The Differences Between Living with a Cat and Owning a Dog

Where you choose to get your dog is a very personal choice. Some people will only rescue a dog that might otherwise have a miserable life, or be euthanized; while others insist that a breeder is the only way to choose a healthy dog. Perhaps a dog chose you, in which case, preparing is not possible.

Living with a cat cannot prepare you for owning a dog. Cats require far less from its owner than her canine friends do. Cats are self-cleaning (they spend most of their non-sleeping hours grooming themselves). You just set up a litter box and you can leave the house without needing to crate your cat. Even the most trained dog requires several walks during the day and a crate to prevent shoes and electrical wires from being mauled. Apart from cleaning their anuses and/or penis/vagina, dogs will let that hair matted with dirt or mud go until you brush it or wash it. A cat would be mortified to have such an unsightly mess on her body.

Although cats live in packs, their livelihood is not dependent upon it. Dogs need to know their place in a pack. Cats pick and choose when to show their love.  Conversely, dogs, because of their pack mentality, live to serve the pack leader. They need far more bonding than your cat does and they want to be with you all the time. Even if this means that they’re just lying next to you as you read or are fixing a leaky pipe under the sink, they’re content. If you go out of town for a day or up to four days, you can leave a cat alone, provided you have left out ample food and water and a clean litter box. Fluffy may be ticked off at you upon your return but he or she will get over it rather quickly. Assuming its Jake’s last meal, all the food you left for four days will be eaten in one gulp. Your house will be decorated with feces and urine as well as toilet paper and anything he was able to remove from the cabinets. It’s not that dogs are destructive; it’s the fact that left to his own devises, even the most trained dog needs to be reminded all the time. They live in the moment and if that moment tells him to decorate, that’s what you will come home to.

So prior to bringing a dog into your life, ask yourself whether you honestly have the time. It’s not unlike raising a child that never ages beyond about five years old. Your social life will be dramatically reduced if you are unable to corral or crate Jake.  The benefits far outweigh the social life you may be missing, just be realistic with yourself. The worst thing you can do is bring Jake home and neglect him.

Photo Credits: Qole Pejorian

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Dogs and Other Animals, Tips for Dog Owners

Posted by Dog Training Pet on August 7, 2010 in Dogs and Other Animals, Tips for Dog Owners. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.