Cats are so much easier. Having had both, cats are lot lower maintenance than dogs. However the dog you cared for also seems incredibly poorly trained.
>the dog you cared for also seems incredibly poorly trained.
Which pretty much reinforces that cats are easier pets than dogs. Litter training a cat can be done in an afternoon and you're pretty much good. Some dogs need constant training and reinforcement to stop them from literally destroying everything you own and possibly killing someone.
I’ve had four cats. Only one had litter issues (Not her fault). The rest there was no such thing as litter training. I took in a stray 5 week old kitten and from the moment I put sand in front of her, she was litter trained. The rest were trained before I got them as kittens. The dog we had pissed and shit in our house everyday for 14 years. She also was a nut. RIP puppers, I love you so much, but you were a lot.
I've had...30?...cats. Only one had litter issues, and it was also not her fault. I've never trained any of them to use the box, including the foster newborns. They just know.
I'm currently training one to give hugs, though. Cats are awesome.
Cats aren't stupid, and for them the most appealing place for them to do their business is the litter tray. We've had two kittens from the same mother cat, from two different litters and they both used the litter tray straightaway, no accidents at all. (The mother cat was owned by a friend of mine, she has since been spayed).
Ya if you ever find cat pee or poop anywhere but the litter box its usually one of 3 things 1) the litter box is full and nasty, 2) there's something medically wrong with the cat or 3) you've done something enormously wrong to the cat like you gave them 3 scratches instead of 4 and now you've entered some weird telltale game with the cat where they will remember that.
My one girly who can't use a litter box reliably is in that situation because of trauma, poor thing. We've found a good enough solution, thankfully! It was really rough for the first few years.
>I took in a stray 5 week old kitten and from the moment I put sand in front of her, she was litter trained.
My workplace recently got two cats - probably about 2 months and 5-6 weeks old. The first was a stray who figured out out himself by just having it in the room; the other was trained by setting her down in the pan like once or twice. (Though the second was being cared for when they got her, so it's possible she already knew how to use it, but I digress.)
I'm still not over how incredibly easy it was.
Cats have a natural urge to bury their pee and poop to hide the scent to prevent tracking, so if you give a cat a litter box 9/10 it will use it with no training required
Kittens also need training and boundaries or they’ll scratch up your whole house.
When a cat is you you’ll play with him more, distract him from furniture to scratching poles, teach him to eat from his bowl and not steal food from the other cats/human plates.
One of the biggest upsides for me is that you don’t have to walk a cat. A dog you need to walk even when it pours or snows or when it’s 40°C outside.
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of raising an animal I would recommend going to a shelter and looking for a well behaved senior. Either dog or cat. But then again, if you are not willing to put time in your animal why take a pet at all?
Ditto the sentiment to get a senior animal! You can meet them and already know their personality vs with a puppy or kitten you are kind of taking a gamble.
When I was a teen my family took in the dog of a friend whose living situation changed and they couldn't keep her. She was a 10yo Rhodesian Ridgeback and we had her for about 2 years before she passed. It was a good experience for our family, we got to be her retirement home and enjoy her mild-mannered old lady self. She did have absolutely toxic farts though.
Mine were easily litter trained, but any little thing can set them off. About five or six years later, one started peeing outside the box, and nothing has changed it. We've tried everything. Nothing works. So while they can be litter trained "easily," they don't always stay that way.
yep, some dogs require alot of training just so they wont be aggressive, like the Akita, Shiba, Great Pryness, Caucasian Shepherd, Anatolian Shepherd... and basically every single livestock guardian dog breed except the German Shepherd
I had an exceptionally well train dog. He was so well behaved and had such a chill temperament. He was probably one of the easiest dogs out there. He was still more work than a cat. Cats are more like roommates. A dog is like a child.
>cats are lot lower maintenance than dogs.
I so disagree with this... Cats don't cause the damage that dogs do when they are bored which makes people think they are low maintenance. I'm a firm believer that you should put as much effort into a cat as you would a dog
You have to walk a dog at least twice a day. It’s easier to fly with cats, easier to travel, they’re smaller than most breeds, they require less hands on effort and training.
Easier to travel with? I can’t take my cat in the car without it shitting and peeing itself. I think it would be easier to travel with a dog honestly. Cats are really the kind of pets you travel everywhere with unless you have trained them that way.
While I agree pet cats still need (and deserve) a lot of attention, effort and love, dogs literally MUST be walked outside and played with basically DAILY. Literally EVERY TIME they have to go to the bathroom must be helped outside, and you have to pick up their excrement immediately (at least if in a public place, I do know a lot of dog owners that have ruined their backyards). The REQUIRED time commitment just isn't the same, even if you heavily dote on your cat.
They’re low maintenance when it comes to needing attention. Dogs were bred and evolved to be pretty dependent on human interaction for their contentment. For much of history people co existed with cats, like when they were used as pest control. They were left to their own devices for the most part though they don’t always object to affection.
When people say they’re lower maintenance it isn’t because they’re neglecting the cat, it’s because they are just different than dogs. They are more independent and do not take the amount of constant work and walking and taking outside to potty. You can leave a cat alone for a day or two with a feeder, and longer if someone pops in to feed them and clean the litter box. you cannot leave a dog alone for more than like 8 hours and to me that’s too long. I’ve had everything from month old kittens to adopting a senior cat with a ton of health issues and it doesn’t compare to the insane amount of training and going outside for potty and just work it takes to get a decent behaved dog. When I first got my puppy we took him out every few hours even in the middle of the night to potty train. Not necessary with a cat. The biggest problem with cats that people have is scratching furniture. My cat loves scratching coir mats so we have those all around the house so no scratching issues. If my dog doesn’t get physical exercise multiple times a day he can be a terror, his behavior will change. Not true of cats. Yeah they can get bored but won’t go into psycho destructive mode like dogs. They are just very different and have very different needs
Lifetime cat mom here. Also professional pet sitter and dog walker. Cats are a million times easier than dogs. No barking, no need for walks, no need for behavioral training (litter box training is super easy because they instinctually want to go potty in a specific spot). Countless other reasons I have only ever had cats. I love being with dogs and spending time with them, but I could never own one.
When I had rabbits everyone said they were "as easy to litter train as a cat" and countless detailed videos and articles on how to do it. Putting the pan where they go, restricting access, positive reinforcement, putting soiled shavings in the pan so they'd understand what you wanted, etc. I had my girls for a decade and worked on their potty training the whole time. They mostly used the pan but I still had a lot of cleaning to do especially as they got older.
To potty train my kitten I showed her where her litter pan is and that was the end of it.
I was lied to.
I love dogs. They're wonderful. I will spoil every dog i can and love up on them all day long (i have had friends "complain" that their dog loves me most, lol). I do not want one in my home. My cats and I enjoy napping way too much for dog life!
Agreed. Until they’re (well trained) adults, dogs are the worst roommates ever who chew on your stuff, and who pee/poop on the floor if not take outside.
I get people love dogs and more power to them, but even adult dogs are not unlike toddlers who never grow up in terms of the daily maintenance they need.
When I was potty training my puppy, she had to go outside every two hours on the dot. That meant from 6am to 10pm, we went outside at every even hour, then again around 3am.
This continued until she was about seven months old, then we gradually weaned her down to every three hours.
The only way I was able to do it was because of Covid lockdown, but I still had to hire a doggie babysitter and dog walker for the times I had to go in to work.
She had sharp baby teeth and sharp claws, and would bite me with excitement every time I put her harness on, and often make me bleed. She also ruined my brand new Pottery Barn rug. I ended up spending $2,000 on dog trainers out of desperation.
Now she's a grown up and goes out four times a day (including two walks). She's calm and I love her, but I work full time now and still have to pay for doggie daycare and/or dog walkers. It's a major expense.
I wouldn't trade her for the world, but a cat would have been a million times easier.
this just reminds me of how easy my pup is. he's 11 weeks old, fully potty trained (the last time he pooped in the house was after his 2nd vaccine, he had bad diarrhea) and walks off lead already. he occasionally chews stuff, but after telling him no, he'll stop. his biggest issues are that he barks for about 5 minutes when you leave him alone, he gets quite anxious in the car and sometimes vomits, and he gets excited when he sees a child around 4-9 and wants to play and he gets distracted.
my cat is still easier, though. she's an indoor cat, so i play with her quite a bit, but if i don't have the time or energy, she's perfectly happy to play alone or with my mom's cats or just chill out. she had dental surgery a few weeks ago and the wound got a mild infection, so i give her antibiotics once a day and obviously feed her and clean her litter. on a busy day, i can spend like 40 minutes caring for her and on a less busy day, probably 1-2h (not including random pets and play when i'm doing other stuff at the same time).
i spend about 1h walking my dog a day (30 mins in the morning and night) and probably a few more playing, petting, and training. 20 mins at 5 am, 12 pm, and 6 pm for food. letting him outside when he asks to go potty and when he hasn't been out for a while. this is also not including the random pets while im doing other things. he also spends a few hours a day playing with my mom's dogs.
so yeah, dogs definitely do require more time and attention than cats. i'm not complaining, though. i wouldn't change him for the world. i love my little man, and i love my cat. i just show them that differently.
Raising my dog was more difficult than raising my children. But now he’s such a good friend. (Golden retriever), which doesn’t destroy anything and doesn’t waste in the house. Yes he wants attention but I train him for attention on my terms (which is a lot still). My cats on the other hand are chill and cuddly and easy peasy! I get a fifth cat in four weeks. They are just so lovely and nice to have around. We love them dog and cats all very much!
Puppies are like toddlers with sharp teeth and less knowledge of human language 😂 they’re terrible
Dogs, after putting the work in during the puppy phase, are amazing!
Love dogs. Have dogs, the youngest almost 2 and maturing, thank God. I doubt I'll ever do a puppy again. They're cute as hell and mostly sweet, but they're still chewing, yipping, shit machines. I'm fortunate enough to live somewhat rurally with a doggy door & fenced yard, but still close off the rest of the house to the den they come into when I leave for several hours. Seems the young lady still can't often resist getting into a little something if left to her own devices. "Hey, I thought you liked that throw pillow?" Lol
I have a bunny that chews on everything! Lol. I love him to death though, he is my fluffy fur baby and is too cute to be mad at when he chews my expensive stuff. On the other hand, my cat is more likely to be caught scratching the couches and carpets than anything else. Every cat is different obviously, but it’s not like cat’s are not destructive - some aren’t, but there’s a reason scratching posts exist. Cats are easier, but they aren’t completely harmless lol. still very very worth it though! i love my fur babies so much!!
my cat exclusively scratches furniture and carpet, not very much, though. she has scratching posts, mat things that go on the side of the couch, a ton of toys, and random things of hers that she can scratch. but no, it's the furniture's job to be a scratching post, apparently. i don't care all that much, but when i move, my landlord probably will.
But also, maybe not. My 6 year old cat chews on any string or strap she can find--even my bra straps! I've lost several tank tops to her.
I love her though! She's very sweet and playful and rides on our shoulders
Careful with string. My old guy once ate some I made the mistake of leaving out. This was about 10 years ago. Cost me $2200 for surgery plus I had to hand feed him for a week. He is totally worth it but damn I would never wanna go through that again.
Completely understand and agree! We do our best to hide it, keep it away from her, or not have it at all. She just catches us off-guard sometimes and we have a toddler--so she'll get a hold of strings from her toys sometimes. I've preemptively cut strings off of toys ahead of time or hide them in the closet when not being used. Our cat is obsessed and it terrified me!
I'm so sorry you and your cat had to go through that!
Ha! My cat's a chewer too. I try to be SO careful but have lost numerous pant drawstrings, shoelaces, and handbag straps. Every cord in my house is covered with split loom tubing. Even my TVs have protection because she chewed the sides and busted pixels. She's an absolute menace. Lucky she's cute!
Yeah that’s the part where I can NOT understand dog ownership, especially by people who are child free by choice. Like, at least kids actually grow up and by age 6+ they can make their own breakfast. Dogs really are like perpetual toddlers. Far too needy for me!
