They are NOT little dogs!

[otto]

This is something that annoys me greatly about how sometimes people talk about their cats.

"She thinks she's a dog because she...." this drives me insane.

A cat is a cat and acts like a cat. Anything a cat does, it's because she is a CAT, it has nothing to do with dogs.

Cats play fetch, they greet you at the door, they roll over on their backs to show yummy tummy, they go for walks with their people. They even come when they are called. It is all normal catly behavior.

The more attention you pay to your cats, the more their personalities will develop and you will discover many delightful things about them, but none of it has anything to do with dogs!

(I am not a dog hater, I love dogs too. But cats behave the way they do because they are CATS, not because "they think they are dogs".)

Thanks for letting me have my little rant.

 

[kailie]

Very well said and I couldn't possibly agree more!

 

[missymotus]

I often describe mine as dog like because it's something people can relate to. Many people are unaware cats can be trained to sit, down etc. That they can fetch and walk on a lead.

It really helps non cat lovers who think that cats are stand offish, only come around at feeding time.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by missymotus

I often describe mine as dog like because it's something people can relate to. Many people are unaware cats can be trained to sit, down etc. That they can fetch and walk on a lead.

It really helps non cat lovers who think that cats are stand offish, only come around at feeding time.

Thank you for your reply, but I disagree with you. I think it accomplishes just the opposite. It is deprecating the catliness of your cats, to tell people they are "like dogs".

In my opinion:

People who don't understand cats will understand them even less, if you tell them your cat "acts like a dog".

It just feeds the sentiment that "dogs are better". It is saying that cats don't have their own individual characteristics, they are simply carbon copies of dogs.

(and for those who don't remember carbon paper, a carbon copy is not a complimentary thing to be)

People who don't understand cats should have it explained to them that cats act the way they do because they are cats, not because they are "like dogs".

I don't know if I am expressing my feelings on this very well, but it is something I feel very strongly about. It goes beyond pet peeve.

It is about portraying cats as they really are, characteristics they have in their own right, not because they are "like dogs".
.

 

[mystik spiral]

First off, I have to say that I have nothing against dogs. We always had dogs growing up, and although we had barn cats when I was a kid, they were never allowed in the house EVER. I grew up believing that I didn't like cats, despite the fact that I knew nothing about them.

If I didn't live in a condo and if I had a yard, I probably would have adopted a dog and not a cat. But I'm so glad I have a cat. In the 18 months or so that I've had Holland I have learned SO much about cats. On one hand, I find them so intriguing I can't believe there are so many people out there (like I used to be) who just don't understand what they are about. I feel like anyone who learns to "get" the cattitude will fall in love with them all. On the other hand, I do believe it takes special people to love cats as much as we do.

I too think it does cats a disservice to say they think they're dogs. I mean, really... what cat would actually sink to that level?

(I'm joking, I'm joking...

)

 

[at129]

Wow, this one really got me thinking! (Uh-oh...wall of text starting in 3...2...1...)

I've been guilty of this quite a bit since Sophie came into my life. Mostly it comes from pure lack of experience with cats. My family has had dogs (and various other small animals...rabbits, hamsters, fish, birds) my entire life, but never cats, and my few experiences with cats was mostly of the "oooh, don't try to pet her, she'll scratch you" variety.

Cats have a very pervasive reputation for being standoffish, extremely independent, and in many cases, not terribly cuddly or people-friendly. Now that I have a cat of my own (and have "seen the light!"), I firmly believe that this undeserved reputation is perpetuated because many people who get a cat, don't really have any idea of their potential to be anything more, and so they just sort of turn them loose and don't work at nurturing that potential, or their relationship as pet and owner. Then, when a cat does certain things, the immediate reaction is "Wow, just like a dog!"

