Dogs or cats?

[Simurgh]

There is a cat that often comes up to my house. I feed him, water him, and give him attention. He has to be someone's cat though because he is very well behaved, is not shy, very friendly, and shows up at my door every so often. I'd let him in but he isn't fixed. When I get some extra cash I might take him to a low-cost spay/neuter clinic because whoever's cat this is (I named the guy Trevor) is obviously not a very responsible care taker.

All my animals are fixed first thing. I ended up with that many because other people do not act responsible in that regard. Mine are either from the shelter, strays, or kittens I got from people who gave them away in supermarket parking lots.
The dogs are/were all from shelters too.

What drives me crazy is people who anthropomorphize their pets and won’t neuter/spay them because they think they are taking their “sex life” away from them. What a bunch of crap. Animals mate, they hardly miss a sex life without the hormones that make them fertile. Men especially have issues neutering their dogs—a few vets told me that. It’s just an anecdotal thing.

For some dogs it is necessary. But with proper raising and training it's not so much of an obedience issue as it is a behavioral issue. Irish wolfhounds, for example, often 150 or more pounds, and are extremely massive dogs. It is absolutely imperative that an owner proper raise them to be exceptionally well behaved because there simply is no controlling a dog that size without having to use the force of multiple people or other means. Pit bulls are another breed that must be well behaved, because an ill-raised and trained Pit Bull can be very aggressive and very dangerous. Or with a Tibetan Mastiff, they require regular socializing so they can learn and hone their sense of what behaviors to tolerate and allow, and what kind of behavior is unacceptable around them..........

Yeah, one of my dogs was a mastiff, and without obedience training we would have all been dog food. He weighed more than me.

 

[Koldo]

What drives me crazy is people who anthropomorphize their pets and won’t neuter/spay them because they think they are taking their “sex life” away from them. What a bunch of crap. Animals mate, they hardly miss a sex life without the hormones that make them fertile. Men especially have issues neutering their dogs—a few vets told me that. It’s just an anecdotal thing.

I don't think that's the sole reason for people not to neuter their dogs even in cases they should. It is also because men can easily put themselves in the place of the animal.

 

[Simurgh]

I don't think that's the sole reason for people not to neuter their dogs even in cases they should. It is also because men can easily put themselves in the place of the animal.

yeah, some people are of course simply irresponsible in general and do not have much concern for animals.
True, men and dogs..............

 

[Penumbra]

Both dogs and cats have advantageous qualities.

Personally, I'm not a pet person. They require a lot of attention and cleanup, and I generally feel kind of bad about taking an animal, making it so that it never breeds over its life, and keeping it around. I was around a lot of pets when I was younger and I have friends and family members with pets, but personally I don't think I'm going to have any more pets.

That being said, I prefer cats over dogs. They're quieter, cleaner, and mostly take care of themselves. My dad's cat always tries to bite my feet when I go over his place, though, so I don't really like that cat.

I actually like snakes and parrots more than dogs or cats. Snakes are low maintenance and fun to hold. Parrots like cockatoos, macaws, amazons, and african grays are my favorite pets, since they have a ton of personality. It's fun to talk to them, or hand them food to eat, or pick them up and hold them, or pet them under the wings or on the cheeks or around the neck (the ones I know tend to really like that).

 

[apophenia]

Parrots like cockatoos, macaws, amazons, and african grays are my favorite pets, since they have a ton of personality. It's fun to talk to them, or hand them food to eat, or pick them up and hold them, or pet them under the wings or on the cheeks or around the neck (the ones I know tend to really like that).

Cockies etc are way smart, and extremely social. They bond very closely with humans.

There is a very sad fact related to this - most cocky owners acquire their bird when they (the humans) are 35 or older, and the birds are very young. The birds have a very long lifespan, and are bereft when the human dies. Serious deep grieving and depression, often accompanied by pulling their own feathers out, and other signs of severe mental breakdown.

Anyone planning on acquiring a cocky or similar needs to know this, and ensure that there is an ongoing support crew of humans familiar to, and loved by, the bird after they die.

There are organisations (like WIRES in Australia) who understand this and can provide therapy and rehabilitation for the birds, which is a long and complex process.

 

[Penumbra]

Cockies etc are way smart, and extremely social. They bond very closely with humans.

There is a very sad fact related to this - most cocky owners acquire their bird when they (the humans) are 35 or older, and the birds are very young. The birds have a very long lifespan, and are bereft when the human dies. Serious deep grieving and depression, often accompanied by pulling their own feathers out, and other signs of severe mental breakdown.

