Richard

Okay dog lovers -- here's a strong case for the 'dogs being better than cats as pets' argument. In Greenville, Maine, Thumper, a black Labrador retriever, is getting credit for saving a family when a fire swept through their home. Roland Cote said his wife and their 7-year-old grandson were asleep when the blaze started in a converted two-story garage. He said Thumper grabbed him by the arm to wake him, leaving just enough time for him to dial 911 before fleeing the fast-moving fire. And while the dog is the hero, a cat seems to be the villain in this story. Fire investigators believe the blaze was started when Princess, the family cat, tipped over a kerosene lantern. While both pets escaped safely, Princess did get her tail singed by the flames. (Bangor Daily News)


Hey..hang on.. isn't that Stephen King territory?!.. 'Cujo' ,the sequel.. dog saves family.. and then eats them!

COBettaCouple

sirdarksol

Eh, the dog was chasing the cat, that's why the fire started. And the dog didn't have any pure motives, it's just incapable of feeding itself (unlike the cat), so it needed the humans to stay alive. (I love dogs, they're just dumb as rocks)
Besides, it's not the cat that caused the fire, but the stupidity of the humans for having a freakin' kerosene lantern in their house. That stuff burns insanely hot and is really difficult to put out once it starts.

TheEssigs

EXACTLY !! Ummmm, who leaves a lit lantern then goes to sleep... duh.

(not that I am sticking up for cats... I dont like cats... Im allergic)

Richard

"..And the dog didn't have any pure motives, it's just incapable of feeding itself (unlike the cat), so it needed the humans to stay alive. (I love dogs, they're just dumb as rocks)"


I'm guessing you have limited experience with dogs and cats bro.. having grown up with both in a variety of breeds, not only do both species have the basic instincts to feed themself, but I have yet to see a cat display any kind of intelligence and loyalty whatsoever compared to dogs.. heck I see more loyalty and intelligence in my fish than I've ever seen in a single cat.
Maybe you can tell I'm not a big cat lover, but that's only because they aren't much use unless you have a barn full of mice

COBettaCouple

studies have shown cats to be much dumber than dogs, but pigs are smarter than either of them. but it is true that the humans were the dumbest in this story.

and on our trip here, when one of the fish had jumped out of the container somehow, the dog woke them up and stacy got the fish back in before it was too late. if they'd had a cat, it would've just ate the fish.

sirdarksol

I'm sorry, I thought that my post was obviously tongue in cheek.

However, in response to both posts, I have yet to meet a cat that has not shown me friendship, loyalty, and love, even when the cat isn't mine. The cats that I have met tend to be far smarter than the dogs I've met. I have never seen a dog figure out the "doorknob principle" (Far Side reference), yet I have had two separate cats who have been able to open doors, as long as the knobs weren't the round ones.
Dogs are loyal, yes, but many are somewhat blindly so. Cats will more often make determinations based on how they are treated.

Dogs are more likely to defend their family from a physical threat.
Cats are more likely to bring gifts to their family (though most families find this trait disturbing)
In my experience, cats are more likely to spend time with a sick family member (I say "in my experience" in this case because I've only lived with three dogs, while I've lived with many cats).
Both animals are known to come to a dying family member.
Dogs will gorge themselves on food. No matter how much is present, they will eat and eat and eat. Cats will ration themselves (though they will still get fat if their bowl is always full)

Basically, what I'm getting at is that both animals are great pets, and both animals have their intelligent and their dumb points. It is my belief that dogs are considered to be smarter because they think in a way that makes more sense to humans. I have seen cats to be more creative at problem solving than dogs.

Pigs, of course, are far smarter than either cats or dogs. Give me an army of octopi, however, and I will control the earth

COBettaCouple

actually, most cats that i've seen will sit there and look at us like they don't have a clue and i've seen cats eat & eat & eat as long as food was there.. i've even seen a friend's cat stand against the counter and beg just like a dog.. lol

and every dog i ever had or that stacy had has always been very close when we've been sick.

they come in all types, both cats & dogs.. i guess it's just luck which kind you come across.

TheEssigs

speaking of intelligence and usefullness...

I think dogs take it there... you never see a seeing eye cat, or a bomb cat, drug cat, rescue cat or a firehouse cat!! or anything else that requires any type of useful function... (I even saw a documentary where the dog was able to detect and hold down a child before the child had a siezure)

Allie

I have had a dog and have had cats since I was 7. Cats and dogs are equally smart in their own ways. A cat is just less needy.

Here's a quote that is perfect for this thread
I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.~ Winston Churchill

Here are a few more I found funny
~"You can keep a dog; but it is the cat who keeps people, because cats find humans useful domestic animals."-George Mikes

~ If a dog jumps into your lap it is because he is fond of you; but if a cat does the same thing it is because your lap is warmer. - AN Whitehead

~ Cats are the ultimate narcissists. You can tell this by all the time they spend on personal grooming. Dogs aren't like this. A dog's idea of personal grooming is to roll in a dead fish. -James Gorman

~ If animals could speak the dog would be a a blundering outspoken fellow, but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much. -Mark Twain

~ "Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow."-Jeff Valdez

~ "There is the little matter of disposal of droppings in which the cat is far ahead of its rivals. The dog is somehow thrilled by what he or any of his friends have produced, hates to leave it, adores smelling it, and sometimes eats it...The cat covers it up if he can..." - Paul Gallico

sirdarksol

Those are good.
It's an odd cat that doesn't ration its food. The reason that cats are good for people who travel is that you can put a bunch of food in a dish, leave a bunch of water out, leave the house for three days, come back and your cat will be fine. A dog would tear the house up trying to find more food on the second day.

My cats do beg for food, but no more than any dog I've ever met.

COBettaCouple

Dogs were domesticated to perform functions, such as guarding a house, herding sheep and jobs pairing them with humans. Cats were domesticated to be pest exterminators.

Allie

They sure turned the tables on us now didn't they.
Who owns a cat or a dog that does have to clean up their poop? We pay for their food, vets bills...while they just sit there being cute.

Allie

Our cat Georgie is the worst bum...she'll do anything to get your attention if you have food. She flip & rolls, squints her eyes. She actually races you to the kitchen, even if it's just to do dishes

Isabella

You haven't changed my mind anyway, HA! I love BOTH cats and dogs! I love them both the same! And you can't compare a large black labrador dog to a small cat. The pure size of a cat's body makes it IMPOSSIBLE for a cat to save someone 30 times the weight of its own body, lol. And Richard ... I am "sure" the cat started the fire "on purpose" ... yup!

COBettaCouple

Sabi

Dogs are much better and smarter than cats. i love dogs and am allergic to cats but yet we have one!

COBettaCouple

stacy's allergic to cats too.. seems like a lot of people are.. maybe all cats should be like the naked cat in austin powers.