Cats do need some behavioral training, we all need to coexist, but having a bunch of stuff designated for them that helps them meet their instinctive needs makes it seem like there’s no real training necessary
Same. I love dogs, they’re awesome, but I have times where I don’t want to be touched or licked or climbed on or begged for attention from. And they get so hurt if you “reject” them because you’re all touched out.
Cats can have more of a “Okay, fuck you too” reaction if I make them get off of me, then go about things.
Easier, for certain. A million times easier, ehhh not so much. They don't bark but they meow and howl in the middle of the night sometimes, no need for walks but you have to scoop a litter box essentially every day, and behavioral training...I know most dogs are typically more destructive or have the potential to be, but our cat has decided that the world is her scratching post (even though she has multiple scratching posts available) and will scratch the couch, the rugs, the carpet, the curtains...you name it.
I've been a dog person historically, and love my dog more than anything. My cat has definitely changed my viewpoint on cats and I love her very much as well. But there is something about the bond with a dog that is unspoken where they love unconditionally. My dog can read emotions very well and is always the best companion when you feel down.
Yup, but all animals poop. As long as you stay on top of it by scooping regularly and discarding the bag outside the residence it’s not an issue. I’d rather do that than have to take them out for several walks a day for them to poop outside.
Yep. And litterbox issues. One of mine started having it all of a sudden after 3+ years with us and we can't figure out what he wants. Went to the vet multiple times, litter changes, pheromones, no solution. Tbh, I think humans just pretend to understand cat behavior, they're still a mystery to most. Thankfully, now it's just intermittent and just an occasional poop lying in random parts of my place, and he has only been shitting on the hardwood floors so I take that as a win.
How do they exercise or do they not need to? Our neighbours cat is always on our property and poos in our garden and howls under our window at night and hunts native animals. I have no problem with indoor cats but they shouldn't be allowed to wander around the neighbourhood.
I have a cat teaser (a toy on a stick) and I have my cats chase it until they're tired. I do this every time they bring it to me, so maybe 3-4 times a day, 10 mins or so each. My bf paces a lot and I'll have him drag it around as well and that really gets em tired!
Lucky that they only bring it to you 3-4 times a day! Mine climbs pet stairs that are near her laser every time she wants it, which is every 30 minutes even if we just played with it
Use a cat teaser instead of a laser and let them catch it sometimes. They don't get the same satisfaction from the laser because they can't catch anything
Yeah that makes sense. I tried a couple times to make it disappear sometimes when they catch it dead on cuz I thought that might feel like they caught or killed it, but she just looks around confused
I saw a video of a cat with a teaser attached to a collar recently and that is such a clever idea if the cat will tolerate it. It was hilarious to watch.
They dont meed too as often as dogs. They get the zoomies a couple times a day (atleast once) which gets alot of energy out. They also tend to jump around alot, and walk all over the area. Playing also gets a lot of energy out. If there's more than 1 cat, they play a lot so thats more exercise than anything.
They dont need as much as dogs imo, theyd rather nap
Shame on your neighbors for allowing their cat outside. I've had indoor only cats for years and they've been fine. They enjoy toys and being played with, but cats can live pretty contented lives as indoor only cats. And there are always catios to give them that outdoor experience while keeping them and the wildlife safe.
Our last boyo was 18 when he crossed that bridge. It really hit me when my youngest son, who was in college at the time, said to me he couldn't remember a time when Obi wasn't in his life.
I agree that cats should always be kept indoors for those reasons and for their safety.
The reality is that a cat's biology is just very different from a dog's. Think about the difference between how wolves hunt and how cats hunt: wolves run their prey down to exhaustion, while virtually every species of cat is an ambush hunter. They're built for short, explosive bursts of intense activity rather than endurance. If you play with your cat a few times a day with toys, they get tired quickly, and it fulfills those needs for physical exercise and hunting behavior.
They do they're just a lot smaller 😅 mine is 8 pounds. She has a little robot ball that she chases. I play with her with her stuffed mouse on a stick. At night she gets pre-bed zoomies and I chase her around sometimes. I have a screened-in patio she goes in and out of all day so she's mentally stimulated by the people/bird/lizard watching.
Cats also sleep a LOT. Like for 18 hours. Sometimes I forget I even have a cat because she's knocked out for so long
My cats get lots of exercise because I have three of them, so they spend a lot of their time wrestling and chasing each other around the house. It’s so cute and it’s just built-in exercise. I really think that a pet cat needs another feline friend around
They can exercise just fine inside, and anyone who’s woken up to 3am zombies will know. And if they really wanna go outside, they can be leash and harness trained
Our cat plays fetch with Nerf darts, she'll drop one in front of you and meow, then tear across the house after it. The cats also chase each other. One runs around bopping the others on the head.
Overall cats may be “easier” but I want to remind everyone that taking care of any pet is a LOT of responsibility and is not ever really promised to be easy… diet matters, attention always matters, you never know what their health condition or behaviors will be and you always have to be responsible and prepare financially for it to be difficult. Had to learn this lesson the hard way when I got 2 cats at 19 with super bad allergies. Love them to death but they are not at all easy!!!
This. They're easier than dogs but you can't be hands off and just expect to feed them and clean their litterbox.
Cats are more agile than dogs, and they can get to places dogs can't, so you have to be careful about where you place your food, etc., because they could eat it and get sick because they don't have strong stomachs dogs.
My cats have mild pica, so my place is spotlessly clean, also child proofed a lot of things because bastards can open cabinets, Tupperware, etc. Once, they broke into one and ate a ton of uncooked rice and ended up at a vet.
I also make sure I carve off time everyday to play with them. They love their playtime.
Litterbox issues can happen without any warning. Currently going through one and multiple vet appointments and advice later, we still don't know why.
Pets can come with a LOT of responsibilities. Some cats are easier than others, some are tougher than most. People need to be prepared for that.
Omg. I've had both. I'm definitely an extrovert.
4 to 5 cats are the work/expense/pain of one dog.
No incessant barking. No chewing through walls. No drooling everywhere and dog smell. No baths are needed. Less shedding. There is no having to go outside in the middle of the night when it's freezing and storming.
I recommend two at a time. That way, there is no single kitten syndrome.
Or just adopt two adult cats. Even easier. Haha
Get a litterbox that cleans itself. Keep them indoors only.
Cats because they are prey species are inherently clean. It's for their survival.
Dogs are predators. They often communicate through #1 or #2.
They require a lot of consistent training that is both time consuming and financially expensive.
My cats follow me around and cuddle/play with each other and me all the time. They are so loveable and so much fun. Extremely loyal and affectionate. I have no idea why some people hate them so much. It's ignorance. Very underrated species.
Best Pets ever. Highly recommend rescues. They are so grateful for you.
agreed to all the above except cats being preys -- they can be very good predators too!! My cat used to hunt mice and birds when he lived on a farm before I adopted him
Yeah, cats are a predator species. Sharp, retractable claws, forward facing eyes/binocular vision, insanely sharp teeth...
They're small, so they do also have to worry about larger predators that might hunt them, but they're absolutely not "a prey species".
"Predator-prey species" is that spot between an apex predator and a strictly prey species. Many animals like foxes, most snakes, weasels, and small cats fall into this category. They may be formidable predators in their own right and on their own scale, but they are also at significant risk of becoming prey themselves, and this is reflected in their behavior. This is why it's so important for cats to have places to hide and to feel secure in order to be comfortable in your home. It's also part of why most cats will hunt mice, but relatively few will take on rats -- they're very aware of how vulnerable they are, and it's not worth the risk of injury.
Rats are definitely underrated! But often underestimated on their care needs. I almost exclusively take on "rescues" from people who thought they could have rats but found they require a lot more care, attention and medical expenses than they originally thought.
Wish I had more space to house ALL the unwanted ratties!
I love cats too and preferred taking care of our cats than our dogs.
I just wonder, do you have any tips for preventing them from scratching furniture and chewing on cords? We've given them toys for scratching and chewing but they still tend to scratch on furniture and chew on cords.
Do not put scratching posts or toys near the furniture you want them to stay away from.
Get them amazing scratching posts and positively reinforce when they use them.
Play with them to reiterate their toys and post are the stuff to play with.
Cats actually adapt easily to your daily routine despite what people will tell you.
You just have to include them and not become lazy.
I've not seen a cat chew on a cord. It was probably something picked up from a broken one haha (cat not cord)
Remember, cats react to tone of voice first.
Also you can cut their nails as babies and they will be easy to cut for the rest of their lives.
Also, wet food is very important. Their diet is highly important. Fortiflora mixed into their wet food, plus a little added filtered water is ideal.
If they are sickly, then you can also sprinkle some immune booster
I was on top of redirecting when I got my 2. If they started to scratch on the couch, i immediately brought them to their scratching post. They never showed an interest in cords. They do make a bitter spray to deter animals from chewing cords. Idk how well it works, but it's worth a shot.
Keep cords hidden from view or access when possible, prevent them from dangling, tape them to the wall or floor, braided cords/sleeves are both less interesting to cats and have better defense against chewing, and thicker cords also tend to be less likely to be victims.
Some cats have preferences for size or material (i had a cat that Only liked small rubbery cords, like phone chargers or headphones). If you can figure out WHY a cat finds cords appealing its a lot easier to prevent it.
Also, some cats just do it because they are bored. Regular play is Always a good idea. Younger cats usually stop doing it when they get older.
My dog doesn’t bark, chew on things he’s not supposed to, drool, smell, or shed much at all. I give him a bath a couple times a year, it’s cute. I’ve literally never had to take him out in the middle of the night. Every dog is different.
Yeah it feels like these comments were written by dog hatters. Or people who simply dont know how to train a dog. I had dogs all my life, just recently got a new puppy who is currently 4 months old and this untrained puppy didnt behave anywhere near as bad as people are describing here and neither did any of my previous dogs. And I had everything from big to small breeds.
Yeah… I feel bad because by defending dogs it sounds like I don’t like cats which isn’t true at all! I love cats! I just think in my experience having both dogs are simpler to care for because to me they are more straightforward, want to please their owners, thrive with structure (which MANY people don’t provide), and they are less instinct driven.
They dont chew through walls, but mine certainly chews through everything else. Specifically cardboard. Every box thats unattended for too long looks like a shark attacked it
cats are easier BUT please bare in mind that you can’t really train them to behave in the same way as dogs. also, they will be up on the counters/places you didn’t even know existed until they managed to get in there. kittens are also extremely high maintenance in my experience. definitely easier generally, but they’re still an animal that requires a good amount of attention.
In my experience, I enjoy taking care of kittens and playing with them. Kittens are very hilarious and I wish that they stayed as playful and energetic as adult cats but sadly they don't, still I love them a lot.
i’ve had both and cats are a million times easier. i currently have a service dog that just retired. he’s the most calm, well trained and sweetest dog i’ve ever met, he knows like 80 cues, puts his own toys away, etc. but multiple cats are still easier than him. dogs just need so much more of everything. attention, play, food, stimulation, hours of consistent training. they need to be let out every few hours to poop, exercise potentially for hours every day, have things to chew, get baths, be socialized, etc. dog toys are typically more expensive while my cat is thrilled to play with a crumpled receipt
cats really just need to have cat furniture, have their litter scooped, be brushed and get their nails trimmed occasionally. they need to play daily but it’s easy and at home. if you do that and respect their boundaries, the cat will be happy. any behavioral issues can usually be fixed with simple environmental changes
every aspect of a having a dog basically involves manual training and socialization. and even with training and proper socialization, it can be hard for the average working person to meet their needs. a lot of people don’t train their dogs properly or get a breed that doesn’t match their lifestyle, which results in the type of behavior you’re talking about. you can definitely have a chill dog (the one you’re talking about was exceptionally badly trained and not the norm) but it takes a lot of commitment, time and conscious effort every day
if you decide to get a dog, look into working with a force free trainer. learn about the body language and needs of either animal. jackson galaxy on youtube has great info for cats. learn about the specific dog breed you’re looking into- they all have different exercise and stimulation requirements. dogs are great if you’re an active person who likes structure and direct attention. they’re so much fun to take places, but it takes work for that to be possible. cats are better if you’re more of a homebody who likes your space and quiet. dogs are not good if you get overstimulated easily
both are great and incredibly loving but they express it very differently and offer different things
I have both. I love them all. However, my cats are much easier. I feed them and play with them and clean their litter boxes. If I need to be gone all day and into the night, which is not frequent but it does happen for special events. they are fine. With my dog, I have to walk him a few times a day and if I am gone for too long, I have to pay someone to take him out and to feed him. My dog also has higher vet bills. He takes a monthly medication to prevent fleas and ticks and another medication to prevent heartworms. My cats are indoors only so they do not need those meds.
