Dog vs. Cat

I'm not ready to get another dog yet - for a number of reasons. I wish I could say that I'm ready right this very minute, but I can't. I've been using this time to research other breeds of dogs that I might enjoy having as my next dog. I tend to favor bigger dogs, but most dogs can win me over given the chance. In the end it won't really matter what kind of dog I end up getting as much as how that dog behaves will matter. Since my dog was absolutely perfect, those are big paw prints to fill.

I've briefly considered the idea of getting a cat, but the fact is, I'm not much of a cat person really. I love the interaction of man and dog. I love the expressions a dog can, and does make with its face. While one might not think that a dog is capable of giving you a look that gives you an incredible guilt complex, I'm here to say that a dog can indeed look at you in such a manner. As a friend of mine once said, when Maggie did that it usually spelled n-e-w t-o-y.

I'm not trying to suggest that cats don't have their good points. Who wouldn't want a box of shit in their house? Sorry, I couldn't resist that one. Seriously, I just prefer dogs really. I like how they get excited about doing things and they let you know it.

Cats, at least to me, are often aloof. Almost like they're too cool to be a pet. The feeling of my dog being happy to see me when I come home is much more satisfying than what I would get from a cat. Given how much I tend to humanize pet behavior, the odds are heavily in favor of dogs.

Imagine the following:

I come home to my cat, it's been a long day and my cat seems very happy to see me - although I wouldn't have guessed he or she gave a shit while they were sitting in the window barely noticing me coming up the walk.

I open the door to my cat running up to me purring loudly and rubbing up against my legs, doing figure eights in and around my feet and legs. In my tendency to humanize this behavior, I read this as:

Cat: purr, purr, weave in and out of your legs, keep purring, move tail, keep purring, keep moving, purr, purr, follow your every movement, maintain purring and physical contact

My translation of this behavior: I'm so happy, SO glad to see you, oh my god, you're back - so soon, oh it's so good to see you, I'm never happy when you're not here, I couldn't function without you despite us both needing our space, have I said that I'm happy you're home or that I love you? I have? Would you mind if I said it again? I do and I can't seem to say it enough at this moment, listen...if it's not too much trouble, could you pick me up and hold me close? If you think I'm purring now, just wait...

Actual Cat Meaning: you're home. Nice - did you have to leave the door open so long when you came in? You let a draft in that only served to remind me that I'm not allowed outside. I noticed a few things while you were out that need attention: one, my water tastes funny, what's up with that? Also the food in my bowl is stale and if you're going to insist I eat it, I will not be held responsible for any undesirable effects I'm certain it will have on my digestive abilities. Oh yeah, I took a dump under your bed, but you'll figure that one out in your own due time and when you do, I'm perfectly fine with the fact that you'll likely blame yourself for not addressing the litter box soon enough. Oh and I did you a favor while you were gone - I noticed that there is no cat scent behind the couch. How the hell do you expect that should you decide to bring another animal in here, they would have any way of knowing that the area behind the couch is mine and mine alone? I use that for keeping things I don't want you to know about secure....you know like maybe your keys, one or two of your credit cards or perhaps an important bill that you'll tear the house apart looking for...just stuff. So I did you a favor, since I was already back there, and sprayed the entire length of the couch - you're WELCOME!

Somehow I just don't think a cat would do for me. I've always been more of a dog person I guess. There you have it.