Sell me on cats

[Electric_Andy]

I've never had a cat. What am I missing?

They are great characters and can be good companions if they like it inside. Some prefer to be half feral and go out hunting, whereas some prefer a warm lap or nice fire. If they are well trained then they are easy to care for (if you have a cat flap). Ours is lovely but through no fault of her own, has not had consistency in terms of behaviours and training. One minute she's shut in a bedroom, the next she's got free roam of the house for days on end. That leads to confusion and laziness, so she occasionally pees on the bath mat. They also need to be groomed a lot, which ours isn't, so knots and fleas are a bit of an issue at the moment.

They are funny though. But I find dogs more trainable and more predictable, and less hassle

 

[Reynard]

With cats as with dogs, it's all about responsible owners.

My cats have always had outside access during the day. It is supervised, as I do not have a cat flap, and they are always inside between 5pm and 10am. That "in time" is earlier in the winter when it gets dark earlier. My current cat only goes out when she sees the sun, and sits on the drive guarding my car. She comes in to use the tray. During the winter, she prefers to roast herself in front of the radiator.

She was a prolific hunter when younger, but now that she's twelve, I might get one mouse a month if I'm lucky!

As for wildlife loss, pointing the finger at cats is unfair, considering how much impact we as humans have on the environment. The real biggies are climate change, loss of habitat and the use of weedkillers, pesticides and poisons. Especially in rural areas. It's a many faceted issue to which pointing the finger at one single factor - in this case, cats - is kind of, well, pointless.

As for the benefit of cats. It's just the bond and trust that is so rewarding. And there's nothing better than cuddling a purry cat when you're not feeling 100%. Cats are definitely a lot less work than a dog and are much cheaper to run - though some breeds (persian & sphynx in particular) need daily grooming / care to prevent issues. Cats are wonderful individuals with a wide spectrum of personalities, though the girls definitely have more brains than boys.

Comparing dogs to cats is like comparing apples and pears. They are different, though equally rewarding. But cats have the advantage if you do not have the time to go and exercise a dog. A lot is dependent on your lifestyle.

 

[palinurus]

The downside for me was both of my cats loved to wake me up- and rarely at a reasonable hour- for all sorts of reasons: inexplicably hungry at 03:30, there's a poop in my litter, I would like a rub, there's a slug near my water bowl (fair enough!), I am sitting in the bath and the tap is not dripping. Both of them were very persistent too.

I pretty much naturally wake up between five and five thirty now. Very rarely hear the alarm.

 

[Kingfisher101]

What's life without a cat?

Cats are very important animals and their lives matter.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I've never had a cat. What am I missing?

You never know, you might be allergic to cats. You could be missing out on some great symptoms.

 

[fossyant]

I was woken at 6am by two of them deciding it was breakfast time. The Ragdoll male just walks over you, whilst the female ragdoll keeps tapping you, followed by claws if you don't move. These are the 'white' dagdolls, far more mischievous than our grey ragdoll and the ninja.

 

[Hover Fly]

Moon bunny of this parish got home after midnight following her accident, too injured to climb the stairs she settled down on the sofa. Zimzum the Siamese settled down next to her and purred all night to keep her company, it was really touching to see.

 

[Reynard]

Moon bunny of this parish got home after midnight following her accident, too injured to climb the stairs she settled down on the sofa. Zimzum the Siamese settled down next to her and purred all night to keep her company, it was really touching to see.

I've spent a fortnight in bed with a nasty bug, and Madam Lexi only left my side to eat and use the tray.

 

[dicko]

Cats don’t have owners they have servants.

 

[cyberknight]

 

[Goldenretriever]

Can't abide cats, there's a white one that's been crapping in my flower beds. I'll stick with my Goldie, a great big shedding softie, just like his two predecessors. When I was sobbing on the phone, the morning after my wife's 11 hours of surgery, a great big snout pushed into my lap, he felt my distress.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Dogs would be alright if owners trained them not to chase others. Plus owners were kept on a short lead.

Who doesn’t love a good pussy? Lovely creatures.

 

[Goldenretriever]

I'll partly agree, don't like running through poo. Also hate extending leads, wrecked my calf muscle dodging a dog on one a few years ago. It's like life, good and bad everywhere.

 

[Bazzer]

Daughter #2 has a rejected kitten she has hand reared, so she can never be let out. She is full of character and for me, great to be with. But then I prefer animals to most humans anyway.
Would I by choice have her permanently? Probably not.
Having had dogs in the house in my parents home for over 15 years to when I left my parents home, a dog is a companion.

 

[cyberknight]

Our 8 year old has taken to sitting by the cat flap waiting for someone to open the door even though shes perfectly capable of getting through it and it still fit and healthy enough to climb fences and bring us "presents " and pretty much ignores everyone expect mini ck 2 .