I do not want to start a dogs v cats war here - that was just to get you to look And the title of the article below does not accurately reflect the content I thought this article in the mail this morning (I know, I know, I need to raise my reading standards) might interest some of you. Lots of trivia comparing cat and dogs. Don't take it too literally Plus it has a cute photo of a chocolate lab..
It's the old joke isn't it - dogs have owners, cats have staff.... In our home we usually have several dogs and cats at any one time. My OH is the cat person, he likes the independance and" couldn't care less" attitude most cats have, along with not having to train them to do anything but you can still plonk them on your knee in the evening and enjoy their company. I prefer the dogs, I like the bond that forms with training and exercising them and feel they are better companions. Having grown up with cats and watched their behaviour my dogs also think it is perfectly ok to curl up on my knee at night too but I find this a tad less comfortable and soothing than having a warm soft cat on your lap....
They say they measured oxytocin from samples of saliva! Wow. I'd never have thought that would be possible.
I love dogs , all dogs , I also like and respect cats . Interesting article , dogs still win hands down for me but I also have a sneaking suspicion that cats are more clever by far .
That was interesting. With five cats in our house and two regular ferals outside (one of whom wants to be a house cat) it might seem we are more cat people than dog people and I think to some extent, for me, it's true. I love my own equally but I think I like other people's cats better than other people's dogs. The OH, a hunter who viewed cats as killers, needless killers, of small game and had no use for them has competely turned around, and is the reason the ferals outside get food. There is a saying/idea the article did not mention. Dog owners like to be the boss while cat owners are content to let cats do their own thing. Translated to the human work world I've heard it said that the cat owner makes the better boss, content to delegate and let people get their jobs done. Whereas the dog owner type of boss is too bossy, interfering and controlling.
Maine Coons are lovely, Juno was brought up with a Maine Coon at her breeders . I have 2 Abyssinians who are very affectionate, come when called, meet me at the door when I've been out, line up to be brushed and wait for their bedtime treat with Juno, oh and I also get licks from both of them. One of the cats loves to curl up on a lap, the other doesn't. Do they love me less than Juno, I don't know and I really don't care. All I know is that there isn't much that makes me feel better than having the cats and dogs around me, stroking and fussing them and get head rubs and licks in return
Maine Coon's are wonderful gentle giants, and I'd recommend them to anyone. In the case of Remy Martin (Our MC) he also doesn't think he's a cat. He is very happy to come on a stroll with the dogs, and will often seek us out in the field for the morning walk - I've been toying with the idea of teaching him to walk to heel. He already does a recall to 'Breakfast', but only at his own pace....
Can you move Maine Coon cats around? I mean, we spend part of our time in Cornwall. Would the cat mind being packed up with the dog and to live in another place for a while? Could I take one on holiday with me? If so, I don't mind OH having one if he wants.
I have friends with Maine Coons. They spend their time between France, Andorra and Spain. The cats travel perfectly well. J had some clients a couple of weeks ago that have lots of rescue cats. Mainly Maine Coons. One was a big fluffy white thing they had for many, many years. In the end, he couldn't groom himself, so they took him to a dog parlour to be trimmed regularly. The first time, they just dropped him off and asked them to cut his hair. The guy turned up a little while later to pick him up and they'd given him a lion cut: He said he couldn't be cross, because he was too busy rolling about in fits of laughter. The wife was less than impressed when he got home, though, and they found a different salon
We used to have a dog and a cat. We spent weekends and holidays on our narrowboat, moving on every night. The cat slept on a bed during the day (getting lots of comments from passers by as it was by a window) and spent the night outside hunting. She was always sitting on the hatch at first light ready to be let in and fed .
I would love a cat and I'm often tempted but I am put of by the fact that they scratch the furniture.
I know several folk who take their cats away for the weekend to static caravans, their own holiday homes, etc and get on fine with it. Mine are awful travellers and yowl in the car from the moment the engine is turned on until they arrive at their destination. The cat box is usually liberally decorated with something very smelly too so I`ve never tried holidays with cats personally they seem to prefer to stay home.
@Boogie my Abys have never scratched the furniture. Their breeder used to have cat scratchers around and encourage kittens to use them. They currently have a choice of different scratchers round the house. I'm told my animals are spoilt
@snowbunny, a lion cut at all is bad enough but to give one unasked for is criminal. If it was me I wouldn't merely be looking for another salon. It's said cats bond to their house, not their owner. But that certainly has not been true for most of my cats. One came to the farm with us each summer, along with the dog. We let him loose, he and the dog followed us around, even going so far as to walk to the bush at the back of 200 acres to help us bring the cows in for milking. Not all are like that and I think you must get them as kittens to get that kind of bond.
I used to take my big old dereanged ginger cat (Crazy Colin or Mr C) all over the place he went to Cornwall Oxford Stoke on Trent the chip Shop and various other places too. He loved it and was very happy. Friends take theirs camping too. Its just what they get used to and they can be very adapable if you get the right cat..My female was a more stay at home girl. MC are lovely cats I've known a few and they are really nice natured creatures, intelligent and adaptable There was an article in a magazine I red, years ago in which a women walked around the Alps with her dogs and 2 cats. You can clicker train cats too I did with my mad old boy. I also used a target stick with him as it was hard to pick him up as he'd been very badly treated before I rehomed him. I really miss my cats and would love another but we have the murderous dog form hell next door and he would kill any exploring cat or kitten. He spends his time killing hedgehogs and pigeons and trying to kill me and my dogs. I will not get another cat until he's gone one way or another.
My in laws have a long haired cat and he gets a stupid clip from the vet every summer. It's similar to the photos Fiona posted where they only leave the long hair on the head, paws and full tail. It looks completely ridiculous but I have seen how much happier he is with short hair in the warmer months. I personally don't like cats as I've always found them to be snobs and a little unpredictable. I'm convinced they know I don't like them though as they always seem to gravitate towards me!