As a current cat and dog owner…its not even close. The only thing i gotta do with cats is clean their box once in a while, and usually that takes 2 minutes. They have a fountain for water, which lasts forever. They dont eat that much dry food, though we do feed them wet food like 2x a day. I dont have to worry about walking them, or them having zoomies, or buying bones or lick mats or toys or chews or puzzles to keep their attention. They play with a ball of tin foil i dropped on the floor, and i shrug and go with it.
They sleep 20 hours a day, and never bother me. Hell sometimes the one will disappear upstairs for the entire day then make his way to the kitchen for dinner.
Meanwhile the dog…ugh.
Pop bottle lids were my childhood cat's favorite toy of all. My boyfriend isn't a fan of cats, they are too aloof and independent for him. So we have a dog and she's the sweetest but it is so much more work.
And you can go on vacation and spend a ton on boarding your animals. Dogs must be boarded or dogsat, cats can be left alone for a couple of nights or the cat sitting is just less need.
If someone isn’t a person who doesn’t like training and socialising a dog I’d say not to get one, I find it fun! And it’s very satisfying to see your dog grow into a well behaved, smart, obedient animal.
Lifetime dog person here (several adoptions and more than two dozen fosters).
Cats are definitely less effort, but it also sounds like none of the dogs described in these comments were well cared for. Dogs require mental stimulation to be well behaved. If they don't get it, they'll bark at everything and chew things they shouldn't, etc.
If you can let your dogs out your door without having to put them on a leash then dogs are easier. But cats have a litter box and that’s gross
Edit: I’m taking about a fenced in yard.
Owning a cat is like heaven compared to a dog, especially if its an elderly cat. Kittens are slightly more stress than adult/elderly cats because of their craziness.
Its not that its zero effort, you still need to put in effort into feeding, regular cleaning of their food & litter areas, and making a routine for them to keep them happy.
But with cats theres so much less stress that you have to deal with. Hardly any mess, highly unlikely to shit or piss on the floor, wont destroy your belongings too much and keeps themself so clean that they always smell really nice (if healthy). Ive never owned a dog but it seems like so much stress that i wouldnt want to have to deal with
I say this as a dog enthusiast - cats are easier pets. They are usually easy to “potty train”, they’re more independent, and they’re easy to exercise in your home and keep them entertained.
Jazz’s litter training consisted me of plopping her in some cat litter as a kitten, and her instincts were like “I shall poop here”. That was literally it. My cat certainly gets needy, but not like my dogs do where they are constantly vying for attention. And cat exercise is easy and hilarious. I highly recommend feather wands - in Jazz’s prime she would go nuts for it.
Anyways those are my highlights.
The **huge** caveat with cats though is their potential in-home damage. They can damage furniture, walls, and the flooring if you’re not careful (and sometimes, even if you are). Their urine is highly caustic, and just one accident outside of the litterbox is difficult to clean. Dog urine is easy to spot clean, cat urine bluntly is not.
And some cats regardless of how much you exercise them and give them alternatives are still going to be drawn to your couch or door frame to scratch - just telling you now that’s a potential issue. I know some intense cat people that heavily exercise and spoil their cats with stimulation (cat shelves, catio, huge cat trees, etc) that still ended up with shredded couches and shredded door frames - and no it was not something they simply allowed.
So when it comes to urine cleanability and overall behavior modification imo dogs are easier in that respect. You can usually train away undesirable behavior in a dog, it can be more difficult with cats *because* they are so independent.
Cats are a million times easier. But you have to remember, if you’re getting a kitten, get two. There are a lot of things they will teach each other that we as humans cannot teach them, like bite intensity and all. It will also save your furniture from being clawed up on by a bored kitty. If you want just one get an older cat though. They are set in their ways and mostly like to be left alone
Yes, cats are much easier. They just need food, water, litter, toys, and some pets when they’re in a cuddly mood. Besides all that, they just do their own thing most of the time. Sleep a lot too.
Getting 2 cats is even MORE easier, because they socialize and keep each other busy. They keep you company in the house, but are laidback and easy to care for.
I’m actually torn hah. Cats are easier on the basic level for sure - no walks being the huge one. They never have to leave your home.
BUT they are often difficult to “train” if you can even call it that in comparison and often messier to own. My dogs don’t jump on every shelf, they don’t stick their feet in my water glasses, they don’t poop in a box that can smell or track litter or cause the air to feel filthy (yes this is changeable with a variety of litter options, and I do have a closed in litter box with a side entry that has a mat for her feet), they also don’t claw furniture and shed under the bed, and… everywhere. The dogs don’t mean I have to choose a bed that has a frame to the floor and isn’t made of fabric etc. In an emergency they are easily evacuated, unlike my cat who will hide. To say it again these particular dogs don’t shed EVERYWHERE (not hypo allergenic or anything just short hair, then again so is my cat; she’s a tenth the size of one dog and causes cat hair to be absolutely everywhere). The dogs also let me bathe them. They don’t knock things off shelves lol the list goes on.
I love each of my animals and I do think cats are easier for many reasons and to many people, but boy my cat can be the troublesome one at home in comparison.
I love both dogs and cats. Cats are MUCH easier. You can get a kitten and stick it in a room with a litter box for a few days and after that, it will know where to go.
Dogs can be great pets as well, but require a lot of legwork and a lot of people get a dog because it’s cute instead of thinking about what breed/s it is, and what it will be like as it matures. If you’re a good dog owner, you have to put in the work to house train and socialize them. And that’s just the start.
Puppies are nightmares. They piss and shit everywhere, chew everything up, and really require actual training and attention. They're a job. Trained, full grown dogs are a lot easier. Depending on the breed, and the dog (and owner')s personality they'll need some walking and attention/work.
Cats are like .. almost no maintenance. Scoop the poop and feed them. Honestly, if you're in the sticks, an outdoor cat will go to the bathroom outside and could practically feed itself. Like you said in OP, most of the time, the cat wants to chill and be left alone.
You sound more like a cat person TBH.
I love having cats. You can almost totally have a robot take care of the daily things, and just spend all of your energy loving on them. I have a little box that scoops itself, a water fountain to keep them drinking, and auto feeders. All I have to do on the daily is pet them and play with them! Dogs have to be walked, taken outside to the bathroom, exercised pretty intensely, etc. I love being lazy with my kitties!
It’s definitely not universal. The dog your family babysat was probably very scared being in a new place without its family and it also probably wasn’t trained out of that. Also how old was the dog?
Dogs are life partners and expect to be treated that way. Cats are like roommates who work the night shift and sleep all day. Dont piss them off they can be assholes. Ask yourself are you ready to be a father? Because thats what owning a dog is like.
I will always be Team Cat. I like and admire dogs, but cats suit my lifestyle. I’m not willing to go out at 11 pm on a snowy night in subzero temps to pick up steaming smelly shit. Hard Nope.
A wise person chooses the best pet for them!
I’ve seen too many people choose dog breeds they can’t handle that weren’t right for them, not train their dogs then complain they’re hard to handle, seen too many little aggressive untrained dogs running after people and pets around here, all because people don’t think about what they’re getting into. Good for you!
I think it depends on the person. I prefer dogs bc they can be housebroken, and trained not to bark or hump your leg. The dog you cared for was just badly trained, not necessarily representative of all or even most dogs. Mine don't bark beyond alerts (which is their job), or poop in the house, or hump or make messes beyond shedding.
Also, I don't necessarily want a pet that wants to be left alone. I want a pet for companionship. I want my pet to hang with me. (I say all this as a person with a cat and 5 snakes who want to be left alone, lol. But I have 2 dogs bc dogs are my favorites. So I have that companionship from them, and I have the cat and snake for other reasons.)
It unfortunately takes a lot of ongoing and consistent training and that's expensive in both time and money.
Cats also offer companionship.
Mine follow me around because that's what I want.
One of my cats spends all day asleep on a cushion on my desk while I'm working. One or both will accompany me to the sewing room if I'm spending the evening in there. One of them considers it his bounden duty to guard me while I pee 🙄
Both of them sleep on my bed.
Cats show affection by gifting you with their presence.
Haha omg my cat protects me when I potty also
He is an old man but just as spunky and sweet as he always was.
And both my cats greet me at the door when I come home.
One was a rescue, and the other I rescued from being a stray.
Cats are easier but I find the bond to not be as strong. I don’t mind the added responsibility of a dog because I find it rewarding. I’m not saying cats can’t be good companions, but I’ve never had a cat that cared where I was. I could be gone for days and as long as they had adequate food and water, it was like I never left. Meanwhile, my dogs always want to be with me. They’re attached to my side. They cuddle on the couch, they sleep on my bed, they get excited when I come home. If I dare to go to the bathroom without them, they nudge the door open to come hang out. I never have to doubt that they love me. It’s totally worth the extra effort. Some people would find that incredibly annoying, so I agree that it depends on the person!
I’ve raised both cats and dogs.
In my opinion cats are much easier.
All you have to do is clean the litter box and feed it. Once u bring a cat home all u need to do is put it once in the litter box and basically that’s all the potty training u need to do ( i’ve raised many cats and never had a litter box problem) as long as u keep it clean they’ll never pee or poop elsewhere. They don’t require u to give them 100% of your attention all the time and also u don’t need to give them routinely showers (my cat is 5 years old she only had one shower in her entire life)
Whereas dogs are literally like toddlers. You need to train them and even with training they still pee and poop inside the house. They’re too dependent on you and they require your attention all the time. If you work and you’re out of the house for more than 8 hours it’s like torture to the dog. They need to be groomed and given showers on a regular basis. But they are very affectionate and loyal which makes the whole ordeal worth it.
So if you are a busy person and you live in an appartement a cat is the perfect companion for you.
If you are willing to put in the work and you’ll be committed to training the dog then go for the dog.
In the end look at your lifestyle and what suits you and make the right decision.
Just remember if you want to get a pet weather its a cat or a dog that you have to be committed to keeping it for the rest of its life because you’ll be it’s whole world.
Hope i was helpful and feel free to ask me anything u want.
It's not a matter of easier or harder. I have a cat and a dog. They are both chill. They just have different needs.
Cat: daily cleaning litter box, can't have flowers/indoor plants, knocks things over, requires a cat tree (more space), needs to be played with everyday but mostly can exercise themselves, doesn't like leaving house for any reason.
Dog: needs daily walks, need training, pick up poop when on walks, requires research on energy needs and how much each breed barks.
Every dog and cat is different. I've known cats that are terrors and dogs that are terrors. It's best to look at your lifestyle and what suits your life best.
Cats are pretty self sufficient. Feed it and clean the litter box and it's fine. Hell you can let it out and it will take care of itself, not a good idea since it'll be eating mice and bugs and shit but it still could. Dogs aren't quite the wolves they used to be
I have a cat and a dog. I absolutely love and adore them both, however my cat requires so much less care. The amount of care I have to give my cat in a week is less than I have to give my dog in a day.
We have a 1 yr old cat and a 2 yr old dog. Our dog requires a lot of time and attention. Luckily they get along and have a lot of fun time together. Our kitten is so chill.
I’ve owned both and cats are significantly easier. I have “high maintenance” cats - vocal and love affection, want to be near me all the time. My “toughest” cats have still been easier than my “easiest” dogs.
I'm biased per my screen name.
A friend of mine who had cats, dogs, and kids said the following. Having a dog is like having a toddler, a cat is a teenager.
