People who like dogs more than cats, why?

[alizia]

Honestly I feel like cats don't have as much personality. After working with hundreds if not thousands of cats in rescue/vet med, they boil down to a couple personality types. And there's nothing wrong with that; if anything, it typically makes them even better home companions than dogs.
But I feel like dogs are better at being both a companion AND a hobby at the same time. Bikejoring, dock diving, lure coursing, barn hunt, agility, conformation, disc, fast CAT, obedience... there's almost no end to the hobbies you can try with a dog (if you pick a dog that suits what you want to do at least). For me that's more fun. And if I just wanted a cuddle companion I'd probably still choose a toy breed; but I can see why others would choose a cat!

[darkspawn]

Cats are adorable but they play too much with their claws. i'm shivering thinking about those little finger knives grabbing my skin

[W0LF]

I love both.
However, dogs "need you". They are pack animals
& so far removed from their wild wolf cousins,
they look to people for guidance.
People & dogs
Humans & canines,
Has been a
mutually beneficial relationship
for thousands of years!

Cats give the cold shoulder most of the time.
They're just fine without people.
(which I can relate with, sometimes.)

Dogs are far more versatile than cats.
I mean, though it's not impossible to train a cat a few neat tricks, they can not (or will not) reliably guard your home / family, sniff out bombs / drugs / cancer, round up your livestock, fetch a requested object & bring it to you...
The list of ways dogs can assist us is endless.

What's more, (more often than not)
dogs seem to enjoy the task
assigned to them.
Cats are either incapable, or simply
just not interested.

...Plus, a pet cat poops in a box in your house.
Take that 💩 outside! lol

Just a few of my thoughts.
I do love them both though.
I grew up around cats,
& they have their charm. <3

It's just the nature of the beast.
A peference.

[Jijing]

Honestly I feel like cats don't have as much personality. After working with hundreds if not thousands of cats in rescue/vet med, they boil down to a couple personality types. And there's nothing wrong with that; if anything, it typically makes them even better home companions than dogs.

As a life-long cat owner I can tell you cats definitely do have very distinctive and unique personalities when you own them. You wouldn't get to see that side of them if they're just passing through as a vet patient or shuffling them through a shelter, but if you spend years living with them, you'd definitely notice traits that are unique to that individual.

--

I'm personally a huge cat fan too idkagoodusername and highly prefer them to dogs. I've had them all my life and though I do like dogs, I find cats a lot more of a peaceful presence. I find the neediness of dogs really exhausting and I honestly really appreciate how independent cats are. Sometimes I need my space too.

To most of the things people have against cats I think can be solved pretty easily if you choose/teach your cat carefully.
-Cats's claws can be trimmed and filed (but please don't decalw!!)
-You can teach your cat not to scratch and when not to use their claws. Their mothers will do that too.
-You can walk cats on a leash with training and patience. You have to leash train dogs too so you have to put in effort with either animal.
-Some cats are very dog like and can be quite cuddly lap kitties who want all of your attention. It just depends on the cat.
-Cats are social animals. They still need interaction with other living beings though they may seem solitary.

I think overall there's this negative stereotype that cats are cold, distant, bossy, and demanding when that's just not all cats. I own 3 cats right now and one of them is the most cuddly, sweet, loving thing while my other two are more independent but also very loving. I hope dog people are willing to give cats a chance! I think cats definitely aren't for everyone but I think most people can learn to love a cat pretty easily, I hope.

[alizia]

As a life-long cat owner I can tell you cats definitely do have very distinctive and unique personalities when you own them. You wouldn't get to see that side of them if they're just passing through as a vet patient or shuffling them through a shelter, but if you spend years living with them, you'd definitely notice traits that are unique to that individual.

I've both owned cats & had long-term fosters; and while they all have their quirks, their range of personalities are definitely limited compared to dogs. Mostly because breed variety broadens the spectrum of temperaments/physical attributes/behaviours. Separate dog breeds have been around a long time, so unique that they can be DNA tested for and have individual signatures. On the other hand, the majority of cat breeds are a very new development, so new that we aren't even able to separately read their DNA yet. Most cats are all the same type, and follow the same groups of personalities. It takes long-term selective breeding to change a species so much that they have very unique personalities, and we've only just started doing that with cats.
I think it's slow-going because cat owners usually prefer cats who are cuddly house pets, and there's no need to breed for variety when we already have that. It's been awesome seeing breeds like Abyssinians, Bengals, and Devon Rexs at show though! It's sad that the show world is dying because I think encouraging the development of unique breeds is great for cats as a whole.

[Stormbird]

Hmm.. dogs like being around you maybe more? Also, they're obedient, loyal, and very funny. I haven't personally owned a cat, but I've never been a cat person. Don't really know how to explain it. Maybe I just don't like the idea of one roaming around, and possibly never coming back. I'd be so heartbroken. Also, claws and really, I wouldn't know what one is thinking, or what personality it would have. I've watched enough videos to see some bad tempered cats xd

Still, kitties are so cute to look at though <3

[Jijing]

As a life-long cat owner I can tell you cats definitely do have very distinctive and unique personalities when you own them. You wouldn't get to see that side of them if they're just passing through as a vet patient or shuffling them through a shelter, but if you spend years living with them, you'd definitely notice traits that are unique to that individual.

