I want to start out by letting everyone know that I really do like dogs. And I especially love having friends with dogs because I am not interested in sharing my home with one. Call me lazy, but they’re just too much work for me, and it’s good that I know this about myself.
I much prefer the independence and low-maintenance nature of my cats. I enjoy visiting friends with dogs and am a bona fide (bone … get it?) Corgi fanatic. Those stubby little bodies and happy faces kill me. I spend hours (not even kidding) looking at photos of Corgis online. Dogs — especially puppies — are adorable! And no matter how long I look at sweet doggies on the pages of puppy sites, I never once have to take them for a walk or give them a bath.
Here are five reasons I like cats more than dogs.
1. I’m not outdoorsy
You know how some people are total nature lovers and spend as much time outside as possible? Well, I’m not one of those people. I’m not against nature — I’m just a big baby when it comes to the elements. Plus, I live in Minnesota, where it’s not uncommon to see a ridiculous stretch of below-zero days during the winter months. And in the summer, I don’t spend a ton of time outdoors because I don’t like to sweat and mosquitos really want to be my close, personal friends. Dogs don’t really care that my eyeballs will freeze and pop out of my head or that I have a beard of mosquitos — they just want their walk. I can exercise my cat with a wand toy in the comfort of heat or air conditioning … and nothing freezes or sucks my blood.
2. I require low maintenance
Dogs are kind of needy. I’ve raised two kids and don’t really need any more little beings needing such extensive care. Maybe that sounds harsh, but it’s completely true. I’m a responsible person and know that I’ve 100-percent cared for my children through the years. Raising kids is hard work, but eventually they become independent and need you less and less often. Mine are teenagers now and are pretty self-sufficient. Dogs become a little more independent after some training, but, in general, they’re like five-year-old children their entire lives. I feel tired just thinking about that. Aside from regular care and playtime, healthy adult cats are pretty independent. They’re kind of like teenagers, complete with the snarky attitudes.
3. I prefer cat-huffing to dog-bathing
Aside from litter box smells, cats don’t typically generate a ton of stink. In fact, I really enjoy the smell of their fur and am not embarrassed to admit I have a cat-huffing habit. Sometimes when my cats are sleeping, I bury my face on the side of their bellies and whiff away. I know some cat breeds require regular bathing, but mine do not. I’ve only bathed one of my cats a single time. Saffy had a messy dingleberry problem on her long butt-fur and needed a little help. That was not an experience for the memory book. I’ve smelled stinky dogs and I think that sometimes dog owners just get used to the smell. I’m so sensitive to smells and can’t see myself becoming accustomed to it. I’d have to bathe my dog every day — again, like a five-year-old child. I’m not interested in the stink or the regular bath. I’ll continue cat-huffing.
4. Cats are sassy
I love the sarcastic, sassy attitude of cats. They aren’t interested in pleasing humans and that makes me laugh. One minute they’ll completely ignore our affection-giving efforts and five minutes later, they’ll shove themselves in our laps, demanding attention. Everything is on their terms and I adore that. Most dogs are eager to please people all day long and that’s sweet and everything, but the sarcastic feline flair suits my fancy.
5. Less chaos, please
In general, cats are pretty quiet and I enjoy their mostly serene nature. In addition to my olfactory sensitivity, too much chaos triggers some of my anxiety issues. Time spent with cats is relaxing to me. Just watching them eat, play or birdwatch calms me to no end. Dogs are naturally more excitable and active than cats are. Their barks make me jump, and untrained dogs really scare me. I was attacked by a German Shepherd when I was five, and so I think I deal with a touch of PTSD. My cats are like gentle, weirdo little therapy animals for me.
Do you like cats more than dogs? Tell us about it in the comments!
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About the Author: Angie Bailey is a goofy girl with freckles and giant smile who wants everyone to be her friend. Loves pre-adolescent boy humor, puns, making up parody songs, and thinking about cats doing people things. Wrote a ridiculous humor book about cats wheeling and dealing online. Partner in a production company and writes and acts in comedy web series that may or may not offend people. Mother to two humans and three cats, all of which want her to make them food.
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