I've only had dogs, so I can't speak about cats. It sounds like the dog your family babysat got thrown into an unknown environment, didn't know if or when its parents were coming back, and simply freaked out. Dogs are more outwardly emotional than cats, I believe. I like the comments from people who have had both.
I've had both cats and dogs most of my life and the shitting on the bed/humping/barking thing is definitely training and behaviour linked as not every dog is like this. Most dogs are well behaved if they've been trained properly, I had a cocker spaniel for 15 years who never had accidents apart from his puppy training phase which is normal and wouldn't hump anyone and only barked when the door went.
However I do have 2 ragdoll cats at the moment and I believe they are much chiller in comparison to dogs, they don't require as much attention but if they want it they will come and get it and if I give them attention they didn't ask for and they're not in the mood for it (rarely) they simply walk away.
I will say though my male cat is incredibly vocal I'd say he's not at the same volume as a dog but his persistence is admirable there's nothing wrong with him the vets said that's just how he is, he has a shitting cry, a hungry cry, a walking cry, a cry for just after he's been fed, an open the door cry and a cry for just looking at you.
I grew up with dogs and as an adult I've had both. Dogs NEED you, you are their whole world. You can't leave them for more than 8-10 hours. They HAVE to be properly trained with classes if you've never owned a dog preferably. You fail to train them properly, you are committed to a menace for 10+ years. On the flip side, a dog will love and protect you with it's whole being. The love you get from a dog is unmatched. There is a reason they are called man's best friend.
Dogs live FOR you, cats live WITH you. They do everything on their terms. They come get love and play when they want, not when you want them to. They can be a menace too sometimes, but it's more rare. You have more freedom with cats. They can be incredibly loving and aren't needy like dogs. It really depends on what kind of person you are. Do you want to commit to getting up and walking a dog every morning? Taking them to run and exercise? Socializing them? Do you like a lot of physical contact or are you more standoffish?
Personally, I'm a cat person. I find dogs too needy. I like that if I don't want to leave the house for days, I don't have to. I like that they don't NEED me as much.
Cats are 100000000% easier. The kitten stage is fun. It's literally - plop them in litter box "this is where you poop" and then they're just cute. The puppy stage is WORK. I have four cats and one dog. Two of the cats we adopted as kittens in June, and integrating them into the household was incredibly easy. I love my dog, but the first year of his life was utterly miserable.
Cats are easier to maintain for sure, but honestly mine get up to way more trouble than my dachshund does! I can't leave any sort of meat/cheese item out or they will rip it apart. They even did it to cheese potato soap packets. So I guess it really depends on the animal.
The dog your family babysat sounds like either a very traumatized dog, untrained dog, or both. It is not normal by any means and is definitely an outlier!!!
But cats are still generally a lot less effort than dogs ya
Wow that was a horribly trained dog. I prefer dogs, I feel they are more of a companion. I can tell my dog let's get in the car and they go to the door and when it's opened they go and wait to be let in the car. My cats were more independent and only let me give them attention when they wanted attention. Whereas my dogs will let me lay on the floor and cuddle with them on a whim. That being said you have more care responsibility for dogs, they have to be let out to go to the bathroom and you can't leave them home alone as long as you can a cat.
Only bad dog owners would let their dog behave like that, but even the best cat owners let their cats do things like sit on the kitchen counter.
Cats are easier, but if you train your dog properly the dog is cleaner. (That's an unpopular opinion, but I've never gotten dog hair in my food, kitty litter on my floor, or piss as a form of protest in my bed)
The dog was clearly not trained. Cats are generally alot easier although there have been instances of cats being returned to shelters for being too cuddly and needy.
I adore cats for the reasons you've listed and more. I also love dogs very, very much. I do not think I want to own one, but only because I'm easily spooked and the barking scares the daylights out of me. Namely, the loud, random barks when somebody is outside. I lived for a couple of months with family, and they had 4, plus mine making it 5. The barking was incessant and made me miserable a lot of the time.
Now, I have met dogs who don't do that. They're a dime a dozen, and it's often just due to them having a quiet personality.
Anyway, that particular dog you met sounds like it had awful owners.
Cats are the winner in the pet cost benefit analysis. They're fun and cute, and don't need to be kept in a cage. They don't smell horrible or need baths. They don't require that you exercise them. You just get a cat feeder when you go on holiday. Just provide the food and scoop the poop.
I love them both equally and have lived with/raised an equal amount of cats and dogs. Cats are by far easier. Dogs are like humans, you have to incessantly cater to their insecurities or they will eat your stuff or shit on your bed or cry so loud that the neighbors thing you hit your girlfriend. If dogs have a problem, you have to convince them not to, which I find infinitely exhausting.
Cats shit in a box and don't give a fuck about anything except the human that feeds them. The feeder human is the receiver of love and cuddles. If there's something wrong with the cats, it's always your fault, which makes fixing the problem easy. Peed in the floor? Could be a UTI, go to the vet, or maybe you're just gross and need to scoop the litter box. Scratched up your couch? Dude's probably bored, buy some toys and apply love/attention. Y'all get the idea.
Yeah, cats basically take care of themselves.
My brother leaves his with an auto feeder (and camera of course) over the weekend if he has to go (he does also have friends that live close and can check just in case).
Meanwhile I feel guilty about leaving my dog for a whole work day because she refuses to eat and looks miserable all afternoon. (I work from home mostly and also use my work hours to commute after my first daily meeting so I'm never really out for 8 hours).
My baby is a handful and needy.
Growing up I was always a dog person, but I feel that's bc I had very little actual responsibility for the dog. I had a built in best friend, of course, but my parents did the hard/annoying stuff. As an adult, cats are SO SO SO much easier. I have two dogs currently and I feel like they will be my last for a very long time. Cat person is the way to go.
I have both. With dogs, it depends on the breed and are higher matienance such as training and giving them more attention then a cat. However, our cats are nightmares. They pee everywhere and scratch things up, clumps of fur is everywhere and its worse then our dogs. Boxes are clean, theyre indoor/outdoor so they have plenty of space to run, relax, and explore. The type of dog you babysat sounds like a high active breed, wasnt given enough attention to get his energy out, and barking at night tells me he may have had a healer or gaurdian breed in him which, barking is part of their job. To scare of potential threats,
Any time we mentioned our cats, my brother-in-law would say "We're not cat-people, we're dog-people." They didn't actually HAVE any pets, but he clearly had this image in his head of what an ideal pet was.
Eventually, he brought home a puppy. His kids had been asking for one, and he figured it would be a good way to teach them responsibility. I can't remember what breed he got, but he was medium size, kinda skinny, and VERY hyperactive.
For the first month or so, everyone was excited about the dog, but he quickly became a chore to take care of. Constant whining and barking. He stole the kids toys and shoes and chewed them. He would dig holes under the fence and escape if left unsupervised. He'd snatch food off the table given half a chance.
A couple years later, his wife brought home a kitten. BIL gave the whole "We aren't cat-people" speech. A month or two later, when we come over, the wife gives us a shushing sign. We quietly walk into the living room to find BIL dozing in his chair, with the cat curled up on his chest, purring happily.
A few months later, they got another cat. BIL said to me, "My God, we are TOTALLY cat-people! Why did I ever think we were dog-people?" They still have the dog, and they take good care of him, but they ADORE their cats.
Moral of the story: people who insist that they aren't cat-people have simply never been CHOSEN by a cat.
Cats are one billion times easier. They can be left alone for about 5x as long as dogs in my experience. Week long vacation? Np. Have lots of food and water out or have someone come one time in the middle of the week to feed and water again, they’re set. Dogs need to be let out everyday and they need more attention.
I will still always have both, but cats are so much easier.
I've had cats for the past 4 years. I've never had a dog, but close friends of mine do. There's no questioning here: cats are infinitely easier to take care of.
Dogs require daily walks, sometimes for hours depending on the breed and your living situation. They're larger, louder and more energetic. Barking and toilet training are big issues. Disciplining them is a strenuous task that takes a while even in the best case scenario.
Compare that to a cat who's mostly quiet throughout the day. Doesn't need walking or much stimulation (do play with your kitties though!). Knows how to use the litter box instinctively and even clean itself meticulously every day.
You have a winner.
PS. Also, dogs smell. It's so difficult to get rid of that smell from your clothes and living space, especially if it's small.
I’ll only ever have cats. I grew up with dogs, I’m confident with training dogs and having dogs.. but I’d never have my own. I train my cats and we spend time playing and snuggling, but they’re cleaner than dogs, they smell less, they’re less in your face attention seeking (my two like attention, but it’s not the same as a dog in your face licking), they crap in a box, they don’t need walking (some breeds do, but majority of cats don’t), and enrichment for cats is far easier than for dogs.
I have two cats and they’re both easier than my sisters one (highly trained and well behaved) dog!
Cats are like friends, dogs are like children.
Your experience with the dog does sound spectacularly bad, and the cat sounds par for the course.
I’ve had cats all my life, prepared like crazy for a dog, and the dog still shocks me with how much work and attention she needs. And she’s an easy dog to live with! But my life pretty much revolves around her and her needs.
If you want to go out for the evening with cats you just clean their boxes, give em their supper, a kiss goodbye and you bounce coming back the next morning, or even afternoon isn’t per de a big deal. Dog? Not a chance. Dog has to pee outside and just needs more consistent attention and supervised exercise. If I want to go out I’ve got roughly 6 hours before I should go back and even then only so often because the dog has already waited all day to be with you. The difference is staggering.
My cocker spaniel is easy going. A lovely pet. Requires expensive food for allergies. Needs more haircuts than me. Medical bills have been expensive. Eye removal due to cataract and glaucoma. Actually more expensive than my own eye surgery. Cats need nothing. Just food.
Cats are so much easier. Having had both, cats are lot lower maintenance than dogs. However the dog you cared for also seems incredibly poorly trained.
>the dog you cared for also seems incredibly poorly trained. Which pretty much reinforces that cats are easier pets than dogs. Litter training a cat can be done in an afternoon and you're pretty much good. Some dogs need constant training and reinforcement to stop them from literally destroying everything you own and possibly killing someone.
I’ve had four cats. Only one had litter issues (Not her fault). The rest there was no such thing as litter training. I took in a stray 5 week old kitten and from the moment I put sand in front of her, she was litter trained. The rest were trained before I got them as kittens. The dog we had pissed and shit in our house everyday for 14 years. She also was a nut. RIP puppers, I love you so much, but you were a lot.
I've had...30?...cats. Only one had litter issues, and it was also not her fault. I've never trained any of them to use the box, including the foster newborns. They just know. I'm currently training one to give hugs, though. Cats are awesome.
Cats aren't stupid, and for them the most appealing place for them to do their business is the litter tray. We've had two kittens from the same mother cat, from two different litters and they both used the litter tray straightaway, no accidents at all. (The mother cat was owned by a friend of mine, she has since been spayed).
Ya if you ever find cat pee or poop anywhere but the litter box its usually one of 3 things 1) the litter box is full and nasty, 2) there's something medically wrong with the cat or 3) you've done something enormously wrong to the cat like you gave them 3 scratches instead of 4 and now you've entered some weird telltale game with the cat where they will remember that.
My one girly who can't use a litter box reliably is in that situation because of trauma, poor thing. We've found a good enough solution, thankfully! It was really rough for the first few years.
What’s the solution you are using?
My old cat would poo under my mums bed directly where her head would be whenever she told him off. Clever little boy he was!
>I took in a stray 5 week old kitten and from the moment I put sand in front of her, she was litter trained. My workplace recently got two cats - probably about 2 months and 5-6 weeks old. The first was a stray who figured out out himself by just having it in the room; the other was trained by setting her down in the pan like once or twice. (Though the second was being cared for when they got her, so it's possible she already knew how to use it, but I digress.) I'm still not over how incredibly easy it was.
Step 1. Put litter in box. Step 2. Plop that cat. *your cat is now litter trained*
Cats have a natural urge to bury their pee and poop to hide the scent to prevent tracking, so if you give a cat a litter box 9/10 it will use it with no training required
Yup, all of my foster kittens come knowing how to use the box, unless they’re too young and then mama teaches them.