Anyone planning on acquiring a cocky or similar needs to know this, and ensure that there is an ongoing support crew of humans familiar to, and loved by, the bird after they die.

There are organisations (like WIRES in Australia) who understand this and can provide therapy and rehabilitation for the birds, which is a long and complex process.

I know that all too well.

My father had parrots when I was a child (the biggest was a macaw). I took care of them when I was young. When I went to college, he had issues taking care of them. The macaw had mild feather-plucking as a result of not being handled and pet very often, since I was the one that mostly handled and pet him over most of my life, and I was gone.

Eventually, I had to do extensive research in order to find a good new home for him. Since an older large parrot can be difficult to get adopted because they are often bonded towards one or a few people and aggressive towards others. He'd bite most people other than me. For me, he would let me hold him and pet him all over and he'd talk. After a lot of research and then a rather long drive, I found him a great home with someone who could professionally rehabilitate him a bit and then give him to a knowledgeable family to patiently bond with. His feathers healed up nicely (luckily it was pretty mild to begin with) and he's happy now.

This is one reason I'm not particularly a pet person anymore.

 

[apophenia]

I know that all too well.

My father had parrots when I was a child (the biggest was a macaw). I took care of them when I was young. When I went to college, he had issues taking care of them. The macaw had mild feather-plucking as a result of not being handled and pet very often, since I was the one that mostly handled and pet him over most of my life, and I was gone.

Eventually, I had to do extensive research in order to find a good new home for him. Since an older large parrot can be difficult to get adopted because they are often bonded towards one or a few people and aggressive towards others. He'd bite most people other than me. For me, he would let me hold him and pet him all over and he'd talk. After a lot of research and then a rather long drive, I found him a great home with someone who could professionally rehabilitate him a bit and then give him to a knowledgeable family to patiently bond with. His feathers healed up nicely (luckily it was pretty mild to begin with) and he's happy now.

This is one reason I'm not particularly a pet person anymore.

A lucky macaw to have you around.

My life has been majorly affected by the needs of cats. My partner's daughters wanted her to get them a cat about 15 years ago. I tried to point out to them that this could be up to 20 years of responsibility to a thinking, feeling, emotionally connected being, but hey, they were kids. Then one of them got herself a cat when she left home, and within a year it didn't suit her lifestyle, so I ended up bringing her ( the cat) home, and there were two cats.

For the last 15 years, my partner and I have had almost no holidays away from home together. One of the cats is very feisty and prone to asthma if stressed, so I know (at least strongly suspect) if we left her at a cattery she would probably stress out badly, possibly fatally. She is a very empathetic cat, and gives a lot of comforting to myself and my partner if we are emotionally stressed for any reason ( she actively comforts, with hair licking etc, she is very aware of our emotional state).

So yeah, pets are wonderful, but they are not stuffed toys, they are beings who rely on us totally, and whose emotional life is as real and significant as a human's.

My experience with cats leaves me wondering about people who say cats are aloof and independent. I find that they are very emotionally connected. They can live without that if the human doesn't bother to show some sensitivity to cat reality, but they certainly love close bonding and reciprocate care and affection.

 

[Koldo]

That being said, I prefer cats over dogs. They're quieter, cleaner, and mostly take care of themselves.

I actually like snakes and parrots more than dogs or cats. Snakes are low maintenance and fun to hold. Parrots like cockatoos, macaws, amazons, and african grays are my favorite pets, since they have a ton of personality. It's fun to talk to them, or hand them food to eat, or pick them up and hold them, or pet them under the wings or on the cheeks or around the neck (the ones I know tend to really like that).

You prefer cats over dogs because among other things they are quieter, but on the other hand your favorite pets are the loudest ever. The irony.

 

[Penumbra]

You prefer cats over dogs because among other things they are quieter, but on the other hand your favorite pets are the loudest ever. The irony.

That's the one thing I didn't like about parrots. The noise.

Not all parrots are loud, though. My father has a parrot that is very quiet. She gets a little bit noisy in the afternoon, but less than a dog.

The macaw could be ear-screeching loud. But it would generally only do so for a small window in the afternoon.

On the other hand, when I've stayed over houses with dogs, some of them bark all day.

 

[Sand Dancer]

After having many dogs and most not working out for one reason or another, I am officially a cat person. They are devious, yes, but they are easier to take care of, are cleaner, and are sleekly beautiful.

 

[dgirl1986]

People always ask me if its one or the other but for me its both.