Why Cats are Better than Dogs

Introduction

The age-old debate of cats versus dogs has always been a bit lopsided. It’s only in the last couple of modern years that the “Cat Mom” and “Cat Dad” narratives have piqued the global imagination. Luxury pet movements, social media influencers, and pet finders have pushed the most historically contentious opinion further into the future—and it is time that we reconsider our preconceived notions of catdom. In this essay, I propose why cats are better than dogs.

The essay's central argument, that cats are better than dogs, will be broken down into the following criteria: Personality, Maintenance, The Intangibles, Helpful Reminders, and Health Benefits.

The essay's argument against the popular stance will encompass the following: The Food, Dogs Are Causality, Cats Are Causality, and Doubt. Cats have an individual personality and a striking independence. They don’t require hearty meals, walks, or heavy-duty training. Studies had shown they were especially conducive to happiness in city apartments. Plus, they help ward off illness through sound healing. Some people are dog people, and some are cat people. It is understandable that these essays will not appeal to everyone.

Personality Traits and Behavior

Another important difference to consider is that cats can have very different personality traits compared to dogs. Cats often have a more reserved, independent nature. They do not usually follow you from room to room or show the same type of constant affection that some dogs are known for. Social time with cats generally does not need to be structured. Cats are fine sleeping in a sunny window for hours while you work, and they feel no strong urge to find you if you move to a new workspace in the house. Cats usually have less of a tendency to form a strong attachment to particular people. This might sound impersonal, but it's not necessarily a bad thing. People with busy lifestyles often appreciate how cats are more self-sufficient. They don't always need to be entertained, walked, or constantly given attention.

Some people enjoy the more hands-off approach of many cats. Cats communicate and show affection in quiet ways. You may not realize it, but cats often greet people by rubbing their faces against legs. This transfer of scent is like a cat saying, "Hello! It's nice to see you." Cats are also known for purring when they are content. While cats don't demand constant attention in the same way that some dogs do, building a strong, happy human-cat bond simply requires spending quality time together. Half of the fun of having a pet is enjoying their unique personality. Many people like studying their cat's every appearance and behavior, learning patterns, and sharing names for original cat antics that only they get to enjoy.

Low Maintenance and Independence

While a moderate amount of socializing is important for cats, they are largely independent animals. One of the elements that gives a cat freedom is that a cat can be litter trained, meaning that owners do not have to take their cats outside and wait for them to do their necessities four to five times per day as dog owners do. Similarly, house-trained cats are often thought to be more "underfoot" and, therefore, spend significant amounts of time in their homes. This dually pleases especially modern owners who work long hours. Due to this—and perhaps augmented by the stereotypically aloof cat personality—cats can be left unsupervised for longer periods than dogs.

Many pet owners give cats food when they wake up in the morning and at dinner time, a fairly low-involvement feeding regime that requires less effort on the part of the owner than long walks. Furthermore, grooming is likely an important part of cat ownership, too, as healthy cats with smooth hair will self-groom. The grooming of short-haired cats is necessary only occasionally and is seldom daily or multiple times per day, as it is with long-haired dogs. While the literature suggests that owners prefer cats in living sedentary lifestyles due to the care and affection they don’t require, some might prefer cats for these same reasons as a side effect of their being busy or socially oriented but also desiring to live with an animal. It could take the form of preferring cats over dogs as a result, when cats or dogs are more appealing in general in two-way interactions.

Health Benefits

You might not realize it, but owning a pet can have a multitude of benefits for your health. Nearly half of adults who shared their beds with their pets described improved sleep. But are pets equal in their ability to bring about such improvements? This section aims to explore the health benefits that come with choosing a cat as your pet.

Caretakers of cats experience fewer stress-related symptoms than people with no pets or people who own dogs. Additionally, spending time with and petting a therapy cat can have a calming effect if you’re feeling stressed, just as has been observed in other animals used for pet therapy, like dogs and horses. Interacting positively with a cat can cause oxytocin, the hormone related to stress and anxiety relief, to rise in your brain. Furthermore, petting a cat has a calming effect and lowers blood pressure. Indeed, feline ownership has been correlated with a 52 percent lower risk of suffering a heart attack. As if that wasn’t enough, not only do cats keep their owners’ hearts healthy, but they also can protect their mental health. More than half of participants suffering from a wide variety of mental health challenges described pets as very helpful. Pets—whether dogs, cats, or birds—can substantially help against mental issues such as loneliness, lethargy, panic, and similar emotions. A study found that therapy dogs were able to reduce loneliness and increase self-reported joy and contentment in stressed-out college students. This effect was produced in just ten minutes of human-canine interaction. Given such findings of mental health benefits stemming from interactions with animals, one can surmise that pet cats may produce similar, if not identical results.

In contrast, dog ownership, while beneficial in its own way (such as by promoting higher rates of physical activity), does not seem to produce reductions in owners’ stress levels as marked as cat petting can. A hypothetical scenario helps illustrate the importance of this point: Imagine your grandchild eagerly runs up to you, exclaiming, ‘Smee isn’t that a sweet, cuddly puppy!’ Yes, it is sweet and cuddly at that moment, but that little furball will need potty training—waking someone up half the night in the process—several obedience courses and an endless supply of chew toys until it outgrows adolescence. If you’re concerned about sleep, a cat might be a better option. They typically have fewer housebreaking challenges—and are, in general, likely to keep the same hours as you do. The sentiment conveyed by this comedic contrast contains a fair bit of truth: owning a cat may be every bit as beneficial as owning a dog, or in some cases, even better, from an owner’s standpoint. The numerous studies cited in the following explanations provide further confirmation of this idea.

Conclusion

So, for these reasons, it deserves to be said that our common belief wrapped around dogs as the perfect pet is a bit misled. This is not to say that comparing cats and dogs is totally unfair, but if it is reasonable to analyze all the arguments together, then it could be concluded that cats are better pets. Choosing a pet is a subjective term. No one argues that, unless the person has desperately enjoyed being by their side, talking to them, caring about them, and getting to spend a bit of their leisure time in their company. The argument extends to all pets irrespective of the critics. All animals are more or less compassionate and good to have as pets. During this essay, I have explored the differences between dogs and cats. I showed how dogs are relatively higher maintenance pets compared to cats. Dogs also possess more dominant personality traits such as affection. Compared to dogs, cats are mellower and more relaxed. While not typically associated with pets, these personality traits hold value and have real implications for owners in the fast-paced modern world. Finally, owning a cat is more beneficial to the owner's health compared to a dog.

Both cats and dogs bring immeasurable joy, laughter, and companionship to the lives of millions across the world. It is entirely an individual decision to choose a pet. However, when it comes to comparing both animals, it is easier to find many differences between them, and so, cats could be a wiser choice. Despite popular beliefs, cats can make you just as happy as dogs. Potential pet owners should evaluate their lifestyles and needs when choosing a pet. If one has limited living quarters and finances, a cat is a perfect balance and a faithful companion to have. Pet lovers who shy away from the idea of high maintenance pets simply have to look at what cats have to offer. With each one, it is evident they have made choices with their pets in mind. It is a simple fact that people are less likely to get sick, visit a doctor, or take medications for anxiety or depression if they have cats. The evidence that people who own cats face significant health disadvantages is compelling enough to convince large numbers of potential pet owners to choose felines over dogs. Choose a pet that is appropriate for you and your lifestyle.

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