Last week’s poll asking how many times you camped a year gave a surprising result with the majority of you responding that you don’t ever go. Being that we live in Minnesota and everyone supposedly adores the outdoors, I figured it would be 1-3 but I was obviously wrong. A few people mentioned that the reason they don’t go is because they feel that their dogs would be a pain in the ass.
Well, Buddy is usually pretty good until someone wanders by with their own dog and then he unleashes a torrent of barking and yanking like he has never seen another animal on four legs with fur before. While he can be a big pain in the ass during the day, he’s generally very good at night especially inside the tent. He acts like a sentry and spends most of the night sitting up with ears standing at attention listening for the slightest noise which would indicate an intruder. Definitely better than what a cat would do…
Everyone knows I can’t fucking stand cats. Even though I’m allergic to the worthless furballs, I hate nearly everything about them and there have been few cats that I have felt were worth even looking at. Most are aloof and parade around as if you are their entertainment. I’m sorry but I don’t consider a pet something that I should attend to without any return benefit. My dog loves me and greets me and wants to be with me all the time. Most cats want to be left alone unless they’re hungry. I don’t get it.
So my question for you is which do you prefer and why? Are you a cat lover or are you an awesome dog lover? Perhaps you’re one of those wimps who can’t make up your minds and are sitting on the fence and allowing mass hysteria (see the video above). Perhaps you don’t like either and prefer birds, rabbits, lizards, fish, or snakes instead. There’s nothing more cuddly than a fish or snake!
Cats or Dogs?
- Dog (51.0%, 40 Votes)
- Cat (20.0%, 16 Votes)
- Both (20.0%, 16 Votes)
- N/A (8.0%, 6 Votes)
- Other (1.0%, 1 Votes)
Total Voters: 79
Loading ...Whichever pet you prefer, go ahead and vote and then comment on letting us know what you think. After that please be sure to check out our expired polls in the archive or read through the previous posts about polls here.
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July 12th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Bill, your observation about cat behavior is spot on.
After having 2 cats and now only having a dog, I have to say the dog wins hands down. There is a reason they are called man’s best friend; they are pack animals and love being around their ‘pack’. Cats just leave hair around the house, and disappear for awhile, only to reappear after they need something.
Dogs, FTW!
July 12th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Hate them both equally.
July 12th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Moe, any reasons why?
July 12th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Apparently our 3 cats didn’t get the memo about being aloof. Maybe living with 2 dogs has changed their animal outlook. 1 of the 3 is slightly aloof – doesn’t really sleep with us often but still likes to hang out near us and often will snuggle up for a while. The other 2 must think they are dogs because they are in our faces very frequently. All 3 have fun personalities that we enjoy.
Our dogs are typical dogs – love attention and are very affectionate.
July 12th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
I missed out on the poll. We camp about 3 times a year, and we take our Labrador every time. She even has her own pack to carry her own shit so I don’t have to add her food to my pack. We usually go to Afton, where you hike in a mile or two. We like it because the camp sites are far apart, unlike “car camping”.
Heres Cooper at our last Afton trip a month ago…
http://gallery.me.com/chadford300#100018/CooperFord&bgcolor=black
I can’t stand cats. They are useless. They ignore you when your home, then ignore you more when you’ve been away for a couple days and act all stuck up. I’m gone for 20 minutes and my dog is so excited to see me when I return. “Try to be the person your dog thinks you are.”
And that is probably my favorite scene from Ghostbusters. Thanks for the laugh… I might watch that tonight again.
July 12th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
“If cats could talk, they wouldn’t.”
Great quote, sums it up right there.
July 12th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Dogs all the way.
Cats are bad enough on their own, but how about those litter boxes….EW!!!!!
Dogs are wonderful. What’s the quote? “The people I meet, the better I like my dog.”
July 12th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
people don’t like cats because they know what you’re thinking AND they can see in the dark!
hairballs anyone?
we have two cairn terriers, (toto’s), small, good house dogs.
bb
July 12th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
My cat also did not get the memo about being aloof, because she’s anything but. She greets me at the door when I come home every day and when I wake up in the morning as well. She’s also very interested when people she doesn’t know come over.
I voted “both.” It’s a false dichotomy; there’s great things and negative things about both. For example, I’m no fan of dealing with the litterbox, but nor do I like having to take my dog out in subzero weather.
One advantage cats do have over dogs as pets is that many more places will let you have them. Our apartment didn’t allow dogs, so we couldn’t get one until we bought our townhouse, and even then, the HOA limits the size of dogs to 30 pounds or less.
And I was surprised too by the camping poll results. I voted “0″, but I fully expected to be an outlier.
July 12th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
I have been a dog person my whole life, but married a cat person. Now I have two step-cats, but I am raising them as my own.
July 12th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
In the winter I open the door and the dog goes out and I close the door until he returns. Subzero temperatures don’t bother me.
July 12th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
I do that sometimes, but I also walk him so that he gets exercise. He’s prone to putting on weight unless I walk him regularly. Of course, if it’s really cold, he won’t want to stay out there either.
July 12th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Ah, Buddy just gets 1.5 cups twice a day and he doesn’t ever change weight. We’re lucky I guess.
July 12th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
I am a bona fide dog-lover, but as my wife and I live in a townhouse, we thought it best just to have cats for now. I’ve always liked cats just fine, but these two that we have are great. They are Maine Coons and act a lot like dogs. They are very playful and affectionate – and they “talk” to us. Lots of chirps and trills, meows, you name it. Put me in the camp that likes both.
