Cats vs. Dogs? Which is easier for you to have as a pet?

[Fran101]

Outdoor cats..totally easier.
Indoor? Harder. I don't deal well with any animals that use the house for a bathroom and shed all over the place.

[AdrianneIsabel]

Dogs shed everywhere... But yes, the litter box is stinkier.

[sassafras]

On a day to day, doin' stuff with young healthy pets basis, cats are less immediate work.

But... in terms of health I think cats need a LOT more vigilance. You really need to be alert and pay attention to cats' habits and subtle changes, they do few things better than hiding signs of illness until they are terrible bad sick. And when they do get sick, they sometimes get sick very mysteriously and even when things are more straightforward they tend to need more... more diagnostics, more interventions, more ongoing home care. Old cats or cats with a chronic illness can be a LOT of work, beyond any work any dog has ever been for me.

So they're really not for someone who wants a low maintenance pet IMO. They are just a different kind and less physically active kind of maintenance.

[sassafras]

Originally Posted by Fran101

I don't deal well with any animals that use the house for a bathroom...

Don't YOU?

[kady05]

Originally Posted by ACooper

Cats race through the house all night keeping you awake. If your dog was doing that, would it be allowed? How would you deal with it? Why do you allow the cat to continue?

LOL, have you ever tried to discipline a cat? They don't care.. or at least, mine don't. Mine are lunatics at night and trust me, I've tried telling them to "knock it off!" like I would do with my dogs (& with the dogs, that's all that's needed), and they might stop and stare at me for a minute, but as soon as I walk back into our bedroom, it starts up again. I'm used to it now though, I sleep right through it most of the time.

But, my cats are by far easier to care for than my dogs. Like others have said, I don't sit and worry about them if I'm gone X amount of hours like I do with my dogs. They're the type of cats that sleep almost all day, come downstairs around 4:30pm (I feed everyone at 5:30) and want some attention, get fed, and go back to sleep til we go to sleep then it's party time. They're affectionate and friendly, but I don't feel like they *need* me like my dogs do. A lot of that is probably because I have 2 cats, so they play with each other, sleep together, etc.

Litter box isn't a big deal to me, I clean it twice a day, after breakfast and after dinner. Takes all of 5min. total daily.

They have cost me more in vet bills than my dogs though.. stupid male cats with UTI issues Honestly, for that reason, I will probably stick to dogs after these two go. Would just be easier for me in the long run, not having to worry about "OMG what if this dog doesn't like cats?" etc.

[*blackrose]

I've grown up with both multiple dogs and cats...and they both have their pros and cons.

Kittens are easier than puppies, hands down. Kittens have to be taught how to play with humans properly (much easier if you have multiple kittens/they were kept with the mom until at least 12 weeks) and taught to not scratch on furniture (get a cat tree) and to not jump up onto the kitchen table/counters (get a squirt bottle). They come housetrained.

Puppies...well, you all know the work puppies need. LOL Potty breaks, socialization, training, house manners, exercise, stimulation, etc.

The adult cats get fed, watered, let out to potty/litterbox cleaned (Apollo asks to go outside like a dog, so mom only has to clean a litterbox every two weeks or so), and cuddled/played with when they ask.

The adult dogs get fed, watered, let out to potty, and cuddled played with when they ask.

They both shed, although the dogs shed a lot more. The dogs can't be left alone for more than 8 hours at a time. We would have no issues leaving the cats alone for a weekend with food/water left out. Cats don't need baths, nor their nails trimmed (they keep them in pristine shape themselves, although I do trim Apollo's on occasion). We do have to brush and groom the long haired kitties just like the dogs.

I've met some cats that are as high maintenance as an adult dog. I've met some dogs that are as "low maintenance" as an average cat. All just depends on the animal, I suppose.

[Doberluv]

I loved my cats for what they were. I've had 5 during my life and they were all very sociable and part of the family. I find them very interesting to watch. I see the wild side of them which is different from what I see in dogs. I found them easier in the way that they could be left alone for longer periods of time, even over a week end as long as they had plenty of food and water and a couple litter boxes. I usually had more than one at a time and they all got along great.

