NationStates Jolt Archive

Well looks like we are adding a family pet. I leave it up to you all what we will get. When we get it I will post the pic so you can all see. So is it cat or dog?

Cats are wonderful because they'll come up and sit on your lap and you can pat them. Dogs you can play with. I guess it depends on the type of dog, most domestic cats are similar. Do you have a big yard?

Dogs, If you train it well it will be one of your best friends! :D

cats are evil and they hate humans. That makes them the smartest species, but do you really want a smart animal trying to kill you?

cats are evil and they hate humans. That makes them the smartest species, but do you really want a smart animal trying to kill you?

Trying to kill you? That would take too much energy - energy better spent ensuring you continue to provide them with food.

Cats are evil, and therefore more interesting. :)

Cats are evil, and therefore more interesting. :)
If you crossbreead a cat and a dog, you end up with something both evil and incredibly loyal!

If you crossbreead a cat and a dog, you end up with something both evil and incredibly loyal!

Or something both stupid and graceful.

Cats. Just make sure you get one with compatable quirks.

Personally I've had:
A vicious hunting cat that would put holes in you. He was so damned cool. He fought a red fox every year until he got sick; and the fox never showed afterwards either.

A weird stray who would go on the roof of our two-story house, and come in through the bay window over the kitchen sink. With a huge plunge should it slip, since our house was also on a hillside.

A sweet cat stray that licked my ears as I slept.

A cat that just looked cool, but got jealous easily.

A tubby cat that went insane when we moved, and would jump off of the deck, about fifteen feet, any time it saw my dad, or a stranger.

A tubby cat who has a love affair with large stuffed animals, our dogs, and other large sources of warmth. She also hates all other felines, and, even though she's a sumo, runs from them. She likes to climb trees in a burst of speed... a full three feet before she stops and just clings, then drops. She also will go 'lick lick lick BITE', while clinging with her claws, and has slit my wrist before. She's so bloody cute when she snoozes with the dogs though.

A weird cat that got chewed by a rotweiler when it was a kitten. Now its so obssessively affectionate it drools, digs its claws in to you if you try to pull it off your lap, and generally REQUIRES love. Also loves the little gray and white female cats we've had.

Had one stray, gray and white, that dissapeared after a year. She was a cutey. Shy towards everyone but me. Dissapeared in a massive storm.

Two weeks later, we found her slightly less pretty clone. Younger, with a scar on its nose from a cage, and with some stray spots on her coat. Almost identicle personality, but now more developed. She LOVES to be up on top of the fridge and other high places, and is in love with my mom and dad, but mostly their bed.

Our dogs mostly just try to sneak in to the half of the garage I used as a bedroom between semesters to take dumps in, bark at deer, then run away and expect us to fight them, and make messes on trash day.

If you crossbreead a cat and a dog, you end up with something both evil and incredibly loyal!

Like Henry Kissinger? :D

Dogs need walks. They have to be housebroken and then let outside. It's harder to leave them home alone if you are gone all day, or for the weekend. They like to chew things. They need baths. They bark.

Cats will play with you or their toys. They will run around the house, but not require you to take them out on a leash. They learn to use a litterbox when they are very young. Yes, you have to clean the litterbox, but they go on their own, and don't need to bother you. If you need to go away overnight or even for a weekend, just give them extra food and water and they are fine. If you get them a scratching post and discourage them from sharpening their claws on the furniture, they will leave it alone. They bathe themselves. Their meowing is not as loud as barking.

It depends, of course, if you have kids or not, and their ages. I've had both cats and dogs my entire life, and a considerably larger number of the dogs put up with alot more annoyance than did the cats.

Time constraints are another big issue - do you spend sufficient time at home, and have time to walk and play with the dog? If not, you may be better off with a cat as they require FAR less attention; or perhaps there will be a pooch you simply must add to the family, in which case I would suggest getting 2 dogs to keep wach other company.

In the end of it all, personally, I'm a cat person because of this simple observation I've made - dogs, for the most part, love anyone and everyone, while most cats are picky about their people and must have their attention earned.

Keep in mind that in either case both cats and dogs can develop neuroses and other disorders depending on their environment, social, and other issues.

By the way, for the most part, a cat mixed with a dog would be a hyeena (although they're actually mostly feline).

Cats, of course! Don't be silly.