So, I think I do understand where the annoyance comes from, Otto...this totally undeserved stereotype that leads people to believe that dogs have a monopoly on trainability, affection, etc. That said, (and this is just my opinion, of course), I don't really see a problem with making a comparison of the two species, IF it's used as a starting point to educate people on the real potential of cats as pets. For instance, if a friend remarked on Sophie following me around the house "just like a dog!", my response would be to point out that cats and dogs SHARE quite a few characteristics and behaviors, and in some cases for the same reasons and motivations. The cat isn't imitating the dogs or learning the behavior from them (heck, the cat doesn't even LIKE the dogs!), she's just sticking close to her owner because we share a bond and she wants to be close to me (okay, it doesn't hurt that I am the keeper of dinner and treats).

I hope that made sense!

 

[mazobear]

Cats and dogs have a shared ancestry, the original animal was a small mammal called Miacis. Later the evolutionary tree diverged into Felidae, Canidae, Mustelidae, etc. So it stands to reason that these creatures all have similar behaviors.

The main difference between cats and dogs, as personalities, anyway, is that cats are usually solitary (obviously, lions and domestic colonies excepted - and domestic colonies behave exactly like prides) and dogs are pack animals. Canids' survival depends upon being part of a pack. They work together and have a specific hierarchy. Humans are much the same; this contributed to dogs' earlier domestication and the fact that they are so easily trained to obey humans (substitute pack.)

That said, I agree that it does cats a disservice to be compared with dogs. I find it so sad that so many self-proclaimed dog people despise cats, yet most cat people are just fine with, and very often love, dogs. Dogs are natural sycophants - it's part of their survival - and it seems to me that dog supremacists have a need to dominate and to be obeyed; they may also crave the unquestioning worship and loyalty that dogs provide. Hitler, it should be noted, was a dog person.

As for myself, I like dogs. But they do not inspire in me the near-reverence that cats do; I was tempted to shave my eyebrows, as ancient Egyptians did, when one of my cats died. The very traits that dog supremacists say they hate - independence, mystery, the fact that cats cannot be commanded - are the very traits I find so admirable and attractive.

 

[otto]

The main difference between cats and dogs, as personalities, anyway, is that cats are usually solitary

this is another misconception about cats.

Cats are NOT solitary. Thus the term "Feral colony". And the fact that my cats seek each other (and me) out, and how strays will always gravitate toward human contact no matter how frightened they are.

Cats are not solitary creatures! As some one else wisely pointed out in this thread, this aloof reputation cats have is facilitated by people who don't understand what cats are really like, they get cats and ignore them.

"The cat is a solitary creature and does not need much attention, so since I'm never home, and I want a pet, I'll get a cat". That is wrong on so many levels, and I cannot tell you how many times I have read things like this, and (gently) educated the poster to their mistake.

Naturally, if you don't pay any attention to your cat, you are never going to discover the delights of her friendly personality. She'll withdraw, or drive you crazy screaming at you when you ARE home, depending on her personality.

There are exceptions to everything, but in general cats do not do well left on their own.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by at129

Wow, this one really got me thinking! (Uh-oh...wall of text starting in 3...2...1...)

I've been guilty of this quite a bit since Sophie came into my life. Mostly it comes from pure lack of experience with cats. My family has had dogs (and various other small animals...rabbits, hamsters, fish, birds) my entire life, but never cats, and my few experiences with cats was mostly of the "oooh, don't try to pet her, she'll scratch you" variety.

Cats have a very pervasive reputation for being standoffish, extremely independent, and in many cases, not terribly cuddly or people-friendly. Now that I have a cat of my own (and have "seen the light!"), I firmly believe that this undeserved reputation is perpetuated because many people who get a cat, don't really have any idea of their potential to be anything more, and so they just sort of turn them loose and don't work at nurturing that potential, or their relationship as pet and owner. Then, when a cat does certain things, the immediate reaction is "Wow, just like a dog!"