Priscilla, my mama cat would follow me like a dog to my neighbors where we use to live when I went for a cup of coffee and a chat. She'd sit on their porch and watch me through the window, waiting for me. Then she'd follow me back home, up our long driveway.

My cats were all very sociable and never did that sudden biting or scratching things some do. They were just lovely. There was one exception to that loveliness and that was that they began peeing in the house...in closets and such. I can't tolerate that so I will not ever take a risk by getting another cat. It's just the worst thing as it ruins a house. Unless it's a really big house where the litter box can be far away from the living area, no thanks...no more cats. Cat excrement is really the most odoriferous, revolting thing ever. I think they're more territorial than dogs and as we added cats, that's when it started. Their litter boxes were cleaned every day more than once. They loved affection and sitting on laps. But they were also content to be left alone and just hang out on a window sill or sleep on a couch.

Dogs....no, my dogs could not be left alone for as long as I could my cats. They're much more dependent and need more involvement from their people. I think it all boils down to the fact that humans and dogs had a convergent evolution. We're attached at the hip as far as our development. Dogs understand many of human social cues. Phenomenally, we are both really designed to live with one another through evolution.

Some say cats are still in the process actually, of becoming domesticated. If they are already domesticated, then it hasn't been nearly as long as dogs have been. Most felines are solitary (not lions) and dogs are not. So, dogs train up easier imo, being so linked to the niche provided by humans.

I guess in some ways, cats are easier than dogs but in other ways, cats can be harder. I guess it depends on the beholder as to what chores or living style one considers to be easier or more difficult. lol. For me, cats are more independent and less time consuming. But the litter box business! Yuck. They both can cause some destruction to a house or belongings. But puppies usually grow out of that. Not sure about cats. My cats weren't too bad regarding that sort of thing. They just weren't mischief makers in too big of a way. But cats aren't as easy to train imo. They're independent compared to most dogs...more of a solitary animal. Dogs are by design use to working with humans.

Okay, enough rambling.

[Fran101]

Originally Posted by sassafras

Don't YOU?

lol yes. but my excrement does not require throwing away, scooping or otherwise dealing with out of a sandy smelly box lol

and about the shedding bit. I know dogs shed..but there is something about cat hair. Maybe it's the way it clings lol it just drives me nuts!!

[Fran101]

It also depends on the person I think..my old neighbor used to leave his cats alone for as long as 6 days with an automatic water/food dish with a timer and an automatic litter box.
Other then me checking in once in a while to make sure the stuff is all in working order..the cats didn't mind at all. Lol they barely gave me a second glance when I walked in the door to check on them.

So I think the "bare minimum" of care for cats (while they are still healthy, fed, watered, indoors) is pretty low compared to the bare minimum of indoor dogs (which require going out, can be destructive, behavioral issues that arrise from never going outside/lack of human contact etc..)

but of cours there are owners on both sides that go above and beyond the minimum..but I believe in general the minimum care requirement for cats is a lot easier.

[ACooper]

Originally Posted by kady05

LOL, have you ever tried to discipline a cat? They don't care.. or at least, mine don't. Mine are lunatics at night and trust me, I've tried telling them to "knock it off!" like I would do with my dogs (& with the dogs, that's all that's needed), and they might stop and stare at me for a minute, but as soon as I walk back into our bedroom, it starts up again. I'm used to it now though, I sleep right through it most of the time......

I grew up with cats, LOL, I know how crazy they can be. And really, if the all night parties cats tend to enjoy doesn't bother you (general you) then who cares? But if it's a bone of contention, something you find hard to live with.........IMO, you should do something about it was the point I was making.

Crate them when the party starts. Give them the basement for parties, or perhaps a 'bedtime' room. There are ways to deal with it just like you would a dog if "knock it off" didn't cut it (and some dogs that works on, some it does NOT! LOL)

All the things I saw mentioned that made 'cats harder to deal with than dogs' were all things that could be dealt with or trained.

It's not like I can train my dog to NOT need exercise or be let out for potty breaks, *imagines Orson using indoor dog pads* LOL, you know what I mean?