General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCat People Are Smarter Than Dog People, New Study Shows
Huffington Post:People who said they were dog lovers in the study tended to be more lively meaning they were more energetic and outgoing and also tended to follow rules closely. Cat lovers, on the other hand, were more introverted, more open-minded and more sensitive than dog lovers. Cat people also tended to be non-conformists, preferring to be expedient rather than follow the rules.
And in a finding that's sure to spark rivalries among pet owners, cat lovers scored higher on intelligence than dog lovers.
This should go over well...
NRaleighLiberal
(60,019 posts)shenmue
(38,506 posts)I like both. Don't have either at the moment, but hope to adopt.
arthritisR_US
(7,292 posts)awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)if you "get" cats, you're alright in my book. Dogs can be fun, too.
Gormy Cuss
(30,884 posts)Why do you hate dogs?
slinks off to pet the good kitty
Shandris
(3,447 posts)...but once you include ferret-lovers, it's all over. Ferrets 2014!
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)NEVER get two kittens at the same time and expect them to be the way most house cats are... climbing into your lap etc. Two cats have EACH OTHER for company and do not need you.
OnyxCollie
(9,958 posts)Littermate syndrome.
The weaker will become subordinate to the other and both will not need you.
Engaging the weaker dog will put it into an uncomfortable position where it will have to make (bad) decisions.
When I encounter a pair with littermate syndrome for the first time, I pay attention to only the dominant dog. Eventually the subordinate dog will see that its mentor is comfortable and will become social.
It helps to split them up and do activities singularly, but that may be harder to do with cats.
KurtNYC
(14,549 posts)We are one pack and I am dominant, then the female, generally.
Owners can influence the heirarchy of their dogs (and maybe other animals) by several techniques including the order in which they get fed or the position (on the bed or coach) that they are allowed to have. My female dog (the gold one) is laid back but very social and loves long walks and meeting people and animals. The male is a little more active, somewhat social but prefers playing with sticks and balls, chasing and running. In certain situations he seems dominant to her.
I have no regrets about raising these littermates together and hope that others would try training before giving up one of their dogs. At least one potential trainer told me raising them together could not or should not be done. She never met my dogs because I didn't trust her low expectations. My dogs are happy together with no issues -- she was wrong.
For theory and training that goes beyond wolf pack/alpha dog nonsense and simplistic clicker training I recommend Bonnie Bergin's book and research.
http://www.berginu.edu/
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)davidpdx
(22,000 posts)Majestic animals. Personally if I were going to have a dog, I'd want a big dog.
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)They try to keep me from leaving the house.
TDale313
(7,820 posts)Always felt one at a time was as much as I could really take proper care of. It still amazes me how many of my fellow cat lover friends strongly encourage the idea that it's best to get a pair. My cats have always seemed very happy.
SheilaT
(23,156 posts)cat was that we travelled just often enough that even though I had good neighbors who'd refresh the food and water and scoop the litter box for us, we'd come home and the cat would be crazed with loneliness. The second kitty completely changed that.
But if you're not gone, other than to your job, it's not quite the same thing. No matter what, you have the kind and number of animals that suit you.
TeamPooka
(24,254 posts)they both loved climbing on my lap and getting rubbed too.
On their schedule of course.
spockeye
(238 posts)csziggy
(34,137 posts)SheilaT
(23,156 posts)sweetest and most amiable of the three I had then, would occasionally look at me with an "Oh, if only you were a whole lot smaller" expression on her face. It was clear she wanted to think of me as prey, but fortunately I was vastly too large for that.
csziggy
(34,137 posts)If he could open the containers, I'd be of no use to him. If I don't feed him when he thinks he should be fed, he attacks my ankles or any other parts he can reach.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)But now I'm afraid to go to sleep.
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)Bosonic
(3,746 posts)3catwoman3
(24,045 posts)...mean I'm really smart?
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)We've two dogs (but one of those is an idiot) and a cat...so we're average I guess.
aikoaiko
(34,183 posts)awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)the dogs were too busy licking their ass
Unrepentant Fenian
(1,078 posts)MrMickeysMom
(20,453 posts)Cats rule
dogs drool!
Submariner
(12,509 posts)MrMickeysMom
(20,453 posts)tularetom
(23,664 posts)but the cats are waaaay easier to take care of.
Plus the dogs are why we can't have nice things.
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)Or maybe not.
Maybe they believe they are marketing primarily to those infected with toxoplasma gondii
Jamastiene
(38,187 posts)I have a gut feeling this thread is going to get, count 'em, five from me. I predict a classic. w00t!
NV Whino
(20,886 posts)But the raccoon may cancel that out.
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)Fluffy's just waiting for you to close your eyes...
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)elleng
(131,107 posts)vis a vis me.
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)700 plus cats on 12 acres. YIKES!
I saw 2 kittens the other day where I live that are feral, and if I can catch them, I am going to bring them there, along with their daddy and mama if I can find her. I already have 3, I don't need anymore.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)I tawt I taw a puddy tat!
freshwest
(53,661 posts)CSStrowbridge
(267 posts)I prefer cats, mainly because I hate dog drool.
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)I had one about 20 years ago. We called her Bloomers because her back end looked like bloomers to me. Anyway, when I would pet her, she would drool on me. Only I think her drool came from her nose. LOL! I rescued her from my crazy boss who thought it was just fine to trap and take cats that shit in is precious sand. I actually went back to his neighborhood and looked for lost cat signs. He would have shit had he saw her back again. LOL! But I ended up keeping her, and she lived a long life. Cats do drool.
SheilaT
(23,156 posts)I am certainly not doubting your story, but they drool far, far less than dogs do.
NRaleighLiberal
(60,019 posts)Enrique
(27,461 posts)davidpdx
(22,000 posts)Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)but she's a Shih-tzu, so almost a cat. I personally am a cat person, but all our cats have passed on, and I don't want to get another one because they live so long. I would hate to have my kitty outlive me.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)Dogs are ass kissers, and nobody likes ass kissers.
smallcat88
(426 posts)but I've always had cats. Four at the moment. All but one act a little like dogs sometimes though. I have two who like to play fetch like dogs. As much as I love them I have to question how smart they are when they climb up a tree but can't climb down. And seriously questioned my own intelligence last year when I had to climb up on the roof of my house to rescue one. (They're all house cats but one is an escape artist who got trapped up in the tree next to the house.)
DesertFlower
(11,649 posts)is too much work for me. so i have a cat. i have owned dogs.
whistler162
(11,155 posts)Internet readers!
Enrique
(27,461 posts)dog person...
baldguy
(36,649 posts)Smarter for the cat maybe...
47of74
(18,470 posts)More like primus inter pares.
TM99
(8,352 posts)have you both beat.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)47of74
(18,470 posts)And reminded Moose that next time Mama starts riding him for being a cat person he has something to come back with now.
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)Zorra
(27,670 posts)attempt to corroborate their assumptions with IQ tests.
Study fail. I'm not buyin' it.