Mass hysteria. :)
July 12th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I like them both for their own reasons. I’d prefer to own a dog over a cat, though my wife is allergic to both. A dog is more fun, they like to go on walks, most like to travel. I’ve had both cats and dogs growing up.
I’m pretty tired of the minority of dog owners that don’t take personal responsibility for their pet. Letting it wander around, leaving them outside to bark all day long. It only takes one within a pretty big area to spoil it for everyone.
I should add one item as well. While dogs are fun and tend to be your friend, they also happen to be the only type of animal that has attached both my wife, and myself. A dog attacked me when I was young and dumb (I probably deserved it) leaving me with a scar by my eye. My wife was attacked when she was middle school age and tends to be irrationally afraid of dogs ever since.
July 13th, 2009 at 8:29 am
1. Yeah, litter boxes aren’t my favorite thing but I ‘scoop’ twice a day and it isn’t THAT terrible. Stepping in dog shit in the backyard…that grosses me out MUCH more.
2. Cats are fine on their own for a few days – easy to have a neighbor check on them once or twice. Dogs require expensive, messy baby-sitters that eat all my food and mess up the guest room.
3. UpWithTheMooses – you continue to crack me up! Mr Marcos wasn’t a fan of the felines either (before he met our oldest cat), but he came around and we’re all living happily ever after.
4. Another disadvantage of dogs – MUD. Cripes, is it THAT much of an issue to AVOID the spring mud puddles in the backyard? Worst thing ever – toweling off muddy/wet dog, ish! I also hate digging out ice balls from between their hairy toes during the winter months.
5. Guy – Our youngest cat, Tony, is a Maine Coon and he’s probably the best cat I’ve ever had (don’t tell the other two). He seriously is like a miniature dog – very curious, very vocal, VERY affectionate.
I think it is pretty rare for someone to ‘switch sides’ in this type of debate, either you like cats/dogs/reptiles/rodents/etc or you really don’t like/hate cats/dogs/reptiles/rodents/etc. It is an interesting discussion but I don’t expect anyone to have an epiphany and declare “Wow, I never thought about it that way! You’re right, cats rule!”
July 13th, 2009 at 9:10 am
My cat is awesome. He greets me when I come home, follows me all around the house, thanks me for feeding him (my licking me). He can even detect when I am feeling the blues.
July 13th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Moe: “Hate them both equally.”
Bill: “Moe, any reasons why?”
I’ve seen a lot of good that pets can give their owners. My wife’s grandma really only enjoyed her last days because of her pets, though she chose to skip our wedding because of them.
That said, I’m allergic to both, so that kinda puts a damper on any appreciation of them. I’m also disgusted by cats – the smell, the hair everywhere, and because they climb all over the place. Yuck. Dogs annoy me because of the barking, the crap in the yard, and the owners who think dogs are welcome everywhere they go.
I never had a pet growing up, and I’m sure that is why I feel the way I do, so there is that.
July 13th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Sundar,
My oldest cat, Murray, is very intuitive about my moods. When I’m feeling blue or sick he keeps vigil next to me. He really is a sweet boy. I’ve had him since he was six weeks old and weighed 7 ounces! He was just a ball of puffy fur! Now he is a mature 14 year old cat, but he’s still my baby :)
OMG where is my snark?!?!?!
July 13th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/07/13/how-cats-manipulate.html
July 13th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
I guess “N/A” is the same as “indifferent”?
We recently gave our dog (purebred yellow lab) away. We’re just not pet people any more. I don’t plan on having another one ever.
July 13th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
I’ve always had cats. I’ve had very few who were actually aloof. Most of mine have been snuggly. One of the cats we have right now is only snuggly on his own terms, but is very much like a dog in other ways, including greeting us at the door and learning to play fetch. The other one is so sweet and mild-mannered.
I don’t like dogs because of their owners. So I suppose saying that I don’t like dog owners would be more appropriate. I have no desire to own a dog (thankfully my husband shares this sentiment with me) – if I wanted something that required that much work and attention, I’d just have a kid.
Most dog owners that I’ve run into have no idea how to control their dog. Even the ones that are well-behaved (my dad and his wife have award-winning obedience dogs) are still obnoxious and loud and nearly uncontrollable if they see a squirrel or hear a noise. And the sniffing of the crotch? I could live without that.
I don’t know if I’ve ever met a dog who was actually well-controlled by its owner. I’ve lived with one that most certainly was not, and it wasn’t the dog’s fault. She obeyed me fine, because I could be firm. Her owner just let her do whatever she wanted, because it was cute. No, it is not cute to have a 40 pound chocolate lab barreling down the hallway at your guest.
I have to agree with Mrs. Marcos here on just about every point she made.
July 13th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I forgot to add that every single guide dog (for the visually impaired) that I’ve ever met has been the most docile, sweet, obedient, and caring animal I could ever hope for. They are truly a credit to their species.
July 13th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Most cat owners I’ve run into are pretentious and act like they are more enlightened than dog owners. What’s your point?
July 13th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
What is wrong with being pretentious and enlightened?
July 13th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Because then I lump you in with Apple Computer owners. ;)
July 13th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
I prefer dogs, would like to have one, but can’t in my apartment. Could have a cat, but I am at least somewhat allergic to them. It doesn’t show up for a couple of days, so visiting someone isn’t a problem.
And just remember: To a dog, you’re family. To a cat, you’re staff.
July 13th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
You’re staff to kids too, and people still seem to procreate :)
July 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
We have and appreciate both equally in our household — they are our fuzzy children. While cats are much lower maintenance, it was a dog that barked like mad to let me know someone was trying to break in to the house when I was home alone in college.