Dogs are much more loved by society than cats

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I was just watching For Dogs Sake with Pete Wicks and Dogs Trust and realised there isn’t anything like this for cats. This is the second season and there’s also been For the Love of Dogs, plus that channel 4 programme The Doghouse and probably loads more that I haven’t seen.

I never see anything like this for cats… I think Jo Brand did one years ago but other than that, where are all of the heartwarming shows about cats needing homes?

I also notice that when I tell people I have 2 cats, a lot of them say “ugh I hate cats” yet when I say I have a dog no one ever tells me they hate dogs. I feel like there’s this almost over the top love of dogs sometimes where people treat them like babies, whereas cats seem to be hated on a lot or seen as the inferior pet. (In general of course! I know there’s many many cat lovers out there)

I agree, it seems to be acceptable to dislike cats but if I say I don't like dogs, it doesn't go down very well. I love cats, they make me laugh with their independence and their bossiness. I find dogs really annoying (with the exception of labradors).

Dogs were domesticated. Cats domesticated themselves. Some people love both. Some people have a strong preference for cats, some dogs. I agree that dogs are favoured in general in the UK.

I happen to be terrified of them. But, there we are then.

Agree totally....

I hear loads of people say they prefer dogs to actual human babies...what utter weirdos...does any other species apart from humans actually prefer a totally different species over its own young?

There are approx 13.5m dogs and 12.5m cats in the UK. So it’s not that dogs vastly outnumber cats. And as @GasperyJacquesRobertspoints out, dogs react, cats judge.
My mother didn’t like cats, in her childhood cats were kept in the barns to control rats. Plus she was suspicious - that witch/evil connection is pretty ingrained. Dogs are pretty easy to read. Cats are not. One suspects that while a dog will pine for its master should they die, a cat will just flick its tail and wander off to the next comfy lap. Plus that weird staring at the wall thing - what’s that about??
(Full disclosure I have two of each).

I have 3 cats and 2 dogs. The cats were in situ when the dogs arrived as puppies a year apart. I quite simply love the dogs more than I love the cats. I DO love my cats but I can understand why dogs are loved more

A lot of other species (including cats and dogs) eat their young so it's not a great comparison tbh.

I wonder how that translates to owners/households though. I think you're more likely to have multiple cats than dogs so in terms of people who have cats/dogs there could actually be a bigger difference.

This is why I do not like outside cats. I don't dislike cats though. I love my own!

I suppose it's because dogs are vital for society in terms of guide dogs, police dogs, dogs who support in hospitals and schools etc-though in older books they mention school cats. Probably for mouse control, in those days. But then, for some people, cats are emotional support animals, and whatever helps the person is what's best for them, so I support everyone's right to their own choice of pet. While agreeing that your statement might be broadly true, there's lots of love for cats too.

I've seen cats on camp sites and I know someone who takes their cat with them in their caravan and when they had to live in another country for a couple of years the cat also went. A very well travelled moggy!

There are various videos on YouTube of people taking their cats to the beach, cats swimming in the sea; also taking them hiking.

I like dogs and always thought I would own one but I really can't scoop the poop whilst out walking ergo I can't have a dog

I don't find scooping out of a dirt tray and cleaning up after my neighbours cat who regularly used to poop in my garden as vomit inducing as thinking about having to put my hand inside a bag and you know the rest

Neither cats nor dogs are indigenous to these islands. They should both be banned. I like cats but I'd put up with them being banned if it meant no more dogs.

It’s true if you say you don’t like dogs or are not keen they act like you’ve just kicked their puppy.

Say you hate cats and you’ll get agreement and 10 ways to stop them entering your garden including hurting them.

Let’s face it if both animals roam free dogs would cause more issues.

Cats kill birds.
Domesticated dogs kill sheep, cats, rabbits, foxes and people. How much worse would a pack of undomesticated dogs be.

Cat shit in people’s garden.
Dogs would also shit where ever.

dogs have owners.
cats have slaves.

Dogs need people and cats don't, really. Dogs are also more complex. Cats just do their own thing and don't really give a fuck 😅I love my cats but I do think people are bizarrely sentimental about them - if I disappeared they would find another food source asap and another human to manipulate and be absolutely fine, if a bit flea ridden! I try not to take it personally...

Whilst I don’t dislike dogs I’m very much a cat lover. Cats do form bonds with you but it’s very much on their terms. If a cat doesn’t want to do it, it won’t which is probably why there has been very little tv programmes about them.
I love my cat to bits and it’s true dogs have owners cats have staff. I sometimes wonder what would happen if someone took their cat on a lead into a restaurant where there was a dog. Could liven things up a bit 😂

Would be chaos. I had my cat in a carrier in the front garden. The Rotty that always walks by started going nuts pulling its owner down the street.

Imagine that in a packed restaurant with hot food. Though I have gone around a market with a man with a bearded dragon on his shoulder.

No people just turn up without asking and checking beforehand and bring their snarly snappy growly dogs into your house (Jack Russell). It was even snapping at their own child.

My cats were able to go off and hide but we had to put up with the nasty creature. They did this to us twice.

I've seen the dog since and old age has made it a lot more biddable, still not going to fuss it

So like cats not being controlled by their owners the same can happen with dogs

If dogs are allowed in restaurants people should be able to take their other pets too. It's only fair. Some rabbits, snakes and spiders would definitely liven things up.

@Purplebunnie my friend walked into my house with her new dog off the lead and it promptly ran into the dining room and chewed one of the table legs. She just laughed and said sorry. Didn't offer to pay for the damage.

I've mentioned this on here before but I knew someone with a pet fox, they used to take it down the pub.

Horses also get taken to the pub but are rarely allowed inside 😂

Cat people don't need TV or celebrity validation. Both we and our feline friends are above such nonsense.

I dislike cats...and I have one lol.

Ha I was coming home and my cat was at at the end of my path. A man walked past with his tiny dog on a lead. My cat was just staring at the dog albeit growing. The dog literally froze to the spot. The guy asked me to lift my cat so he could get by. Not a chance I was going to handle an angry cat! He ended up picking his dog up.

Exactly

People I know that 'hate cats' no longer do after spending time with cats. People just haven't met the right cat

People dislike cats because most cat owners allow their pets to roam and mess in other people’s gardens and to kill wildlife , if everyone kept their cats on their own property then they would be more popular in general .