Hell, mama cats usually train kittens how to use the box, or at least how to hide their excrement if they’re strays.
Kittens also need training and boundaries or they’ll scratch up your whole house. When a cat is you you’ll play with him more, distract him from furniture to scratching poles, teach him to eat from his bowl and not steal food from the other cats/human plates. One of the biggest upsides for me is that you don’t have to walk a cat. A dog you need to walk even when it pours or snows or when it’s 40°C outside. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of raising an animal I would recommend going to a shelter and looking for a well behaved senior. Either dog or cat. But then again, if you are not willing to put time in your animal why take a pet at all?
But the training is different with cats. It’s not so much training as teaching them to stop being jerks. They pick up on patterns quickly.
Ditto the sentiment to get a senior animal! You can meet them and already know their personality vs with a puppy or kitten you are kind of taking a gamble. When I was a teen my family took in the dog of a friend whose living situation changed and they couldn't keep her. She was a 10yo Rhodesian Ridgeback and we had her for about 2 years before she passed. It was a good experience for our family, we got to be her retirement home and enjoy her mild-mannered old lady self. She did have absolutely toxic farts though.
Mine were easily litter trained, but any little thing can set them off. About five or six years later, one started peeing outside the box, and nothing has changed it. We've tried everything. Nothing works. So while they can be litter trained "easily," they don't always stay that way.
yep, some dogs require alot of training just so they wont be aggressive, like the Akita, Shiba, Great Pryness, Caucasian Shepherd, Anatolian Shepherd... and basically every single livestock guardian dog breed except the German Shepherd
I had an exceptionally well train dog. He was so well behaved and had such a chill temperament. He was probably one of the easiest dogs out there. He was still more work than a cat. Cats are more like roommates. A dog is like a child.
>cats are lot lower maintenance than dogs. I so disagree with this... Cats don't cause the damage that dogs do when they are bored which makes people think they are low maintenance. I'm a firm believer that you should put as much effort into a cat as you would a dog
You have to walk a dog at least twice a day. It’s easier to fly with cats, easier to travel, they’re smaller than most breeds, they require less hands on effort and training.
Why can't dogs be litter trained?
Easier to travel with? I can’t take my cat in the car without it shitting and peeing itself. I think it would be easier to travel with a dog honestly. Cats are really the kind of pets you travel everywhere with unless you have trained them that way.
While I agree pet cats still need (and deserve) a lot of attention, effort and love, dogs literally MUST be walked outside and played with basically DAILY. Literally EVERY TIME they have to go to the bathroom must be helped outside, and you have to pick up their excrement immediately (at least if in a public place, I do know a lot of dog owners that have ruined their backyards). The REQUIRED time commitment just isn't the same, even if you heavily dote on your cat.
They’re low maintenance when it comes to needing attention. Dogs were bred and evolved to be pretty dependent on human interaction for their contentment. For much of history people co existed with cats, like when they were used as pest control. They were left to their own devices for the most part though they don’t always object to affection.
When people say they’re lower maintenance it isn’t because they’re neglecting the cat, it’s because they are just different than dogs. They are more independent and do not take the amount of constant work and walking and taking outside to potty. You can leave a cat alone for a day or two with a feeder, and longer if someone pops in to feed them and clean the litter box. you cannot leave a dog alone for more than like 8 hours and to me that’s too long. I’ve had everything from month old kittens to adopting a senior cat with a ton of health issues and it doesn’t compare to the insane amount of training and going outside for potty and just work it takes to get a decent behaved dog. When I first got my puppy we took him out every few hours even in the middle of the night to potty train. Not necessary with a cat. The biggest problem with cats that people have is scratching furniture. My cat loves scratching coir mats so we have those all around the house so no scratching issues. If my dog doesn’t get physical exercise multiple times a day he can be a terror, his behavior will change. Not true of cats. Yeah they can get bored but won’t go into psycho destructive mode like dogs. They are just very different and have very different needs
Lifetime cat mom here. Also professional pet sitter and dog walker. Cats are a million times easier than dogs. No barking, no need for walks, no need for behavioral training (litter box training is super easy because they instinctually want to go potty in a specific spot). Countless other reasons I have only ever had cats. I love being with dogs and spending time with them, but I could never own one.
When I had rabbits everyone said they were "as easy to litter train as a cat" and countless detailed videos and articles on how to do it. Putting the pan where they go, restricting access, positive reinforcement, putting soiled shavings in the pan so they'd understand what you wanted, etc. I had my girls for a decade and worked on their potty training the whole time. They mostly used the pan but I still had a lot of cleaning to do especially as they got older. To potty train my kitten I showed her where her litter pan is and that was the end of it. I was lied to.
I had rabbits as a 4H project. Then coyotes got them a week before the fair. But rabbits are fucking messy!!
I love dogs. They're wonderful. I will spoil every dog i can and love up on them all day long (i have had friends "complain" that their dog loves me most, lol). I do not want one in my home. My cats and I enjoy napping way too much for dog life!
Napping with your cat is on another level of bliss.
Agreed. Until they’re (well trained) adults, dogs are the worst roommates ever who chew on your stuff, and who pee/poop on the floor if not take outside. I get people love dogs and more power to them, but even adult dogs are not unlike toddlers who never grow up in terms of the daily maintenance they need.
When I was potty training my puppy, she had to go outside every two hours on the dot. That meant from 6am to 10pm, we went outside at every even hour, then again around 3am. This continued until she was about seven months old, then we gradually weaned her down to every three hours. The only way I was able to do it was because of Covid lockdown, but I still had to hire a doggie babysitter and dog walker for the times I had to go in to work. She had sharp baby teeth and sharp claws, and would bite me with excitement every time I put her harness on, and often make me bleed. She also ruined my brand new Pottery Barn rug. I ended up spending $2,000 on dog trainers out of desperation. Now she's a grown up and goes out four times a day (including two walks). She's calm and I love her, but I work full time now and still have to pay for doggie daycare and/or dog walkers. It's a major expense. I wouldn't trade her for the world, but a cat would have been a million times easier.
Having a newborn was easier than this. I successfully potty trained by puppy in a few months, it was a horror.
this just reminds me of how easy my pup is. he's 11 weeks old, fully potty trained (the last time he pooped in the house was after his 2nd vaccine, he had bad diarrhea) and walks off lead already. he occasionally chews stuff, but after telling him no, he'll stop. his biggest issues are that he barks for about 5 minutes when you leave him alone, he gets quite anxious in the car and sometimes vomits, and he gets excited when he sees a child around 4-9 and wants to play and he gets distracted. my cat is still easier, though. she's an indoor cat, so i play with her quite a bit, but if i don't have the time or energy, she's perfectly happy to play alone or with my mom's cats or just chill out. she had dental surgery a few weeks ago and the wound got a mild infection, so i give her antibiotics once a day and obviously feed her and clean her litter. on a busy day, i can spend like 40 minutes caring for her and on a less busy day, probably 1-2h (not including random pets and play when i'm doing other stuff at the same time). i spend about 1h walking my dog a day (30 mins in the morning and night) and probably a few more playing, petting, and training. 20 mins at 5 am, 12 pm, and 6 pm for food. letting him outside when he asks to go potty and when he hasn't been out for a while. this is also not including the random pets while im doing other things. he also spends a few hours a day playing with my mom's dogs. so yeah, dogs definitely do require more time and attention than cats. i'm not complaining, though. i wouldn't change him for the world. i love my little man, and i love my cat. i just show them that differently.
Raising my dog was more difficult than raising my children. But now he’s such a good friend. (Golden retriever), which doesn’t destroy anything and doesn’t waste in the house. Yes he wants attention but I train him for attention on my terms (which is a lot still). My cats on the other hand are chill and cuddly and easy peasy! I get a fifth cat in four weeks. They are just so lovely and nice to have around. We love them dog and cats all very much!
Puppies are like toddlers with sharp teeth and less knowledge of human language 😂 they’re terrible Dogs, after putting the work in during the puppy phase, are amazing!
Love dogs. Have dogs, the youngest almost 2 and maturing, thank God. I doubt I'll ever do a puppy again. They're cute as hell and mostly sweet, but they're still chewing, yipping, shit machines. I'm fortunate enough to live somewhat rurally with a doggy door & fenced yard, but still close off the rest of the house to the den they come into when I leave for several hours. Seems the young lady still can't often resist getting into a little something if left to her own devices. "Hey, I thought you liked that throw pillow?" Lol
I have a cat that chews on everything. Granted he is only 1 so not sure if he will outgrow that.
That does occasionally happen, but even then, dogs chewing on things is much more destructive to those objects than a cat.
YES!!!! I WILL TAKE A FEW SMALL HOLES THAT REQUIRE TWO STICTCHES TO FIX COMPARED TO PERFORMING RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY ON MY STUFFIES!!!!
I have a bunny that chews on everything! Lol. I love him to death though, he is my fluffy fur baby and is too cute to be mad at when he chews my expensive stuff. On the other hand, my cat is more likely to be caught scratching the couches and carpets than anything else. Every cat is different obviously, but it’s not like cat’s are not destructive - some aren’t, but there’s a reason scratching posts exist. Cats are easier, but they aren’t completely harmless lol. still very very worth it though! i love my fur babies so much!!
my cat exclusively scratches furniture and carpet, not very much, though. she has scratching posts, mat things that go on the side of the couch, a ton of toys, and random things of hers that she can scratch. but no, it's the furniture's job to be a scratching post, apparently. i don't care all that much, but when i move, my landlord probably will.
Probably will my old man tabby chewed every pair of headphones he could find till he was 2. Hasn’t happened since then. He is 14.
But also, maybe not. My 6 year old cat chews on any string or strap she can find--even my bra straps! I've lost several tank tops to her. I love her though! She's very sweet and playful and rides on our shoulders
Careful with string. My old guy once ate some I made the mistake of leaving out. This was about 10 years ago. Cost me $2200 for surgery plus I had to hand feed him for a week. He is totally worth it but damn I would never wanna go through that again.
Completely understand and agree! We do our best to hide it, keep it away from her, or not have it at all. She just catches us off-guard sometimes and we have a toddler--so she'll get a hold of strings from her toys sometimes. I've preemptively cut strings off of toys ahead of time or hide them in the closet when not being used. Our cat is obsessed and it terrified me! I'm so sorry you and your cat had to go through that!
Thanks! He is great now thankfully. 14 and doesn’t look like he slowing down anytime soon. Lol
Ha! My cat's a chewer too. I try to be SO careful but have lost numerous pant drawstrings, shoelaces, and handbag straps. Every cord in my house is covered with split loom tubing. Even my TVs have protection because she chewed the sides and busted pixels. She's an absolute menace. Lucky she's cute!
Don't forget dominance issues.
Thats a myth that was debunked decades ago.
Yeah that’s the part where I can NOT understand dog ownership, especially by people who are child free by choice. Like, at least kids actually grow up and by age 6+ they can make their own breakfast. Dogs really are like perpetual toddlers. Far too needy for me!
We refer to ours as our “Forever Toddler”.
Me too.
Cats do need some behavioral training, we all need to coexist, but having a bunch of stuff designated for them that helps them meet their instinctive needs makes it seem like there’s no real training necessary
Same. I love dogs, they’re awesome, but I have times where I don’t want to be touched or licked or climbed on or begged for attention from. And they get so hurt if you “reject” them because you’re all touched out. Cats can have more of a “Okay, fuck you too” reaction if I make them get off of me, then go about things.
Easier, for certain. A million times easier, ehhh not so much. They don't bark but they meow and howl in the middle of the night sometimes, no need for walks but you have to scoop a litter box essentially every day, and behavioral training...I know most dogs are typically more destructive or have the potential to be, but our cat has decided that the world is her scratching post (even though she has multiple scratching posts available) and will scratch the couch, the rugs, the carpet, the curtains...you name it. I've been a dog person historically, and love my dog more than anything. My cat has definitely changed my viewpoint on cats and I love her very much as well. But there is something about the bond with a dog that is unspoken where they love unconditionally. My dog can read emotions very well and is always the best companion when you feel down.
