Dogs are much more loved by society than cats

[Avocad1sh]

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 currently have neighbor cats occasionally shitting in my backyard and it is indeed annoying but NOTHING like the rage I feel (at the owners) when dogs are howling and barking all day and night.

First comment 100% nails it

Signed - a woman who walks her cat 😭😭

I don't think many cats would lower themselves to perform for the cameras even my dopey cat who is far more dog like with needing attention, trying to please than any other cat I have known

People are wary of cats intelligence and upset by their arrogant superior attitude and they do not like that cats feel superior to humans or they I love it and are in some form of unhealthy relationship with their cat/s

What about the Jackson Galaxy programmes? Can't remember what it was called,but I know it was all about cats!

You mean “my cat from hell”?

Dogs are like having a perpetual toddler - loves you, needy, can't be left alone for extended periods.

I liked dogs a lot more before I had children. Now the idea of chaining myself to a canine toddler who will remain like hat for 10-14 years seems an act of self-harm.

Cats will bugger off if a better offer comes along. I respect an animal who has standards.

This and they dont shit all over the park and street and have their irresponsible owners just leave it and dont bark loudly and be a nuisance. Much rather empty a litter tray than dog crap from the ground.

Toddler haha made me remember an old school friends dog. Used to get soooo excited to see you it would pee.

I do love puppies and fussing them but like babies. I don’t want one too much hard work been there done that. Enjoy the easier going preteen and teens and cats.

Also, cats are not bred to be ferocious and kill several children a year like those XL bully things.

This and dog shit everywhere.

Also saw a dog recently pissing against the picnic table right at the kids play park. Disgusting. People sit there !

A dog on the beach ran over and pissed on my friends bag 😮

I was out with another friend and her dog when a male dog ran over and started humping her dog. She screeched, stop raping my dog!

Honestly, dogs can be nasty little shits.

We are a house of 2 cat people and 2 dog people. We currently have 2 cats. I am in no rush to change this. Dogs are a pain the the arse. Cats are fantastic!!

Yes, it's true, there's no equivalent of the heartstring-tugging dog rehoming shows for cats. I suppose cats aren't so easy to film or edit because they probably won't act 'cute' for the cameras as much as dogs will e.g. running up to people, licking their faces (ugghhh) etc).
Pity. There are so many cats needing homes.

This is slightly incidental, but this thread reminded me of it: two people have independently said to me recently, in a conversion about dogs and cats, that, while they 'wouldn't harm' a cat, they'd far rather have a dog as a pet. I find that so weird; why is not harming an animal the flip side of having or wanting one as a pet? . I don't want a guinea pig/rabbit/gerbil, but I'd never say I 'wouldn't harm' one in a conversation about them.

Its easier to relate to a dog. You do things with them and the bond between a dog and its owner is fierce. You don't get that so much with cats.

🤣

I love cats in principle, but find it really fucking annoying that they’re free to roam about and shit all over my garden. Dogs don’t do that.

I guess it would be quite difficult to do a show with cats really. You can’t make them sit still like dogs.

In our Muslim communities, there's a lot more love for cats than there is for dogs. While it would be wrong to say that no Muslims have pet dogs, it's true that dog ownership is extremely low amongst UK Muslims and that many Muslims regard dogs as being unclean and not to be allowed in houses. Cats, however, have a special place in Islam, there are tales of the Prophet Mohammed's fondness for cats and cats are allowed to enter homes and Mosques. Consequently, plenty of Muslim families here have much-loved pet cats.

People have said this to me before as well. Like why do they even need to clarify that?? Weird

Not a fan of cats. Strongly dislike the shitting and murdering wildlife, especially as they often torture whatever poor creature they find - and then just leave it in pieces for someone to find.

I also don't really see the point of them to be honest, everyone says how cats aren't nice to you the way dogs are, so I wonder why bother then?! Though I certainly wouldn't ever dress dogs up or treat them like a child, they are definitely family members in a way cats don't seem to be. People's cats just seem to lounge round the house glaring at them, very occasionally deigning to be stroked - and anyone who has a more cuddly cat says how wonderful it is as it's just like a dog! So just a bit bemused by the idea of them as a pet. I certainly wouldn't tell a cat lover that though, I'd smile and coo as they show me their boring photos.

That’s true.

Each to their own. But historically, dogs were much more useful than cats. They were essential to pre-industrial life as sheep dogs, hunting hounds, ratting terriers, guard dogs, guide dogs etc.

Cats caught mice.

So it isn't surprising they are more highly valued. They are much more trainable.

A working dog is a very different thing to the spoilt, pampered and badly behaved pet dogs that proliferated as a result of endless lockdown puppies.

I disagree with @OtherS - of the 8 cats I've had across my life, all but one has been friendly, loved to sit with us, play with the children etc. The one was an emergency rehome and we took him to prevent him being put down, but it wasn't a normal situation.

I hate dogs, but I never tell dog owners that. They get really upset. It's like telling them you hate their kids! People often tell me they hate cats, they don't care about my feelings. Mind you, I don't treat my cat as a kid, she's a cat, I love her dearly, but she's a pet.
It's like you can tell a conservative voter that you vote labour and hate the tories, but a conservative voter who says they vote Tory and hate labour would get death threats, or at the very least, lose a friend.