Dog vs Cat: Perspective of a Dog Person
Cats or dogs? This is something Ege and I always argue about. In fact, it is a major point of discordance between us; a matter of irreconcilable difference.
I am a huge dog person, and I find it hard to understand, even a bit offensive, why anyone - let alone my own son, my own blood and flesh! - would prefer cats over dogs. It saddens me deeply, yet, there is nothing I can do to make this right. Ege is adamant about his position regarding cats.
It is not only that I think dogs are the best thing to have ever happened to humanity (also, mind you, it is more than a thought, it is an objective fact), but I also find cats annoying. In fact, I dislike them.
They are agile in a bad way, always doing unexpected things. They are not well meaning. They constantly knock things over – and they deliberately do so! They are a nuisance most of the time; they come and sit on your lap in a suffocating fashion in one of those rare moments you have to yourself, dozing off on a sofa. No respect for personal space; no sense of whether they are wanted near a person or not. You can't take them on walks, nor can they go swimming or hiking with you. They also bite and scratch, unashamedly meow and ask for food or attention or water or something else all the time. They are importunate and annoying.
Dogs on the other hand are the best. They are always friendly! Wagging tails; smiling faces; heads tilting to one side, butts shaking! Up on their feet exciteldy to say hi to you when you come home, or to the neighbor or another dog! When you are sad, they understand and respect it. They pay attention to what you want: always ready to heed your words. "Please Bobo, just not now!" and they will leave you alone. You can travel the entire world, climb and walk around mountaintops, go swimming in the sea or in a pool or wherever you want with a dog! You also get cuddles and warmth of a good friend – only when you want or need it! They are the best emotional support animals.
The fundamental difference between the two types of pets lies in their capacity for goodness. Yes, dogs are inherently good, they are angles. Dogs come in all flavors: they can be smelly, quirky, silly, slobbery, fluffy, shaggy-haired but they are always trustworthy and they are always looking to help a hooman. Cats on the other hand are evil! Yes, evil no doubt! They are cold and calculating and always plan to knock over your coffe cup, or bottle of water, and if they can, they will certainly make sure that it spills over your laptop. Then they will walk around ask for their next ask, as if nothing happened.
The best thing a cat can do for a person is to ignore them, but in general, if you are the person who things the best thing a cat can do is to ignore you, then you will become that cat's favorite person.
Dogs can be life changing. I had a mutt - Haydut, which means Bandit in English - who lived with me for 16 years, and he was a really good dog. He always meant well and he always tried his best to support me emotionally through thick and thin.
He was my anchor. And I miss him greatly.
We now have a cat. I would be said if he left this world, but – sorry to say this – certainly not going to miss him waking me up in my sleep in the middle of the night, biting and scratching my poor feet!
So the only thing I can do is look up to the sky and pray to Gods that they convince Ege to see this one beautiful truth of life: Dogs rock and cats we can live without!