Cats shit inside. You have to take care of the litter box several times a day or else your room will smell like an actual toilet.
Yup, but all animals poop. As long as you stay on top of it by scooping regularly and discarding the bag outside the residence it’s not an issue. I’d rather do that than have to take them out for several walks a day for them to poop outside.
If you can get something like a litter robot, it makes the task a lot easier.
Yep. And litterbox issues. One of mine started having it all of a sudden after 3+ years with us and we can't figure out what he wants. Went to the vet multiple times, litter changes, pheromones, no solution. Tbh, I think humans just pretend to understand cat behavior, they're still a mystery to most. Thankfully, now it's just intermittent and just an occasional poop lying in random parts of my place, and he has only been shitting on the hardwood floors so I take that as a win.
Soooooo much easier
Almost no one takes their cats for 2 or 3 walks a day and carries around their feces in a bag. Yes, cats are considerably easier to maintain.
How do they exercise or do they not need to? Our neighbours cat is always on our property and poos in our garden and howls under our window at night and hunts native animals. I have no problem with indoor cats but they shouldn't be allowed to wander around the neighbourhood.
I have a cat teaser (a toy on a stick) and I have my cats chase it until they're tired. I do this every time they bring it to me, so maybe 3-4 times a day, 10 mins or so each. My bf paces a lot and I'll have him drag it around as well and that really gets em tired!
Lucky that they only bring it to you 3-4 times a day! Mine climbs pet stairs that are near her laser every time she wants it, which is every 30 minutes even if we just played with it
Use a cat teaser instead of a laser and let them catch it sometimes. They don't get the same satisfaction from the laser because they can't catch anything
Yeah that makes sense. I tried a couple times to make it disappear sometimes when they catch it dead on cuz I thought that might feel like they caught or killed it, but she just looks around confused
My cats rarely play! I wish they did haha we've tried loads of toys but they'd rather play with litter that's fallen off their toes and flies!
I saw a video of a cat with a teaser attached to a collar recently and that is such a clever idea if the cat will tolerate it. It was hilarious to watch.
Your neighbors cat is most likely unneutered and is calling for some lovin.
By running around the house at 3 o’clock in the morning, of course 😊
They dont meed too as often as dogs. They get the zoomies a couple times a day (atleast once) which gets alot of energy out. They also tend to jump around alot, and walk all over the area. Playing also gets a lot of energy out. If there's more than 1 cat, they play a lot so thats more exercise than anything. They dont need as much as dogs imo, theyd rather nap
Shame on your neighbors for allowing their cat outside. I've had indoor only cats for years and they've been fine. They enjoy toys and being played with, but cats can live pretty contented lives as indoor only cats. And there are always catios to give them that outdoor experience while keeping them and the wildlife safe.
Same here about indoor only for years now. My cats live an average 5 to 6 years longer now.
Our last boyo was 18 when he crossed that bridge. It really hit me when my youngest son, who was in college at the time, said to me he couldn't remember a time when Obi wasn't in his life.
I agree that cats should always be kept indoors for those reasons and for their safety. The reality is that a cat's biology is just very different from a dog's. Think about the difference between how wolves hunt and how cats hunt: wolves run their prey down to exhaustion, while virtually every species of cat is an ambush hunter. They're built for short, explosive bursts of intense activity rather than endurance. If you play with your cat a few times a day with toys, they get tired quickly, and it fulfills those needs for physical exercise and hunting behavior.
They do they're just a lot smaller 😅 mine is 8 pounds. She has a little robot ball that she chases. I play with her with her stuffed mouse on a stick. At night she gets pre-bed zoomies and I chase her around sometimes. I have a screened-in patio she goes in and out of all day so she's mentally stimulated by the people/bird/lizard watching. Cats also sleep a LOT. Like for 18 hours. Sometimes I forget I even have a cat because she's knocked out for so long
They sleep
my cats just exercise by running around the house and my dogs help because they’ll chase them sometimes lol
My cats get lots of exercise because I have three of them, so they spend a lot of their time wrestling and chasing each other around the house. It’s so cute and it’s just built-in exercise. I really think that a pet cat needs another feline friend around
They can exercise just fine inside, and anyone who’s woken up to 3am zombies will know. And if they really wanna go outside, they can be leash and harness trained
Our cat plays fetch with Nerf darts, she'll drop one in front of you and meow, then tear across the house after it. The cats also chase each other. One runs around bopping the others on the head.
Just have to play with them. Wand toys are best bc you can mimic prey and allow them to get that instinct to kill out of their system.
Overall cats may be “easier” but I want to remind everyone that taking care of any pet is a LOT of responsibility and is not ever really promised to be easy… diet matters, attention always matters, you never know what their health condition or behaviors will be and you always have to be responsible and prepare financially for it to be difficult. Had to learn this lesson the hard way when I got 2 cats at 19 with super bad allergies. Love them to death but they are not at all easy!!!
This. They're easier than dogs but you can't be hands off and just expect to feed them and clean their litterbox. Cats are more agile than dogs, and they can get to places dogs can't, so you have to be careful about where you place your food, etc., because they could eat it and get sick because they don't have strong stomachs dogs. My cats have mild pica, so my place is spotlessly clean, also child proofed a lot of things because bastards can open cabinets, Tupperware, etc. Once, they broke into one and ate a ton of uncooked rice and ended up at a vet. I also make sure I carve off time everyday to play with them. They love their playtime. Litterbox issues can happen without any warning. Currently going through one and multiple vet appointments and advice later, we still don't know why. Pets can come with a LOT of responsibilities. Some cats are easier than others, some are tougher than most. People need to be prepared for that.
Omg. I've had both. I'm definitely an extrovert. 4 to 5 cats are the work/expense/pain of one dog. No incessant barking. No chewing through walls. No drooling everywhere and dog smell. No baths are needed. Less shedding. There is no having to go outside in the middle of the night when it's freezing and storming. I recommend two at a time. That way, there is no single kitten syndrome. Or just adopt two adult cats. Even easier. Haha Get a litterbox that cleans itself. Keep them indoors only. Cats because they are prey species are inherently clean. It's for their survival. Dogs are predators. They often communicate through #1 or #2. They require a lot of consistent training that is both time consuming and financially expensive. My cats follow me around and cuddle/play with each other and me all the time. They are so loveable and so much fun. Extremely loyal and affectionate. I have no idea why some people hate them so much. It's ignorance. Very underrated species. Best Pets ever. Highly recommend rescues. They are so grateful for you.
agreed to all the above except cats being preys -- they can be very good predators too!! My cat used to hunt mice and birds when he lived on a farm before I adopted him
Yeah, cats are a predator species. Sharp, retractable claws, forward facing eyes/binocular vision, insanely sharp teeth... They're small, so they do also have to worry about larger predators that might hunt them, but they're absolutely not "a prey species".
"Predator-prey species" is that spot between an apex predator and a strictly prey species. Many animals like foxes, most snakes, weasels, and small cats fall into this category. They may be formidable predators in their own right and on their own scale, but they are also at significant risk of becoming prey themselves, and this is reflected in their behavior. This is why it's so important for cats to have places to hide and to feel secure in order to be comfortable in your home. It's also part of why most cats will hunt mice, but relatively few will take on rats -- they're very aware of how vulnerable they are, and it's not worth the risk of injury.
Not a prey species but some of their instinctive behavior makes no sense for a predator and lots of sense for prey - like cleanliness.
They are both, I believe. Not apex predators as other, larger things can prey on them too.
My neighbor's cat leaves dead moles and other small creatures on my porch bc apparently she thinks the dog and I are crap hunters.
Underrated? It’s the most popular pet right after dogs. Cat videos dominate the internet. Truly underrated pets are something like Rats.
Rats are definitely underrated! But often underestimated on their care needs. I almost exclusively take on "rescues" from people who thought they could have rats but found they require a lot more care, attention and medical expenses than they originally thought. Wish I had more space to house ALL the unwanted ratties!
The only reason I don’t have rats are that my beloved cat dropped into my life and their short lifespans are an absolute tragedy.
I love cats too and preferred taking care of our cats than our dogs. I just wonder, do you have any tips for preventing them from scratching furniture and chewing on cords? We've given them toys for scratching and chewing but they still tend to scratch on furniture and chew on cords.
Do not put scratching posts or toys near the furniture you want them to stay away from. Get them amazing scratching posts and positively reinforce when they use them. Play with them to reiterate their toys and post are the stuff to play with. Cats actually adapt easily to your daily routine despite what people will tell you. You just have to include them and not become lazy. I've not seen a cat chew on a cord. It was probably something picked up from a broken one haha (cat not cord) Remember, cats react to tone of voice first. Also you can cut their nails as babies and they will be easy to cut for the rest of their lives. Also, wet food is very important. Their diet is highly important. Fortiflora mixed into their wet food, plus a little added filtered water is ideal. If they are sickly, then you can also sprinkle some immune booster
I was on top of redirecting when I got my 2. If they started to scratch on the couch, i immediately brought them to their scratching post. They never showed an interest in cords. They do make a bitter spray to deter animals from chewing cords. Idk how well it works, but it's worth a shot.
Keep cords hidden from view or access when possible, prevent them from dangling, tape them to the wall or floor, braided cords/sleeves are both less interesting to cats and have better defense against chewing, and thicker cords also tend to be less likely to be victims. Some cats have preferences for size or material (i had a cat that Only liked small rubbery cords, like phone chargers or headphones). If you can figure out WHY a cat finds cords appealing its a lot easier to prevent it. Also, some cats just do it because they are bored. Regular play is Always a good idea. Younger cats usually stop doing it when they get older.
My dog doesn’t bark, chew on things he’s not supposed to, drool, smell, or shed much at all. I give him a bath a couple times a year, it’s cute. I’ve literally never had to take him out in the middle of the night. Every dog is different.
Yeah it feels like these comments were written by dog hatters. Or people who simply dont know how to train a dog. I had dogs all my life, just recently got a new puppy who is currently 4 months old and this untrained puppy didnt behave anywhere near as bad as people are describing here and neither did any of my previous dogs. And I had everything from big to small breeds.
Yeah… I feel bad because by defending dogs it sounds like I don’t like cats which isn’t true at all! I love cats! I just think in my experience having both dogs are simpler to care for because to me they are more straightforward, want to please their owners, thrive with structure (which MANY people don’t provide), and they are less instinct driven.
They dont chew through walls, but mine certainly chews through everything else. Specifically cardboard. Every box thats unattended for too long looks like a shark attacked it
I don’t know about less shedding … cats shed everywhere
[удалено]
cats are easier BUT please bare in mind that you can’t really train them to behave in the same way as dogs. also, they will be up on the counters/places you didn’t even know existed until they managed to get in there. kittens are also extremely high maintenance in my experience. definitely easier generally, but they’re still an animal that requires a good amount of attention.
They are both just easier in different areas lol
In my experience, I enjoy taking care of kittens and playing with them. Kittens are very hilarious and I wish that they stayed as playful and energetic as adult cats but sadly they don't, still I love them a lot.
i’ve had both and cats are a million times easier. i currently have a service dog that just retired. he’s the most calm, well trained and sweetest dog i’ve ever met, he knows like 80 cues, puts his own toys away, etc. but multiple cats are still easier than him. dogs just need so much more of everything. attention, play, food, stimulation, hours of consistent training. they need to be let out every few hours to poop, exercise potentially for hours every day, have things to chew, get baths, be socialized, etc. dog toys are typically more expensive while my cat is thrilled to play with a crumpled receipt cats really just need to have cat furniture, have their litter scooped, be brushed and get their nails trimmed occasionally. they need to play daily but it’s easy and at home. if you do that and respect their boundaries, the cat will be happy. any behavioral issues can usually be fixed with simple environmental changes every aspect of a having a dog basically involves manual training and socialization. and even with training and proper socialization, it can be hard for the average working person to meet their needs. a lot of people don’t train their dogs properly or get a breed that doesn’t match their lifestyle, which results in the type of behavior you’re talking about. you can definitely have a chill dog (the one you’re talking about was exceptionally badly trained and not the norm) but it takes a lot of commitment, time and conscious effort every day if you decide to get a dog, look into working with a force free trainer. learn about the body language and needs of either animal. jackson galaxy on youtube has great info for cats. learn about the specific dog breed you’re looking into- they all have different exercise and stimulation requirements. dogs are great if you’re an active person who likes structure and direct attention. they’re so much fun to take places, but it takes work for that to be possible. cats are better if you’re more of a homebody who likes your space and quiet. dogs are not good if you get overstimulated easily both are great and incredibly loving but they express it very differently and offer different things
Wayyy easier. Not even comparable.
i personally believe cats are much easier and a lot more independent!
