Cats are Too Independent to be Pets

Dogs Make Better Pets Than Cats

I. Introduction Outline

A. Premise 1:

1. Everyone loves pets.

a. But what makes the best pet?

b. Let’s face it: pets are expensive.

2. So there are some things you need to consider before deciding what kind of pet you might like.

a. Nothing to costly—so exotic animals are out.

b. How about fish?—okay, they’re fine to look at, but that’s not really a pet, that’s more like a hobby.

c. Hamsters? More like a rat in a cage.

d. Snakes? More like something that belongs in a reptile house in a zoo.

B. Premise 2:

1 When we get down to it, there are really two kinds of pets that people have to choose between: dogs and cats.

a. Some people are cat people.

b. Some people are dog people.

C. Conclusion—but which is better? Dogs.

1 The fact of the matter is that cat people have made a mistake: cats are not the best pets—dogs are. Cats are not even pets. Dogs are pets. Cats are like well-mannered roommates who tolerate your presence so long as you don’t bother them too much.

2 Therefore, this speech will explain why dogs make better pets than cats.

Dogs have been known as man\'s best friend for centuries, and there are good reasons for this. Dogs make loyal, loving, and protective pets that form strong bonds with their owners. They are also highly intelligent animals that can be trained to perform a variety of tasks. In contrast, cats tend to be aloof and independent, and they are not nearly as trainable as dogs. Additionally, while all dogs need some exercise, some breeds are particularly energetic and require a lot of physical activity. This makes them ideal pets for people who enjoy spending time outdoors. For all these reasons, dogs typically make better pets than cats. So dogs are definitely known as \"man\'s best friend\" for a reason. They provide companionship, protection, and unconditional love.

But did you know that dogs can also do things that cats simply cannot? Here are five awesome things that dogs can do that cats cannot.

First off, dogs can be trained to perform a wide variety of tasks, from herding cattle to fetching a ball. On the other hand, cats generally only do what they want to do, when they want to do it. This means that they are not particularly good at following commands or learning tricks. Have you ever tried to tell a cat to go fetch? Have you ever tried to get a cat to jump through a hoop or bark at a suspicious person in the yard? Not happening. Ask a dog to do those things—no problem! Now some of you might not believe that—but it’s true. According to Alpha Trained Dog (a dog training school), “the very short and super over-simplified answer is yes, for the most part, all dogs are trainable.”

Secondly, dogs have an acute sense of smell which they use for a variety of purposes, from tracking down lost humans to sniffing out illegal drugs. Cats also have a keen sense of smell, but it is nowhere near as developed as a dog\'s. That is why police have dogs—dogs—not cats. Dogs! No one has ever heard of a police cat. Police dogs, however, are so great Hollywood loves to make movies about them. Turner & Hooch. K-9. Top Dog.

And since we’re on the subject of dog movies—let’s consider that the best pet movies are all about dogs: Lassie, The Shaggy Dog, Old Yeller, Lady and the Tramp, 101 Dalmatians, Beethoven, Air Bud, Benji, Iron Will, All Dogs Go to Heaven, White Fang, Marely and Me, Balto, Eight Below (Tilford, 2015). What’s the best cat movie? Garfield. A movie about a lazy good-for-nothing snarky cat that couldn’t hold a fur ball to Lassie’s heroics.

Third, dogs are social creatures who enjoy the company of their fellow canines and their humans. Cats, on the other hand, are often content to spend most of their time alone and don\'t seem to need the same level of social interaction as dogs. Cats are independent—which is fine if you want your pet to be more like a live-in roommate who does whatever he wants without every considering your needs. But a dog is like that roommate who is always up for anything. Want to go for a jog? Yeah, he’ll go. Want to go to the park? Yeah, he’ll go. Want to take a ride to the hardware store? He doesn’t care, he’ll ride along. Want to go out by yourself? No problem, he’ll wait by the door till you get home. In fact, the neuroscience of why dogs love us has been studied and shown to show that these pets are literally bred to be our best friends in life (Berns, 2011). They are hardwired to love us, so to speak. They are truly unique among all animal life for that reason.

Dogs have been bred for centuries to work alongside humans. This means that they have evolved to be our faithful and loyal companions. Cats, on the other hand, were domesticated much more recently and have not undergone the same level of human selection. As a result, they are not always as reliable or predictable as dogs. Yet even if they were—they would not be able to pull a sled or ward of an attacker or protect a child from harm. Dogs are friendly, but they still have something of the wolf inside them when they need it (Shipman, 2021).

In fact, dogs are like domesticated wolves: they have learned over the years that they’re duty and focus is on us—not on predators in the wild—but on being man’s best friend no matter what (Derr, 2011). That is a truly remarkable evolution. Cats on the other hand have evolved to be, well, still cats—independent, self-centered, and all about themselves. A dog will give his life for you. A cat will leave its hair all over your pants leg after rubbing up against it and then ignore you for the rest of the night.

All in all, dogs are simply superior to cats in many ways. If you\'re looking for a pet who will be a true friend and companion, then there\'s no better choice than a dog!

Now some may not agree. They may say that, yes, that is all fine and good about dogs—but the independence of cats is actually what makes them the superior pet. They take care of themselves, clean themselves, groom themselves, bury their poop, keep critters away, and don’t demand too much attention. They might argue that when it comes to making a long-term commitment, cats are superior pets to dogs in several important ways. They might say that, for one thing, cats are generally much lower maintenance than dogs. They don\'t need to be taken for walks, and they can usually be left alone for longer periods of time without getting into trouble. In addition, cats are much less expensive to care for than dogs. They don\'t need special food or expensive toys, and they generally don\'t require regular vet care. They will for sure point out that cats are known for being much cleaner than dogs. They will note how their cats spend a lot of time grooming themselves, and they typically don\'t track mud and dirt into the house. As a result, they’ll say, choosing a cat as a pet is generally a wiser decision than choosing a dog.

But they’re wrong—and here’s why. They’re not describing a pet. They’re describing a well-behaved roommate. Cats are so well-behaved, in fact, that after a while you start to think that it’s the cat’s world and you’re just living in it. Even the cat will begin to think this: the cat will start walking around the house as if he owns it. He’ll live little presents for you (like dead mice) in places where maximum shock effect is likely to be experienced by you. Your cat will begin psychologically torturing you in this way just to let you know who the real boss of the house is. The cat knows he is not a pet. Garfield knows he is not a pet. Lassie, Old Yeller, Hooch—they know they are pets, that their boy or man is their master. That is the big difference.

So, yes, you’ll have to wash your dog—but that is not really a good reason to choose a cat over a dog. Just get out the hose in the summer and spray him down: he’ll love it, and you’ll have a good time doing it. It’s a bonding experience. Ever try to spray down a cat? It is not a bonding experience. Your cat will hate you. Your dog, on the other hand, will love you. His brain is just wired that way.

Yes, you’ll have to take your dog for a walk. No, you don’t have to do this with your cat. But walks are like washes—again, it’s a bonding experience. Plus, it gets you up off your butt and outside so you can get your steps in. Cats don’t care about your health. Dogs secretly want to go on walks because they know it’s the least you can do to try to stay in shape. If they could get you to buy a Peloton they would—but they haven’t mastered the art of persuasion yet, so they just stand at the door and bark till you get the leash. We think it’s for them—but they know that it’s really for us. The dog will sit there and watch us watch TV for half the day before he decides it’s enough and it’s time for your walk. That is a good pet. No cat will ever do that for it’s owner.