A Guide to Cats and Dogs: Which is a Better Choice for Your Family?

Are cats better pets than dogs? Or are dogs the better pets? This is an age old question that can only be answered correctly by each individual pet owner. For those of us that are not sure, there are many factors to consider before you choose either a dog or a cat to join your family.

Which animal is smarter?

Many would argue that dogs are the smarter animal because they can be taught tricks. It is fun to teach Fido how to sit, lie down and roll over. That is, if your dog is smart enough to learn these tricks. Some dogs do better at this than others. Still, most can learn at least a few basic tricks.

Cats, on the other hand, do not do tricks. They will look at you with disdain if you try to get them to sit for a treat. Many cat lovers claim that this proves that cats are, in fact, the smarter animal. After all, isn't it demeaning to perform tricks for treats? A cat would not do something so undignified.

A dog is needy, but so is a cat.

Dogs are very needy creatures. They need you to do many things for them, including taking them outside regularly for exercise and bathroom breaks. Dogs need to sniff and love to roam, so long walks are high on the needs list. A dog that does not get regular exercise will often relieve his boredom by chewing up your stuff.

Some dogs need lots of play time with their owners, as well. Many dogs love to play fetch with a stick or a ball. Some dogs, like mine, never quite caught on to the fetch game. Though, she does like to run around as I throw sticks for her. Whether or not I get the stick back depends on how much exercise I feel like getting.

Cats, on the other hand, are perfectly capable of entertaining themselves. They exercise when they feel like it and don't need to be taken outside for bathroom breaks. Many cat owners have a litter box indoors for the cat's convenience. The cat needs the litter box to be emptied frequently. If the owner forgets, he may end up with cat urine on his bed or some other, inconvenient location. A cat is not shy about telling you when it is unhappy with its living conditions.