Cats are better than dogs! Or are they? – Daniil D.
The debate whether cats are better than dogs and vice versa has been going on for what feels like eternity. From the worshipping of cats in ancient Egypt to having a dog in most English households, everyone’s opinion may be valid and you are entitled to one (even if it’s wrong).
I, myself, am on the cats’ side of this debate, however a lot of my friends express opposite opinions to mine. To discuss both sides, I decided to interview a couple of people:
“Dogs are better because they are more loyal. They’re always there for you. Cats, on the other hands are much more clingy and are smaller.”
“Cats are more independent. Dogs rely on you more. But you can do more things with a dog, for example walk them.”
“They’re more independent than dogs. They’re cuter, and don’t smell as much. You don’t have to care as much. On top of that they don’t require as much of your precious time.”
As many of us have noticed, the debate is very intense, and while some take neutral positions, like Switzerland in many historical conflicts, others defend their ideas fiercely. However the real question is – does it really matter?
There is a saying that “people who get dogs want to be loved, and those who get cats want to love”. I agree to some extent: dogs are more dependent and choose their true owner, cats are believed to be lazy and useless. The main argument is that dogs have provided great support for men for thousands of years, which is true, but nowadays dogs present little to no help to an average person; dogs are seen as a member of the family, just like cats, but maybe they are the more independent member.
Nowadays 33% of UK families have dogs and 27% have cats, making it nearly even. In contrast, Russia has 40.8 million cats and only 22.6 million dogs. This shows the complexity of this debate, since different countries and cultures have different preferences when it comes to cats and dogs. (And maybe this is why I am in favour of cats.)
In some cultures, one animal may be regarded as much higher than the other, therefore people’s opinions vary. Additionally, after having one animal, some think they won’t ever find another animal to replace their beloved pet, so they move on to cats or vice-versa.
This once again proves that the relationship between humans and their pets is of the same level of human to human. The same way, that no one can say, which type of partner is best for everyone, no one can with certainty say, which pet is better. Some prefer more dominant partners, who take control of situation, some prefer the opposite: a person who would allow to be led and will follow. This way, some prefer a dog, an incredibly loyal pet, which can be trained to do certain commands and will go through fire and storm with you. Some rely on the love they give to fulfil their emotional needs, so like cats more. And there is another type of intellectual people, who get both.
I accept that most people who read this text will not change their mind, and maybe this was never my intention anyway. I wanted to discuss this matter to get everyone thinking. When you have been thinking one way and never tried to look at this topic from another perspective, it is easy to start accusing and being prejudiced towards a group of people with different opinions. I just want everyone to love what they love and have the pets they want but also be tolerant to those whose opinions differ from yours.
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