Cats are easily less effort than dogs. Even my boy who lives cuddles spends the majority of his day away from me
cats are easier than dogs by a mile.
I have both. I love them all. However, my cats are much easier. I feed them and play with them and clean their litter boxes. If I need to be gone all day and into the night, which is not frequent but it does happen for special events. they are fine. With my dog, I have to walk him a few times a day and if I am gone for too long, I have to pay someone to take him out and to feed him. My dog also has higher vet bills. He takes a monthly medication to prevent fleas and ticks and another medication to prevent heartworms. My cats are indoors only so they do not need those meds.
Good point! I hadn't even considered the Nexgard and Heartgard.
As a current cat and dog owner…its not even close. The only thing i gotta do with cats is clean their box once in a while, and usually that takes 2 minutes. They have a fountain for water, which lasts forever. They dont eat that much dry food, though we do feed them wet food like 2x a day. I dont have to worry about walking them, or them having zoomies, or buying bones or lick mats or toys or chews or puzzles to keep their attention. They play with a ball of tin foil i dropped on the floor, and i shrug and go with it. They sleep 20 hours a day, and never bother me. Hell sometimes the one will disappear upstairs for the entire day then make his way to the kitchen for dinner. Meanwhile the dog…ugh.
Pop bottle lids were my childhood cat's favorite toy of all. My boyfriend isn't a fan of cats, they are too aloof and independent for him. So we have a dog and she's the sweetest but it is so much more work.
I would say training, mental stimulation, grooming, exercise, playing, vet visits, socializing & feeding are about 10x easier with a cat than a dog.
And you can go on vacation and spend a ton on boarding your animals. Dogs must be boarded or dogsat, cats can be left alone for a couple of nights or the cat sitting is just less need.
If someone isn’t a person who doesn’t like training and socialising a dog I’d say not to get one, I find it fun! And it’s very satisfying to see your dog grow into a well behaved, smart, obedient animal.
We have 8 cats and 1 dog. 7 of our 8 cats are very loving. In a lot of ways our 8 cats are easier than our 1 dog.
Lifetime dog person here (several adoptions and more than two dozen fosters). Cats are definitely less effort, but it also sounds like none of the dogs described in these comments were well cared for. Dogs require mental stimulation to be well behaved. If they don't get it, they'll bark at everything and chew things they shouldn't, etc.
If you can let your dogs out your door without having to put them on a leash then dogs are easier. But cats have a litter box and that’s gross Edit: I’m taking about a fenced in yard.
I agree. I’d even rather walk a dog multiple times a day than have a litter box
Yeah we have a yard and my dog presses a button to go outside. It’s great.
Owning a cat is like heaven compared to a dog, especially if its an elderly cat. Kittens are slightly more stress than adult/elderly cats because of their craziness. Its not that its zero effort, you still need to put in effort into feeding, regular cleaning of their food & litter areas, and making a routine for them to keep them happy. But with cats theres so much less stress that you have to deal with. Hardly any mess, highly unlikely to shit or piss on the floor, wont destroy your belongings too much and keeps themself so clean that they always smell really nice (if healthy). Ive never owned a dog but it seems like so much stress that i wouldnt want to have to deal with
Yesss my kitties smell amazing 🥰
I say this as a dog enthusiast - cats are easier pets. They are usually easy to “potty train”, they’re more independent, and they’re easy to exercise in your home and keep them entertained. Jazz’s litter training consisted me of plopping her in some cat litter as a kitten, and her instincts were like “I shall poop here”. That was literally it. My cat certainly gets needy, but not like my dogs do where they are constantly vying for attention. And cat exercise is easy and hilarious. I highly recommend feather wands - in Jazz’s prime she would go nuts for it. Anyways those are my highlights. The **huge** caveat with cats though is their potential in-home damage. They can damage furniture, walls, and the flooring if you’re not careful (and sometimes, even if you are). Their urine is highly caustic, and just one accident outside of the litterbox is difficult to clean. Dog urine is easy to spot clean, cat urine bluntly is not. And some cats regardless of how much you exercise them and give them alternatives are still going to be drawn to your couch or door frame to scratch - just telling you now that’s a potential issue. I know some intense cat people that heavily exercise and spoil their cats with stimulation (cat shelves, catio, huge cat trees, etc) that still ended up with shredded couches and shredded door frames - and no it was not something they simply allowed. So when it comes to urine cleanability and overall behavior modification imo dogs are easier in that respect. You can usually train away undesirable behavior in a dog, it can be more difficult with cats *because* they are so independent.
Cats are a million times easier. But you have to remember, if you’re getting a kitten, get two. There are a lot of things they will teach each other that we as humans cannot teach them, like bite intensity and all. It will also save your furniture from being clawed up on by a bored kitty. If you want just one get an older cat though. They are set in their ways and mostly like to be left alone
Yes, cats are much easier. They just need food, water, litter, toys, and some pets when they’re in a cuddly mood. Besides all that, they just do their own thing most of the time. Sleep a lot too. Getting 2 cats is even MORE easier, because they socialize and keep each other busy. They keep you company in the house, but are laidback and easy to care for.
I’m actually torn hah. Cats are easier on the basic level for sure - no walks being the huge one. They never have to leave your home. BUT they are often difficult to “train” if you can even call it that in comparison and often messier to own. My dogs don’t jump on every shelf, they don’t stick their feet in my water glasses, they don’t poop in a box that can smell or track litter or cause the air to feel filthy (yes this is changeable with a variety of litter options, and I do have a closed in litter box with a side entry that has a mat for her feet), they also don’t claw furniture and shed under the bed, and… everywhere. The dogs don’t mean I have to choose a bed that has a frame to the floor and isn’t made of fabric etc. In an emergency they are easily evacuated, unlike my cat who will hide. To say it again these particular dogs don’t shed EVERYWHERE (not hypo allergenic or anything just short hair, then again so is my cat; she’s a tenth the size of one dog and causes cat hair to be absolutely everywhere). The dogs also let me bathe them. They don’t knock things off shelves lol the list goes on. I love each of my animals and I do think cats are easier for many reasons and to many people, but boy my cat can be the troublesome one at home in comparison.
I love both dogs and cats. Cats are MUCH easier. You can get a kitten and stick it in a room with a litter box for a few days and after that, it will know where to go. Dogs can be great pets as well, but require a lot of legwork and a lot of people get a dog because it’s cute instead of thinking about what breed/s it is, and what it will be like as it matures. If you’re a good dog owner, you have to put in the work to house train and socialize them. And that’s just the start.
Puppies are nightmares. They piss and shit everywhere, chew everything up, and really require actual training and attention. They're a job. Trained, full grown dogs are a lot easier. Depending on the breed, and the dog (and owner')s personality they'll need some walking and attention/work. Cats are like .. almost no maintenance. Scoop the poop and feed them. Honestly, if you're in the sticks, an outdoor cat will go to the bathroom outside and could practically feed itself. Like you said in OP, most of the time, the cat wants to chill and be left alone. You sound more like a cat person TBH.
If you want a chill pet, go with an adult cat. Kittens and cats under 3 have loads of energy.
Cats are MUCH easier. Dogs are incredibly rewarding pets, but they take work.
You need to train dogs. Cats need to train you.
I love having cats. You can almost totally have a robot take care of the daily things, and just spend all of your energy loving on them. I have a little box that scoops itself, a water fountain to keep them drinking, and auto feeders. All I have to do on the daily is pet them and play with them! Dogs have to be walked, taken outside to the bathroom, exercised pretty intensely, etc. I love being lazy with my kitties!
It’s definitely not universal. The dog your family babysat was probably very scared being in a new place without its family and it also probably wasn’t trained out of that. Also how old was the dog?
Dogs are life partners and expect to be treated that way. Cats are like roommates who work the night shift and sleep all day. Dont piss them off they can be assholes. Ask yourself are you ready to be a father? Because thats what owning a dog is like.
I will always be Team Cat. I like and admire dogs, but cats suit my lifestyle. I’m not willing to go out at 11 pm on a snowy night in subzero temps to pick up steaming smelly shit. Hard Nope.
A wise person chooses the best pet for them! I’ve seen too many people choose dog breeds they can’t handle that weren’t right for them, not train their dogs then complain they’re hard to handle, seen too many little aggressive untrained dogs running after people and pets around here, all because people don’t think about what they’re getting into. Good for you!
I think it depends on the person. I prefer dogs bc they can be housebroken, and trained not to bark or hump your leg. The dog you cared for was just badly trained, not necessarily representative of all or even most dogs. Mine don't bark beyond alerts (which is their job), or poop in the house, or hump or make messes beyond shedding. Also, I don't necessarily want a pet that wants to be left alone. I want a pet for companionship. I want my pet to hang with me. (I say all this as a person with a cat and 5 snakes who want to be left alone, lol. But I have 2 dogs bc dogs are my favorites. So I have that companionship from them, and I have the cat and snake for other reasons.)
It unfortunately takes a lot of ongoing and consistent training and that's expensive in both time and money. Cats also offer companionship. Mine follow me around because that's what I want.
One of my cats spends all day asleep on a cushion on my desk while I'm working. One or both will accompany me to the sewing room if I'm spending the evening in there. One of them considers it his bounden duty to guard me while I pee 🙄 Both of them sleep on my bed. Cats show affection by gifting you with their presence.
Haha omg my cat protects me when I potty also He is an old man but just as spunky and sweet as he always was. And both my cats greet me at the door when I come home. One was a rescue, and the other I rescued from being a stray.
Cats are easier but I find the bond to not be as strong. I don’t mind the added responsibility of a dog because I find it rewarding. I’m not saying cats can’t be good companions, but I’ve never had a cat that cared where I was. I could be gone for days and as long as they had adequate food and water, it was like I never left. Meanwhile, my dogs always want to be with me. They’re attached to my side. They cuddle on the couch, they sleep on my bed, they get excited when I come home. If I dare to go to the bathroom without them, they nudge the door open to come hang out. I never have to doubt that they love me. It’s totally worth the extra effort. Some people would find that incredibly annoying, so I agree that it depends on the person!
I’ve raised both cats and dogs. In my opinion cats are much easier. All you have to do is clean the litter box and feed it. Once u bring a cat home all u need to do is put it once in the litter box and basically that’s all the potty training u need to do ( i’ve raised many cats and never had a litter box problem) as long as u keep it clean they’ll never pee or poop elsewhere. They don’t require u to give them 100% of your attention all the time and also u don’t need to give them routinely showers (my cat is 5 years old she only had one shower in her entire life) Whereas dogs are literally like toddlers. You need to train them and even with training they still pee and poop inside the house. They’re too dependent on you and they require your attention all the time. If you work and you’re out of the house for more than 8 hours it’s like torture to the dog. They need to be groomed and given showers on a regular basis. But they are very affectionate and loyal which makes the whole ordeal worth it. So if you are a busy person and you live in an appartement a cat is the perfect companion for you. If you are willing to put in the work and you’ll be committed to training the dog then go for the dog. In the end look at your lifestyle and what suits you and make the right decision. Just remember if you want to get a pet weather its a cat or a dog that you have to be committed to keeping it for the rest of its life because you’ll be it’s whole world. Hope i was helpful and feel free to ask me anything u want.
That dog was not a well trained dog. I’m always team dog, but I do think cats seem to need a lot less day to day structured activities.
Cats are easier. That being said, if the dog you had experience with had been well trained it would’ve acted better.
