Almost all
my life, as far back as I can remember, I had dogs. As a kid I had two hounds that would hunt
rabbits. As an adult I had German Shepherds. A shepherd makes a great companion for an
outdoors man. Mine would ride in the truck with me, ride in the boat with me,
accompany me camping and walking in the woods.
Each, in their turn, was protective of home and family.
Living with
dogs is like living with a very young child that adores you. Dogs, are like people; some are smarter than others. Shepherds are especially smart. They are easily taught to sit, to stay and
they are naturally protective of the family.
Shepherds make good police dogs, war dogs and cadaver dogs because of their
wish to please their humans and they have basic intelligence. Dogs
are trainable, but they don’t problem solve.
We adopted
our first cat when I was fifty-three years old.
It was a three-year-old Maine Coon Cat.
We were in Alaska teaching school and had to move into an old one room log
cabin that had been vacant for a couple of decades. The cabin was full of vermin, so on our next
trip into Fairbanks we decided to get a cat.
Being a dog person, the cat had to train me.
Cats don’t
love you like a dog. Cats will live
with you and they will tolerate you, and if you are good to them they may even
like being with you - when they feel like it. My first cat, Hobby, loved being with me, but
on his terms. There was a constant
interaction as to who was alpha. You don’t
tell a can NO; because he will find that a challenge. If you try to correct a
cat, he will turn his butt to you as if to say, ‘Fuck you. Now go fill my food bowl and empty my potty.’ If you
are a controlling person, you shouldn’t have a cat – the cat will be miserable and
you won’t like the cat - get a dog.
Dogs are
trainable; but cats are their own people. Cats can problem solve. When we moved into our new house last year,
we got new food bowls and water bowls for each of our cats. We kept finding food nuggets floating in the
younger, five-year-old, cat’s water bowl.
After watching her for a while I realized, that because of the color of
the bowl, she couldn’t see the surface of the water when she wanted to drink,
so she would push her food bowl over by her water bowl, pick up a piece or two
of food with her paw, drop it in the water where it would float, and then she
would drink. This is problem solving. Something dogs can’t do. If you watch a cat that has its own autonomy,
they constantly problem solve.
If you are
willing to live with a cat and not try to control the cat, they will make a
good companion. But if you are not willing
to respect a cat – you should get a dog.
Our old girl - ten years old
The problem solver - What do you mean I shouldn't be on the table?
I can fit in this bowl.
What's the big deal? The bowl was empty.
Don't pay any attention to her. She's a brat.
the Ol’Buzzard
You're absolutely right about the difference between cats and dogs. I like dogs, but I adore cats and their whole "fuck you, I'm the boss" cattitude!
ReplyDeleteI also have had both dogs and cats though when my last dog died, I promised myself - no more. Currently - 2 cats. All of us argue about who's the boss. Not sure I win the argument.
ReplyDeleteI had a dog growing up, but ever since moving out of my childhood home, I have had a cat, or cats. Yours are gorgeous. The one sitting in the bowl (looks like a crockpot) is almost identical to our neighbour's cat. Her name is "Twenty-one". I have no idea why. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteI love both dogs and cats... and have had both. At the moment all 3 of my kids have dogs, 2 very large ones, a great dane, and a golden doodle, and a nervous nellie French bulldog. They go everywhere with them and you are right, they adore you. But we have had some wonderful cats over the years... ones I miss very much. Some were very smart, some trainable, some not so much... but although they may not show complete obedience like a dog, they do love you, comfort you, and some follow you around where-ever you go. But they do have catatude...
ReplyDeleteYour cats are lovely and show real cat attitude. There was a picture going around on FB of a cat on a stool with one paw on the counter and a real glare in her eye. The cat had been yelled at for being on the counter and was just being an asshole. Our cats are allowed on the counter but not on the table though we have to cover the butter as they do what they want when we are not around.
ReplyDeleteLucky is pretty smart as you say German Shepherds are. But a 5 second attention span. He has a ball in his mouth, gets distracted and wanders off with the ball, drops it somewhere and forgets it. He likes to create problems to solve, covering his ball with a blanket and pretending to look for it. He also drops his ball into places to try to get it out. Sometimes he can't. I want to teach him the shell game but need metal cups as he crunches plastic ones but it does work.
I like both so much we make sure we have both in stock. I love dogs and cats equally but for different reasons. You nailed some of those reasons. Cats are more of a challenge most days but dogs are less frustrating. There is no loyalty like dog loyalty. And there is no better conniver than a cat with a bone to pick.
ReplyDeleteI like your blog,I sincerely hope that your blog a rapid increase in
ReplyDeletetraffic density,which help promote your blog and we hope that your blog is being updated.
Live Score_បាល់ផ្សាយបន្តផ្ទាល់
Football Online_កីឡាបាល់ទាត់ អនឡាញ
Let us not forget, as your photos abundantly illustrate, cats are gorgeous to look at. And they are rarely stinky.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cats! Our momma cat has adopted us completely. We gave her babies away last week and had her "altered" and given shots to keep her healthy. She is now living in the house with us. She is a tiny thing and weighs about two feathers. She pretty much owns us now.
ReplyDeleteI miss Dexter so much..I have been looking for a cat on petfinders but the ones I want are in bumfuck texas...one will find me..
ReplyDelete