Cats are elegant, majestic, and beautiful animals. They seem to appear just when you need them, or when they want you to think you need them. Cats bring hours of entertainment to the people that love them and somehow seem to lift even the most somber spirits. What could possibly be better than a furry feline? The world is filled with many kinds of pets and companions.
How could this world have anything better that a cat, my cat. He was a seven-toed cat. Paws was one of my most valued friends. He seemed to know when to hang from a branch and when to pounce on the unsuspecting, visiting dog. Paws was an amusing character that could not easily be replaced. Eventually, I had to replace my valued friend.
It was not an easy task. That was when I made the decision to look farther than just feline, but to evaluate all kinds of pets. It inevitably came down to the feline verses the canine. The first question I asked myself was what are the major differences in the two animals. One is a sole predator and one is a pack predator. Another is the difference in social order and lack there of.
An obvious difference is, of course, size. The last difference I found was cleanliness. My findings were rather surprising. The cat is a sole predator. This simply means he likes to hunt alone.
The cat can spend its whole life without a companion. Accept for the occasional breeding mate. This translates into an animal that will be independent and will only approach on its own terms. Canines on the other hand are pack-orientated animals. That simply translates into many tings: they work, play, and live in a family unit. The adults work closely and carefully together for a common good.
They tend to be very mindful of each others needs. That trait is what makes canines attentive to a human counter part. Dogs still retain pack instincts and will operate as efficiently as the environment and surrounding pack will allow. This gives canines virtually no limits with the right pack. Another difference is social order.
Cats have no social order due to lack of necessity. When a cat approaches another unfamiliar cat there is simply a fight and the winner gets the territory. There are very few exceptions to that rule. A female in heat will most certainly accept a male of the same species in her territory. Although it is only momentarily and he will leave when his job is complete.
A mother cat cannot allow any male cats in her territory once she has her litter. A male cat will seek out kittens and kill them to bring the female cat back in heat. This ensures his blood legacy. If allowed, canines on the other hand start out with two parents. Normally the two will establish an alpha dog. Normally it is a strong female.
I personally believe this is due to the responsibility she has in producing and rearing the next generation. She needs to not only make decisions, but she needs to make good ones. Once the animals have done this the pair will work together to prepare for offspring. On a positive note dogs will stay together for life and are very devoted to each other. My translation to this is, when a dog has a chosen or incidental pack member, human or canine, it will be a friend and companion for life because of choice.
Cats are small compact creatures. A cat will take up essentially no room. The only exception to this is the necessity of a clean kitty restroom. The largest thing about a cat is the litter box. Dogs on the other hand, come in a variety of sizes. There are dogs that weigh ten pounds and there are dogs that weigh 250 pounds.
One only needs to decide on the size want. The final difference between the two animals is, of course, cleanliness. Cats are self-cleaning and if they can avoid dirt they will certainly try. Dogs on the other hand need to be taught to stay clean.
If a dog is raised outdoors