"We have a theory that cats are planning to take over the world, just try to look them straight in the eye...yup, they're hiding something!" --Dog Fancy

The cat of the slums and alleys, starved, outcast, harried, still keeps amid the prowlings of its adversity the bold, free, panther-tread with which it paced of yore the temple courts of Thebes, still displays the self-reliant watchfulness which man has never taught it to lay aside. - SAKI (H. H. MUNRO)

Some people say that cats are sneaky, evil, and cruel. True, and they have many other fine qualities as well. - MISSY DIZICK

None of the above. Get yourself a small parrot. They are alittle messier than a cat, but cleaner than a dog. I found my parrot from a bird rescue. It took her alittle time to get it used to the new home. Before long she was talking and was picking up new words. She is very affectionate , rarely bites, and gives you plenty of warning if she does. Birds make a pretty cool pet.

Get a dog...I've had both and I prefer my dog to my cat. He is so much friendlier. Granted, we did adopt the cat from a woman who pretty much let the cat be independent and a loner, but I love having an animal that needs me.

I voted cat, but in the end you have to chose which will fit in best with you and your family.

But Which ever you chose, please go to your local animal rescue group, or local shelter.

Save a life and gain endless, unconditional love all in one package.

(I work with feline rescue - Saving the world one cat at a time )

Cats are good for you. Annoying sometimes, but good for you. ;)

Get a dog...I've had both and I prefer my dog to my cat. He is so much friendlier. Granted, we did adopt the cat from a woman who pretty much let the cat be independent and a loner, but I love having an animal that needs me.

Common difference between dog and cat owners, I find.

Dog owners like being needed.

Cat owners like being wanted.

Of course, I have a cat who needs, but he also drools.. so.. eh.

Cat. Get a Cat.

Cats don't smell. They don't slobber everywhere. They rarely crap on your floors. They rarely tear up your furniture. They rarely lick your face to wake you up.

Along with that stuff, Cats are smarter than Dogs. Get a Cat, and have no worries.

as much as i love dogs

get a cat

Dogs are more social than cats.

"Our dogs mostly just try to sneak in to the half of the garage I used as a bedroom between semesters to take dumps in, bark at deer, then run away and expect us to fight them, and make messes on trash day."


Man, sounds like you used to be quite a pig! I hope you cleaned out the "messes" you left...

Which can be a problem if you want to be left alone sometime.

Cats indoors, but Dogs outside.

I have no pets as I really don't have time to look after them properly, but our neighbours have a cat that visits.

looks like cats are winning...

with a pet it alldepends on what you are looking for. if you want something to play with get a dog, if you want something to cuddle with get a cat.

Get a dog that can protect you and your family. He will try anything to save your life, and will only ask for your friendship.

My favorite breed is the Rottweiler. My brother has a friendly Husky (Nanook, of course).

If you have a good back yard & the time to look after it, then a dog. Otherwise, a cat.

Cats indoors, but Dogs outside.

I have no pets as I really don't have time to look after them properly, but our neighbours have a cat that visits.
If you believe that dogs should stay outside, please don't ever get a dog. :mad:

Get a dog that can protect you and your family. He will try anything to save your life, and will only ask for your friendship.

My favorite breed is the Rottweiler. My brother has a friendly Husky (Nanook, of course).
its true dogs can make good guard animals however, i know some cats that are just as good if not more so.

i would like to get a husky of my own some day

Its gotta b cats. im starting 2 wonder if its just a coincedence that im obsessed wiv cats and egypt. perhaps in 1 of my other lives i was Queen Nephatiti?? :D

I've had a few cats in the past, even played mother to a few kittens when the mom croaked. Bottle fed them etc. They grew up to be big ole cats.

I still prefer dogs. Not in the house tho :)

None of the above. Get yourself a small parrot. They are alittle messier than a cat, but cleaner than a dog. I found my parrot from a bird rescue. It took her alittle time to get it used to the new home. Before long she was talking and was picking up new words. She is very affectionate , rarely bites, and gives you plenty of warning if she does. Birds make a pretty cool pet.

But parrots are harder to take care of. They can get diseases that you won't even know about. You have to be careful about exposing them to cold or any kind of fumes (even teflon pans, when heated). The cost of a cage, toys, perches, food dishes, and special food make them more expensive in the beginning. It is harder to find a pet who treats birds. You must keep everything in their cage very clean, to prevent illness.

Depending on the bird, they can bite, some more often than others. Some don't talk and some are harder to train to like being handled. Some parrots. like the Nanday Conure and the Cockatoo, can be very noisy. If you have kids, you must be careful how you handle them, since not only can their bites break the skin (larger birds can break bones in your hand, and they can lunge for your face, too), but they are more delicate to handle, so it's harder for kids to interact with them. I really don't suggest small kids around parrots.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Conure, noise and mess and all. But I know of so many birds who are mistreated, it breaks my heart. You really have to make a committment to the bird if you adopt one. I can tell when I have not spent enough time with my bird, because he becomes harder to handle and more likely to bite.

