogs. They are two completely different species and therefore show love and affection different ways. You are so used to the dog's idea of affection, that you don't recognize how cats communicate. Cats are wonderful, fulfilling companions, and are totally misunderstood by "dog people". I pity these people because they have not yet discovered the bond you can share with a feline.

[Jimmehboi]

After being around cats and dogs now at the same time, I see such a difference. (Big surprise eey?) I'm not a cat-lover myself, nor liker... I suppose I'm more of a cat-hater, and I am from a family of cat-shooters Even though my opinion sounds biased, I still have no idea why people still keep cats as pets, they give little obvious affection, (even though people claim the small things are their signs of affection, you still wouldn't keep a crazy man that stabs people when they feel love!) thats slightly exaggerated but you can still see my point They are similar to pests as they free-roam and cause nothing but trouble wherever they go, making them only benefit their owner. Since there aren't that many feral cats where we are, me and my father have began to find trouble dealing with them when they come near the finches, which is disgusting when you find a single cat killing almost 2 birds a day and you have completely no control over that what-so-ever. I love dogs They are great companions, loyal and helpful, and they look so much more beautiful than cats.

[Howie]

So cuttly and cute. meeeeooow!

[Jimmehboi]

They are really just manipulative bums who kiss your ass so you will give them what they want. I know why you feel this way about dogs. I don't think like that, but it's your opinion. Just to let you know! Crows make awsome pets They give a LOT of affection, they're incredibly playful and they are unbelievably smart. And they do not just "kiss your ass", you can tell, they are very loveable birds, their companionship can be seen with them all. Hence why you rarely see a magpie on its' own. Also training them is not at all like a dog, you find it easy to patronise dogs when teaching them something, but with a crow, all you really need to do is make sure they see you doing something. Me and my Dad were amazed to find that "Maggie" (my magpie) had began to tie knots in things, she has this toy which she has had since a chick which is a small circular mirror on a long piece of string, when she got older and lived in a large run/cage we used to tie it to one of her perches, she used to pull at the string at the perch until it fell off, and we would continue to hang it up there Until one day we went in to find she had taken it off the perch, and tied a loose knot to the small apple tree growing in the aviary. We were so shocked to find that she began to make "knots" a widely practised skill in her life If you leave her cage open and walk away, she will follow you out and to wherever you go, once we left it open when she was asleep, she woke up later on and came to tap on the window pane while we were watching TV. Sorry, I think I went a bit off-topic, I just thought it would be nice to show everyone that you CAN compromise the two loveable domestic animals if you want to (dogs and cats)

[Adam]

I think it depends on what you want from the pet - Cats are not really the type of animal you can do a great deal with, I know my 2 cats were pretty cool to have about the house, but not like a dog, you could take to the park and play about with all day... But again it depends on the type too, if you got a great big killer dog or a little handbag dog lol. Anyway, I used to love my two cats before they were both taken from me (one died the other stolen). And this weekend I went to see my brother to play with his little puppy Still growing!!! Cute little puppy dog eyes lol

[Jeff777]

I hate it when people cut off dogs tails, you never see a cat tail getting cut off. Let their bodies grow as it should without trying to make them look physically acceptable in your eyes.

[Adam]

without trying to make them look physically acceptable in your eyes. They are done when puppies I believe, and before sold on to owners...

[cuddleyperson]

...........................!?!?!?! Why are Dogs tails cut off! I have never seen such a thing, this isn't common place is it!?!?! Don't dogs need or at least prefer life with tails!? Why would you cut a puppies tail off unless it was infected or something?

[Jimmehboi]

People often get gundogs' tails cropped to stop them from getting them caught, which, indeed would be more of a painful situation than having them surgically shortened, also just for show... Of course it's immoral, but... It would be more unethical to use them for retrieving and not have them shortened.

[Burns]

There are A LOT breeds in which tail docking is done to conform with breed standard. Tail docking is done when the pup is 2 days (or less) old, so it is rarely up to the owner whether to have it done or not. The idea behind it is that the breeds are developed for certain purposes, herding, guarding, working, etc, and a tail may inhibit the dog in these activities. Do some research and you will see. Most of the time, the tails are docked because this is the way the breed was meant to look, and breeders are conforming with breed standards. Tail docking and ear cropping are illegal in certain countries, and some states as well. Everyone has their own opinions about this, but this is getting off the original topic.

[grasshoppa]

If you died in your house and the cat ran out of food and it couldn't get out of the house it would eat your dead ass. I don't think a dog would.

[Spartiate]

If you died in your house and the cat ran out of food and it couldn't get out of the house it would eat your dead ass. I don't think a dog would. I suppose you witnessed this firsthand?

[Mes Tarrant]

Yes, do please tell us how you came to this conclusion.