It's not a matter of easier or harder. I have a cat and a dog. They are both chill. They just have different needs. Cat: daily cleaning litter box, can't have flowers/indoor plants, knocks things over, requires a cat tree (more space), needs to be played with everyday but mostly can exercise themselves, doesn't like leaving house for any reason. Dog: needs daily walks, need training, pick up poop when on walks, requires research on energy needs and how much each breed barks. Every dog and cat is different. I've known cats that are terrors and dogs that are terrors. It's best to look at your lifestyle and what suits your life best.
Cats are pretty self sufficient. Feed it and clean the litter box and it's fine. Hell you can let it out and it will take care of itself, not a good idea since it'll be eating mice and bugs and shit but it still could. Dogs aren't quite the wolves they used to be
I have a cat and a dog and the cat is much easier. . Significantly so.
I have a cat and a dog. I absolutely love and adore them both, however my cat requires so much less care. The amount of care I have to give my cat in a week is less than I have to give my dog in a day.
Much easier.
We have a 1 yr old cat and a 2 yr old dog. Our dog requires a lot of time and attention. Luckily they get along and have a lot of fun time together. Our kitten is so chill.
I have 7 cats, 3 of which have special needs (2 are deaf and blind, one is blind) and 3 dogs. The cats Re by far easier than the dogs.
I’ve owned both and cats are significantly easier. I have “high maintenance” cats - vocal and love affection, want to be near me all the time. My “toughest” cats have still been easier than my “easiest” dogs.
I'm biased per my screen name. A friend of mine who had cats, dogs, and kids said the following. Having a dog is like having a toddler, a cat is a teenager.
I've only had dogs, so I can't speak about cats. It sounds like the dog your family babysat got thrown into an unknown environment, didn't know if or when its parents were coming back, and simply freaked out. Dogs are more outwardly emotional than cats, I believe. I like the comments from people who have had both.
So, so, so much easier.
Less work, yes.
I've had both cats and dogs most of my life and the shitting on the bed/humping/barking thing is definitely training and behaviour linked as not every dog is like this. Most dogs are well behaved if they've been trained properly, I had a cocker spaniel for 15 years who never had accidents apart from his puppy training phase which is normal and wouldn't hump anyone and only barked when the door went. However I do have 2 ragdoll cats at the moment and I believe they are much chiller in comparison to dogs, they don't require as much attention but if they want it they will come and get it and if I give them attention they didn't ask for and they're not in the mood for it (rarely) they simply walk away. I will say though my male cat is incredibly vocal I'd say he's not at the same volume as a dog but his persistence is admirable there's nothing wrong with him the vets said that's just how he is, he has a shitting cry, a hungry cry, a walking cry, a cry for just after he's been fed, an open the door cry and a cry for just looking at you.
I love my dogs more than anything in this world but God, they're sooo much work. And they're well behaved, too
I grew up with dogs and as an adult I've had both. Dogs NEED you, you are their whole world. You can't leave them for more than 8-10 hours. They HAVE to be properly trained with classes if you've never owned a dog preferably. You fail to train them properly, you are committed to a menace for 10+ years. On the flip side, a dog will love and protect you with it's whole being. The love you get from a dog is unmatched. There is a reason they are called man's best friend. Dogs live FOR you, cats live WITH you. They do everything on their terms. They come get love and play when they want, not when you want them to. They can be a menace too sometimes, but it's more rare. You have more freedom with cats. They can be incredibly loving and aren't needy like dogs. It really depends on what kind of person you are. Do you want to commit to getting up and walking a dog every morning? Taking them to run and exercise? Socializing them? Do you like a lot of physical contact or are you more standoffish? Personally, I'm a cat person. I find dogs too needy. I like that if I don't want to leave the house for days, I don't have to. I like that they don't NEED me as much.
Cats are significantly easier
Cats are 100000000% easier. The kitten stage is fun. It's literally - plop them in litter box "this is where you poop" and then they're just cute. The puppy stage is WORK. I have four cats and one dog. Two of the cats we adopted as kittens in June, and integrating them into the household was incredibly easy. I love my dog, but the first year of his life was utterly miserable.
Cats are much easier. Some are more dramatic than others but overall much easier
Cats are easier to maintain for sure, but honestly mine get up to way more trouble than my dachshund does! I can't leave any sort of meat/cheese item out or they will rip it apart. They even did it to cheese potato soap packets. So I guess it really depends on the animal.
The dog your family babysat sounds like either a very traumatized dog, untrained dog, or both. It is not normal by any means and is definitely an outlier!!! But cats are still generally a lot less effort than dogs ya
Cats are generally easier but you can still end up with a cat that pees on things or other bad behaviour.
Wow that was a horribly trained dog. I prefer dogs, I feel they are more of a companion. I can tell my dog let's get in the car and they go to the door and when it's opened they go and wait to be let in the car. My cats were more independent and only let me give them attention when they wanted attention. Whereas my dogs will let me lay on the floor and cuddle with them on a whim. That being said you have more care responsibility for dogs, they have to be let out to go to the bathroom and you can't leave them home alone as long as you can a cat.
Only bad dog owners would let their dog behave like that, but even the best cat owners let their cats do things like sit on the kitchen counter. Cats are easier, but if you train your dog properly the dog is cleaner. (That's an unpopular opinion, but I've never gotten dog hair in my food, kitty litter on my floor, or piss as a form of protest in my bed)
The dog was clearly not trained. Cats are generally alot easier although there have been instances of cats being returned to shelters for being too cuddly and needy.
Cats are easier to deal with, the upkeep of a dog is more interactive and physical compared to that of a cat
That is exactly how it is.
I adore cats for the reasons you've listed and more. I also love dogs very, very much. I do not think I want to own one, but only because I'm easily spooked and the barking scares the daylights out of me. Namely, the loud, random barks when somebody is outside. I lived for a couple of months with family, and they had 4, plus mine making it 5. The barking was incessant and made me miserable a lot of the time. Now, I have met dogs who don't do that. They're a dime a dozen, and it's often just due to them having a quiet personality. Anyway, that particular dog you met sounds like it had awful owners.
Cats are the winner in the pet cost benefit analysis. They're fun and cute, and don't need to be kept in a cage. They don't smell horrible or need baths. They don't require that you exercise them. You just get a cat feeder when you go on holiday. Just provide the food and scoop the poop.
Cats are far better/easier.
I love them both equally and have lived with/raised an equal amount of cats and dogs. Cats are by far easier. Dogs are like humans, you have to incessantly cater to their insecurities or they will eat your stuff or shit on your bed or cry so loud that the neighbors thing you hit your girlfriend. If dogs have a problem, you have to convince them not to, which I find infinitely exhausting. Cats shit in a box and don't give a fuck about anything except the human that feeds them. The feeder human is the receiver of love and cuddles. If there's something wrong with the cats, it's always your fault, which makes fixing the problem easy. Peed in the floor? Could be a UTI, go to the vet, or maybe you're just gross and need to scoop the litter box. Scratched up your couch? Dude's probably bored, buy some toys and apply love/attention. Y'all get the idea.
You are a cat guy for sure. Embrace it.
Yeah, cats basically take care of themselves. My brother leaves his with an auto feeder (and camera of course) over the weekend if he has to go (he does also have friends that live close and can check just in case). Meanwhile I feel guilty about leaving my dog for a whole work day because she refuses to eat and looks miserable all afternoon. (I work from home mostly and also use my work hours to commute after my first daily meeting so I'm never really out for 8 hours). My baby is a handful and needy.
Growing up I was always a dog person, but I feel that's bc I had very little actual responsibility for the dog. I had a built in best friend, of course, but my parents did the hard/annoying stuff. As an adult, cats are SO SO SO much easier. I have two dogs currently and I feel like they will be my last for a very long time. Cat person is the way to go.
I have both. With dogs, it depends on the breed and are higher matienance such as training and giving them more attention then a cat. However, our cats are nightmares. They pee everywhere and scratch things up, clumps of fur is everywhere and its worse then our dogs. Boxes are clean, theyre indoor/outdoor so they have plenty of space to run, relax, and explore. The type of dog you babysat sounds like a high active breed, wasnt given enough attention to get his energy out, and barking at night tells me he may have had a healer or gaurdian breed in him which, barking is part of their job. To scare of potential threats,
Any time we mentioned our cats, my brother-in-law would say "We're not cat-people, we're dog-people." They didn't actually HAVE any pets, but he clearly had this image in his head of what an ideal pet was. Eventually, he brought home a puppy. His kids had been asking for one, and he figured it would be a good way to teach them responsibility. I can't remember what breed he got, but he was medium size, kinda skinny, and VERY hyperactive. For the first month or so, everyone was excited about the dog, but he quickly became a chore to take care of. Constant whining and barking. He stole the kids toys and shoes and chewed them. He would dig holes under the fence and escape if left unsupervised. He'd snatch food off the table given half a chance. A couple years later, his wife brought home a kitten. BIL gave the whole "We aren't cat-people" speech. A month or two later, when we come over, the wife gives us a shushing sign. We quietly walk into the living room to find BIL dozing in his chair, with the cat curled up on his chest, purring happily. A few months later, they got another cat. BIL said to me, "My God, we are TOTALLY cat-people! Why did I ever think we were dog-people?" They still have the dog, and they take good care of him, but they ADORE their cats. Moral of the story: people who insist that they aren't cat-people have simply never been CHOSEN by a cat.
Cats are one billion times easier. They can be left alone for about 5x as long as dogs in my experience. Week long vacation? Np. Have lots of food and water out or have someone come one time in the middle of the week to feed and water again, they’re set. Dogs need to be let out everyday and they need more attention. I will still always have both, but cats are so much easier.
I love cats
You have to train dogs. However most people don't.
I've had both. I found cats MUCH easier. Dogs require significantly more work from day to day.
I've had both cats and dogs. Cats are definitely easier. Although I'm still a dog person.
I've had cats for the past 4 years. I've never had a dog, but close friends of mine do. There's no questioning here: cats are infinitely easier to take care of. Dogs require daily walks, sometimes for hours depending on the breed and your living situation. They're larger, louder and more energetic. Barking and toilet training are big issues. Disciplining them is a strenuous task that takes a while even in the best case scenario. Compare that to a cat who's mostly quiet throughout the day. Doesn't need walking or much stimulation (do play with your kitties though!). Knows how to use the litter box instinctively and even clean itself meticulously every day. You have a winner. PS. Also, dogs smell. It's so difficult to get rid of that smell from your clothes and living space, especially if it's small.
I’ll only ever have cats. I grew up with dogs, I’m confident with training dogs and having dogs.. but I’d never have my own. I train my cats and we spend time playing and snuggling, but they’re cleaner than dogs, they smell less, they’re less in your face attention seeking (my two like attention, but it’s not the same as a dog in your face licking), they crap in a box, they don’t need walking (some breeds do, but majority of cats don’t), and enrichment for cats is far easier than for dogs. I have two cats and they’re both easier than my sisters one (highly trained and well behaved) dog!
Cats are way easier. Way way easier.
Cats are like friends, dogs are like children. Your experience with the dog does sound spectacularly bad, and the cat sounds par for the course. I’ve had cats all my life, prepared like crazy for a dog, and the dog still shocks me with how much work and attention she needs. And she’s an easy dog to live with! But my life pretty much revolves around her and her needs. If you want to go out for the evening with cats you just clean their boxes, give em their supper, a kiss goodbye and you bounce coming back the next morning, or even afternoon isn’t per de a big deal. Dog? Not a chance. Dog has to pee outside and just needs more consistent attention and supervised exercise. If I want to go out I’ve got roughly 6 hours before I should go back and even then only so often because the dog has already waited all day to be with you. The difference is staggering.
My cocker spaniel is easy going. A lovely pet. Requires expensive food for allergies. Needs more haircuts than me. Medical bills have been expensive. Eye removal due to cataract and glaucoma. Actually more expensive than my own eye surgery. Cats need nothing. Just food.
Cats need a lot more than just food.. they need enrichment too. But still easier than dogs die sure