Well since cats are winning;

DOGS

For those of you who say dogs should be outside...

WRONG!!

I have a Golden Lab / Chow mix, which by the way, I got from the local pound. He's house broken, always has been. Doesn't chew, or tear anything up. He's a good listener, and always looks like he's interested in what I have to say.

Cats on the other hand, in my experience, ignore you...

The bit about having problems with pets is the owners fault not the animals.
My half-sister is a case in point, 6 cats and one litter box, that is never clean. My understanding is that, you have to have one box per cat. I hate going to her place it stinks, and yes she knows how I feel.

DOGS RULE, CATS DROOL

My dog is house broken , never chews on anything when I bring him in , but after about 15 - 20 minutes he's walking up to the door wanting back out. Plus he sneezes when he's in the house, not sure if its the carpet or what.

Seems to me he's healthier and happier outdoors. But ofcourse when it gets really cold, I bring him in and he stays regardless of him wanting back out.

I dont have a pet, but a friend og mine has 2 cats and 1 dog, he dos not give shoit about his animels, they just go around and do what ever they like, he is 16 so his mother does most of thefeeding the animals. Anyway one of the cats threw up,and I was there in his house, and i told him, he did not care, then the other cat ate the puke of the first cat and then it 2 got sick..

The dog is a pointer, its happy, friendly and stupid....

But if you are to have animals go for a german sheperd if you are a sporty cind of dude, and cat if you just want a pet...

Dont get fucked up small pussy dogs...

My half-sister is a case in point, 6 cats and one litter box, that is never clean. My understanding is that, you have to have one box per cat. I hate going to her place it stinks, and yes she knows how I feel.

Actually, you should have one litterbox for each cat, plus one extra. We're down to one cat, and we still have three litterboxes.

Anyone seen that Sandman story, i think it's called "Dream of a thousand cats" or something similar. I like cats, and i'd like to think that story might be true. I could picture cats doing that, being ambitious dreamers, whereas a dog wouldn't, they're too dumb and obediant. I'm a cat person, and i'm aware my cats are only pretending to be cute ickle kittens while secretly they dream of hunting me down and killing me.

Bless 'em. :D

Well, -my- cats a bit more honest. They'll actively hunt down your toes for fun, your ankles to get you to feed them, etc.

Dogs have their uses, but cats provide much more complex interraction.

Besides that, some cats play fetch all on their own.

There's a brand newish breed called the "Pixie Bob" I read about in a magazine a few years ago. Supposed to have some of the best traits of a cat and a dog, and supposedly the result of a bobcat and a house cat mating.

cat.

unless you plan on getting both at some point, in which case get the dog first and then add the cat later. cats don't like new things usually, unless you get a small dog, then the cat might be alright with it.

Cats rule. Dogs drool.

>>Get a dog that can protect you and your family. He will try anything to >>save your life, and will only ask for your friendship.

Once again, it depends on the dog. I had a golden retriever that never net a person he didn't like. In fact, one of my cousins he'd never seen let himdelf into the house at something like 2AM and slept on the couch; not only did he NOT attempt to guard the house, but also was caught sleeping at my cousin's feet in the morning.


As far as having both, my step-mom got a small dog (a little fuzzy white thing, not sure what breed) and then I got my two cats, and they all seem to think that they're of the same species somehow. Cats first then dogs is of course a no-no because the furry tards tend to get a bit jealous ;)

I think you should get a cat. Of course, I'll suport any decision as long as you get a pet. Cats are more versatile than dogs, though I still love them just as much. Dogs have to be walked, they have more behavioral problems, and if you decide to have kids they may act. A lot of dogs tend to do this when a new baby comes in the house. Not that it doesn't happen with cats, but it is more prevalent with dogs. Besides, cats are great as so are dogs. Here is a picture of one of my cats. Could imagine how hysterial it is to mess with this cat?:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/oksana1781/bennothecat.jpg

Personally, I'm a dog person. (What a hideously structured sentence) all of our dogs have been housetrained and have never shat on the floor (except when very old and incontinent) or torn things up. To get a good dog you have to do some work.
If you get a dog then you are now something other than just a human family. You are now part of a pack. You have to train your puppy in what is expected of it in the pack community. And you can train dogs to do just about anything.
Our dogs only crap in ONE part of the garden. NOT when they are out for walks. NOT in other people's property. We trained them at an early age and now they understand that walks are for exercise and the garden is where they shit.
Our dogs have never chased cats/sheep/other dogs because we train them not to.
Our dogs have also been the most loyal friends we have ever had.

