From Dogs to Cats

Being a pet owner is kind of like the first steps to becoming a parent. Or so I've always imagined it. They pee and poop and sleep all day, they tell you, in their own way, when they need food or water, because they don't speak the same language as you, and they love play time. They enjoy their naps and cuddle with you when you're sad or sleepy. I say it's like having a child because when you domesticate an animal, that animal becomes reliant on you, like a child, for affection, time and effort into keeping them alive and it is a big responsibility. (What every parent tells their child when they ask for a new puppy or kitten)

Although pets can be a variety of different species, from birds and fish, to lizards and snakes, dogs and cats are the most common pets for people to have. Dogs and cats have been idealized in different cultures for their ability to hunt and kill prey, keeping their owners safe against intruders or pulling their owners out of fires that could have otherwise killed them, risking their own lives to save a child playing in the yard who doesn't see the snake. In ancient Egyptian history dogs were revered for their hunting abilities and kept as pets, the god Anubis with the head of a dog and body of a man (also known as a jackal), while cats were revered for their ability to rid homes of critters like rats and mice and bugs.

It's no surprise that dogs and cats have their conflicts with one another, dogs can be more aggressive, even when playing, while cats, a majority of the time, are relaxed (that's not to say they don't attack out of nowhere, their aggressions are just different in nature). But, and perhaps it has to do with more exposure to the idea, the two species can and do cohabit nicely with one another in modern society.

They trust us to keep them safe and to provide food and water. Their differences aren't many but caring for them and knowing how they communicate is important to understand.

Dogs are hunters, although some are bred just for show, like the Tea Cup Poodle, or for royalty, like the Pomeranian, and are known for being man's best friend (probably because they would help each other find food when food was scarce and not mass produced). They are loyal by nature and forgiving. Even abused dogs can bounce back with enough time and patience. Like an elephant they don't forget you or your kindness. They require more exercise than cats. You have to walk them, multiple times a day, let them run and chase things, or they get restless and rip up the new sofa. While some of them don't like baths, a majority of dogs enjoy the water and don't mind the idea of warm water running over their fur. (Try to give a cat a bath and you'll end up with scratches all over the place.)

Cats on the other hand take far less pampering. It's not that dogs don't tell you, again in their own way, that they are upset. Cats are kind of like women, they just give you this look, it says everything in their eyes. Some cats are similar to dogs, they like belly scratches and will gladly roll over to accept, but most despise it. One, two, maybe three (if you're lucky) rubs on the belly and then it's a swift swat of the paw saying "No more human." They require less attention from us, we can ignore them all day because they ignore us. They have no problem entertaining themselves with toy mice and scratching posts, laser pointers and balls with smaller balls inside that make so much noise when they play but is so entertaining for them.

Like a cat, you can litter box train a Pomeranian, but most dogs require going outside to use the restroom. Going from dog mom to a cat mom has been a journey. I never realized how much goes in to the first few years of their lives. I can't say it enough, how much it's like having a child. Kittens and puppies are born in litters and the survivability rate of each kitten or puppy in a single litter is NOT always 100%.

Animals, like humans, get sick. They jump off of balconies and out of car windows while you're driving. They run away when they are scared. They have emotions and feelings, the mourn when they lose their friends, like a wolf howling at the moon, it's not always in sadness, but they change when their no longer with their person or their animal best friend. They get excited when you come home or when you give them treats or presents.

If you decide to open your home to a pet, dog or cat, or any other, do research, talk to friends about their experiences, get an idea of what to expect when making your decision. To you it may be a quick fix to your relationship problem but it's another beings life, if you're not ready it's okay to wait until you are.