I've both owned cats & had long-term fosters; and while they all have their quirks, their range of personalities are definitely limited compared to dogs. Mostly because breed variety broadens the spectrum of temperaments/physical attributes/behaviours. Separate dog breeds have been around a long time, so unique that they can be DNA tested for and have individual signatures. On the other hand, the majority of cat breeds are a very new development, so new that we aren't even able to separately read their DNA yet. Most cats are all the same type, and follow the same groups of personalities. It takes long-term selective breeding to change a species so much that they have very unique personalities, and we've only just started doing that with cats.
I think it's slow-going because cat owners usually prefer cats who are cuddly house pets, and there's no need to breed for variety when we already have that. It's been awesome seeing breeds like Abyssinians, Bengals, and Devon Rexs at show though! It's sad that the show world is dying because I think encouraging the development of unique breeds is great for cats as a whole.

I would be hesitant to say cats are "all the same type". Also can you please explain what you mean by "type" since that's a bit vague. I definitely do not deny dogs have more breed variations and historically have been 1) domesticated longer and 2) have had more jobs given to them by humans, but I don't really think it's fair to say cats have less personalities because, not all cats are the same obviously. Every cat is not the same just as a dog is, a human is, a horse is, etc. I've had dogs in my life who had very similar personalities to other dogs and the same with cats, but I know that you can't treat dogs and cats like a species, you have to treat them as an individual. I think, while dog personalities are more well known and better studied, that doesn't necessarily mean that they have "more" personality assuming we are both interpreting having "more" or "less" personality as the same thing.

People misinterpret cat body language, emotions more easily than dogs. In pop culture, a lot of the time cats are lumped (either jokingly or seriously) into these loveless, cold, unfeeling creatures who openly mistreat and dislike their owners when, of course, we know that's not true and they can be just as loving and emotionally complex as dogs, though more subtly. Cat behavior can be just as complex as dog behavior even if it is less studied and less understood.

I think saying "cats are all the same type" can be doing a bit of a disservice to the breed considering the bad wrap they tend to get in society. I have nothing against dogs, but the emotional bonds I've felt with the dogs I've owned definitely haven't been as strong as they have with my cats. I am a cat person though so I can see the bias there. Every person's relationship with their cat and dog will be different, so I don't think it's fair to say one of "more" or "less". The intensity of every animal's personality will be different regardless of species or breed.

I'm happy to agree to disagree. Every cat I've owned has been very different from the last, and as I come to understand cat behavior better, I can say confidently that every cat is different and not every cat is for every owner. Every cat I've met has been full of personality. There are cats that tend to have more dog-like behavior and more traditionally cat behavior, but again, I hope dog lovers are willing to give cats a try and see that they aren't fickle, unloving creatures.

[alizia]

snipping the quote so I don't make my comment super long :D

I was definitely pretty vague about my wording so I'll try to clarify what I mean! When I said "cats don't have as much personality" I meant that cats are physically incapable of having such a broad range of temperaments as dogs due to their lack of selective breeding for unique traits. This will depend on how you personally define "personality..." For me, inherent behaviours and breed traits are integral parts of an animal's personality, because it entirely affects their temperament and how they suit a person's lifestyle.
When picking a dog, you have to think of the following factors; does his energy level suit my lifestyle? Does he have a drive to please or will he be more difficult to train? Do I want a companion or am I looking for a dog for a purpose; such as herding, retrieving, rescue work, service work, etc? Do I have the yard space if my chosen breed needs room to run? Can I handle a breed that's prone to DA? How strict are the grooming requirements? Do I have a tolerance for barking or do I need a quiet dog? Because then I must further narrow the list of breeds who are likely to have my desired personality. Training can control inherited traits, but personality is largely genetic as well. And when there is such a large variety of significantly different breeds, there is a lot more to think about.

I love border collies, which are touted as one of the highest energy dog breeds. I could never own one because they're way too energetic for me. I love abyssinians, which are touted as one of the highest energy cat breeds. I could handle one because the level of a cat's energy just isn't the same. When choosing a cat, there is significantly more leeway, because their traits are limited in that regard; they are also more accessible for people who want the affection of a loving pet but not the maintenance of the typical dog. While there is some variation between cats' level of affection, noise, and energy, I really don't think it's comparable to the diversification in dog breeds; it all comes down to how you define "personality."

[ᴇᴜᴛᴏɴʏ]

i can ply tug-of-war with a dog. with a cat, they play tug-of-war with me...

plus im allergic. which is a shame because i want to shower them in love c:

[jackalantern]

for me personally, I'm very allergic to cats and had to get allergy shots to help with it for three years, and still can't be around them without taking meds beforehand, so in defense of cats I've never been able to get close to them to form a *totally* unbiased opinion. I've never lived in a house without dogs though, so I've had a deep appreciation for them my entire life. it seems like dogs tend to be more dependent on their owners than cats, which definitely doesn't work for everyone, but having my dog to take care of during some pretty difficult parts of my life helped me out a ton, and if I had a more independent animal I don't think it would've benefitted me as much.

I like cats from afar, but because of my allergy I just don't think I'll ever be able to fully bond with one. I have a very deep love for big cats though - tigers are one of my favorite animals.