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Cat or Dog? Anonymous
I live in a pretty big apartment with my girlfriend and a friend.
This year we wanted to start the year off with a pet. I've always been an animal person, especially dogs. I really want to get a dog.

Girlfriend is more of a cat person, and our other roommate- while willing to put up with one- dislikes dogs.

I promised my girlfriend I'd be open minded to a cat or a dog- but I can't wrap my mind around getting a cat over a dog..
Can /an/ list some pro's and cons of cats and dogs?
>> Anonymous
it doesn't really matter how big of an apartment you have; unless you want some little toy dog, you're best off with a cat until you can get somewhere with a backyard
>> Anonymous
yikes i smell a flame war brewing.

look here's the thing about cats.. i used to not be so fond of them.. the cats i've had in my life have mostly have fallen in the category of either constant hissers & assholes or sweet but very lazy.. but lately i've gotten the most awesome cat ever.. he's sweet but he's very active.. anyway, he's really made me rethink my opinions of cats somewhat.

see with dogs they have the whole separate breed thing going on like say you get a border collie you know if you read enough on the internet or in a book that you damn well had better be ready to play a whole fucking lot of catch/fetch and whatnot. Domesticated house cats don't really have separate breeds. The fur patterns don't really count because I can tell you I've known some bastardly black cats and some really adorable ones too. My current cat is white with grey stripes/markings and as I've said is the awesomest cat ever but I've also seen some pretty lame & asshole-ish cats that are white with grey stripes/markings in my life too.

tl;dr - be prepared for just about anything when it comes to cats.
>> Anonymous
>>196920
I have no problem getting a small dog.
We're on the first floor, with tons of parks around- So I'm not too worried about proper exercise.
>> Anonymous
dogs are kewl. cats drool.

or was that the other way around?
>> Anonymous
>>196921
My problem with cats is that they remind me of teenagers.
They eat your food, make a mess in your house-and you never fucking see them or get anything back in return.
>> Anonymous
I've only ever been a cat owner, so obviously I can't speak to dogs. Here are cat pros and cons though.

Pros: They clean themselves - you only ever need to bathe them if they get into something gross
They don't require walking or terribly strenuous exercise, you can sit there with a laser pointer or a piece of string.
Very affectionate to those they bond with.
There isn't much better than an unexpected rub on your legs
Overall very content provided you love them, feed them, and play with them sometimes.

Cons:
Hairballs.
Cats have vastly different personalities, I'm sure dogs do too but just make sure if you do get a cat that you're sure of its personality first - or are raising them from kitten age.

If you're really uncertain about cats, there are a lot of cats with a dog-like personality. You might want to look into breeds such as bengals.
>> Anonymous
>>196926
I want to get the pet from the shelter, because part of the reason i want a pet is to get at least one animal out of there in my time.
So I can't be too choosy over the breed, though they do have a ton of each animal..
>> Anonymous
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>>196920

Hmm maybe it was just my past experience of having one but I find a Lakeland Terrier makes for a pretty good apartment dog.
>> Anonymous
>>196928

In that case go to the shelter and really interact with the cats to find one which best matches your personalities and lifestyle.

Incidentally, have you ever had a cat before?
>> Anonymous
>>196932
My girlfriend has had two cats, which both currently live at home with her parents (her mother is obsessed and can't bear to part with them even though they're not technically hers)
I've never owned cats, just a few dogs myself.
>> Anonymous
>>196933

In that case I think if you can find a really friendly cat at the shelter (and there's plenty around), you'll probably be just as happy with a cat as a dog. I know I'm heavily cat-biased, but they really are better suited for apartment living.
>> Anonymous
>>196934
I think i could handle a cat if it was friendly and wasn't just a pissy pile of fur.. I had some bad experiences with cats as a kid.

I think I just feel that cats lack in the personality/kinship you can get with dogs..But I've never really been connected enough to a cat to know.
>> Anonymous
Get a ragdoll cat.
Seriously.

Supposedly the friendliest cat breed(with some exceptions). Very affectionate. So much that I hear they shouldn't allowed to be outside since they think everything is their friend.
>> Anonymous
>>196936

You can very much get kinship going with cats, some are complete dicks, others are absolutely wonderful. Of course, thing about cats is that they're often mirrors. If you ignore cat, cat ignores you. When you get to the shelter, ask the person there to point you to the friendliest cat they have, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
>> Anonymous
Maybe get a cat with a doglike personality? I hear Maine Coons are really good in this respect (though also expensive...)
>> Anonymous
>>196937
I looked at Ragdoll cats, and there is a local breeder selling them at a not-bad price!
They look adorable and my girlfriend loves the breed, but I would feel like an asshole not getting a cat from the shelter..gah
>> Anonymous
>>196940
haha never mind that, I'm a douche and though 250$ was the price of the cat..not the deposit.. Shows what the fuck I know about cats
>> Anonymous
Well, if you ever want to have both cats and dogs, you should get both a puppy and a kitten at the same time, so the acclimate.

Just saying.
>> Anonymous
My family has always kept cats and dogs simultaneously. I never really liked one more than the other, our cats have always been kind and friendly, and our dogs have always been.. well, dogs.

Right now, I have a maine coon that I raised from when he was a day or two old. He's about two and a half. He's still extremely active, about 15 lbs, super affectionate, just a really awesome animal. If you could find a maine coon rescue somewhere near you, I'd totally go for that.

I think it really comes down to how you raise and treat your kitten, though. Either that, or I'm very lucky and the seven cats we've owned over the span of my lifetime have all been naturally awesome.
>> Anonymous
Dogs are stupid. Get a cat.
>> Anonymous
So far the decision is leading towards cat, which I'm slowly becoming used to.

Heres another question /an/ if I get a cat, what agte should I get it- and would it be kinder to the cat to get two so they can interact?
>> Anonymous
I was given a kitten for Christmas a few years ago. She changed me from a dog person to a cat person. I think it just takes the right cat, OP. They're really wonderful animals, and having a pet that more or less takes care of itself is a luxury. Sounds like your situation would suit a cat better than a dog, too. Good luck.
>> Anonymous
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Get a dog, unless you want to be infected by personality-changing cat parasites.
>> Bitter Anon !!WJLRQ1cwCyZ
>>197026
Don't scare the OP with that nonsense. I'm toxo positive and I am a perfectly well adjusted person.
>> Anonymous
>>197026
This statement is true.
>> Anonymous
>>197026
OP here, and what the hell is this?
>> Bitter Anon !!WJLRQ1cwCyZ
>>197056
Brainworms. Makes us think the good.
>> Anonymous
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>>197056

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasmosis

It'a parasitic disease trasmitted by cats to humans. Infected men become more emo and antisocial, while infected women become sluttier.

Just get a dog and avoid all that shit.
>> Anonymous
>>197059
All Glory to the Hypno-Toad, and by the way Would you like a Brain Slugg For you and your's?
>> Anonymous
>>197026
>>197056
Some third of all people have toxoplasmosis. It's practically harmless to healthy adults though.
>> Anonymous
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Both are awesome. Niggerhusky is fun outdoors, Odin is fun indoors. My dog and cat pictured.
>> Anonymous
>>196996

For best results if you do get two, getting them as young as possible will have the best results - otherwise age is pretty irrelevant. Also, if you are considering more than 1, ask the shelter people if there are any siblings available for adoption - shelter people will love you for this ;)
>> Anonymous
Tabbys are really friendly too
Oh, and if you get a Bombay make sure you're always nice to it, they tend to play favorites with people. Like my cat absolutely hates me but loves my sister.