Me and cats? We just don't get on too well.

I have two dearly loved foundling cats now, and had an adorable Labrador/Newfoundland mix dog when I was growing up. All of them are or were affectionate, companionable, eager to please and intelligent. I think if you choose an animal with a good temperment, either a cat or a dog will bring you joy in proportion to the care you give it. I hope you enjoy your new pet and have it spayed or neutered, whichever it is.

Get a dog that can protect you and your family. He will try anything to save your life, and will only ask for your friendship.

My favorite breed is the Rottweiler. My brother has a friendly Husky (Nanook, of course).

My Ex's dogs would bark their fool heads off at you, until you made friends with them, then they would slink over to you, pee, and roll over to let you pet them. Oh yeah, I felt safe with them...

On the other hand, my black cat would stand directly in front of the burglar and ensure that the invader (or anyone heading to the bathroom) tripped over her in the darkness.

But parrots are harder to take care of.

Just nail it to the perch and all will be well.

Parrots are loud and they can cost as much as a dog or cat. Sometimes more.

Definately dogs. We have two dogs. Tuffy is a black lab/chow/lots of stuff mix. In other words a mutt. However, the last time someone tried to break into our house, we found them in a tree with Tuffy right at the bottom. Dogs are actually useful, especially for hunting, etc. Not to mention that, if properly trained, and treated right, they will never give you any trouble. Cats lay around the house all day and eat your food. Not to mention that stray cats are absolute pests, while stray dogs can be easily taken in and trained.

By the way, for all you cat lovers, here's a story. You see, my father owns a development. It has been built up over the last two years. We had a bad problem with stray cats runing around in the place, pissing on people's houses, and getting into their trash, etc. Well, my father gave me the job of getting 15 cats out of the development. Unfortunately, catching them was impossible, since you couldn't get closer than 30 feet to them. So, I shot all but 2, who disappeared mysteriously. :)

By the way, for all you cat lovers, here's a story. You see, my father owns a development. It has been built up over the last two years. We had a bad problem with stray cats runing around in the place, pissing on people's houses, and getting into their trash, etc. Well, my father gave me the job of getting 15 cats out of the development. Unfortunately, catching them was impossible, since you couldn't get closer than 30 feet to them. So, I shot all but 2, who disappeared mysteriously. :)

I can see why you are so proud of yourself. :rolleyes:

They were probably feral and there are organizations who would catch them, neuter them and then try and tame them. Killing animals for any reason other than for food, or if they are threatening you, is just wrong. And I don't suppose you can claim you felt threatened by some little kitties...

Excerpt from http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=8370663&postcount=4 in Moderation:By the way, for all you cat lovers, here's a story.
Had HadesRulesMuch stated, "By the way, here's a story," it would have been cut-and-dried, no moderator action needed. It doesn't matter that it angers you that HadesRulesMuch doesn't share your thoughts on cats or animals or whatever, it would just be a difference of opinion.

When he adds the phrase "for all you cat lovers" he crosses over into the realm of targetted trolling. It's obviously intended as a poke to cat lovers in general (not a specific cat lover in particular, therefore not flamebait), and is therefore in my opinion a mild form of trolling.

HadesRulesMuch, don't troll a thread of pet appreciation with a tale of pet killing. You knew it would have a negative effect. Knock it off.

~ Frisbeeteria ~
NationStates Moderator Team

Nevermind, Frisbeeteria already has this covered.

By the way, for all you cat lovers, here's a story.
HadesRulesMuch: I require your attention here: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=8370699&postcount=5

--The Modified Democratic States of Cogitation
NationStates Game Moderator

...

And I don't suppose you can claim you felt threatened by some little kitties...
Generally speaking, a provoked cat can be quite dangerous. Their claws can cause some very serious bleeding wounds.

That said, I would probably call Animal Control if I had a serious problem with strays. I wouldn't shoot them just because cats are small, fast, agile, and result in the problem of ricochetting bullets.

--The Democratic States of Cogitation
Founder and Delegate of The Realm of Ambrosia

Yes, but he doesn't have to "tell us a story" about he shot a bunch of kittens when people have previously said they are cat lovers.

"Our dogs only crap in ONE part of the garden. NOT when they are out for walks. NOT in other people's property."


Great thing.

I've seen people walking their dogs and letting.. even encouraging them go in other peoples yards. Those people have it coming to them.

Also, cat owners should keep an eye on their cats when letting them outside. There aren't many things is this world as foul smelling as cat shit. My neighbors cat was coming over here crapping near my front porch almost everyday and chasing away my squirrels. I asked them to keep their cat out of my yard. So far they have. :)