So, I think I do understand where the annoyance comes from, Otto...this totally undeserved stereotype that leads people to believe that dogs have a monopoly on trainability, affection, etc. That said, (and this is just my opinion, of course), I don't really see a problem with making a comparison of the two species, IF it's used as a starting point to educate people on the real potential of cats as pets. For instance, if a friend remarked on Sophie following me around the house "just like a dog!", my response would be to point out that cats and dogs SHARE quite a few characteristics and behaviors, and in some cases for the same reasons and motivations. The cat isn't imitating the dogs or learning the behavior from them (heck, the cat doesn't even LIKE the dogs!), she's just sticking close to her owner because we share a bond and she wants to be close to me (okay, it doesn't hurt that I am the keeper of dinner and treats).

I hope that made sense!

Yes, your example is good, as it is a way to educate people about cats. It's someone else saying "your cat is acting like a dog" and you are correcting them.

It's when cat people say "my cat thinks she's a dog" that my hackle goes up.

She doesn't think any such thing. She is a cat, and: "In a cat's eyes, all things belong to cats" and that includes behavior.

 

[mystik spiral]

Originally Posted by otto

There are exceptions to everything, but in general cats do not do well left on their own.

I hear about THAT every time I leave Holland alone overnight!!! My kitty has quite the "colorful" vocabulary for someone so young... It might sound like meows to the untrained ear, but I know when my cat is chewing me out.

I think the misconception that cats can take care of themselves stems from the fact that they don't need to be walked, let outside, etc. Cats ARE independent, but they are not solitary. When I've had to leave Holland for a day or two, and once she gets past voicing her objection to having been left alone, she makes it perfectly clear how much she has missed me.

 

[strange_wings]

You know... I don't believe a cat even thinks it's a cat. If that makes sense.

While I've never really seen a cat copying dog behaviors, I have had dogs raised in a home with multiple cats and that tends to affect dogs a bit.

 

[mystik spiral]

Originally Posted by strange_wings

You know... I don't believe a cat even thinks it's a cat. If that makes sense.

Well, Holland seems to think she's a princess. Of course, I'm sure that has NOTHING to do with the fact that I call her "pretty princess" approximately a hundred times every day...

 

[thf]

Interesting thought! Being a cat lover who happens to also own a dog, I sometimes say my dog is "cat like." I am guilty

But I guess I'd say cats & dogs have more in common than people give credit for sometimes.....so yeah....I agree with the OP. It does not bother me in any way though....so long as people are taking care of their pets and being responsible.

 

[ebrillblaiddes]

I've had more experience with cats than with dogs, so comparing cats to dogs isn't something that would pop into my head. However, I don't think the comparison is always automatically wrong.

My

Chilsa

, for example, had some behaviors that were not, in my experience, typical cat behavior, like waiting on the porch (he was allowed to go outdoors when we lived somewhere safe enough--I got him as an older cat and he didn't adjust to being indoor only, although I insisted on it for a while when we lived in a neighborhood that I didn't even feel safe going out in) when I was expected home and waiting out by where I parked my car when I came home late. I've never had another cat do that, and I've had a lot of cats. BF referred to that as doglike behavior and I can't say that he's wrong.

Cat behavior and dog behavior are overlapping ranges; it makes sense that some cats might sometimes act in ways that would be more usually expected of dogs, and some dogs might sometimes act in ways that would be more usually expected of cats. And some things they both do, like tear things up (more or less depending on their training).

 

[mystik spiral]

Originally Posted by ebrillblaiddes

Cat behavior and dog behavior are overlapping ranges; it makes sense that some cats might sometimes act in ways that would be more usually expected of dogs, and some dogs might sometimes act in ways that would be more usually expected of cats.

This is true, however, I think the OP's point is that you would never hear someone saying that their dog is "acting like a cat". IMO, dogs get the better end of the great pet debate, precisely for the reasons that have been mentioned in this thread. Most "dog people" know right off the bat that there is a definite time investment involved in having a dog. But people who are too busy to care for animals all too often think that they can get cats because cats can take care of themselves. And then those cats end up lonely without enough interaction.

I'm ashamed to say that I got a cat thinking the very same thing many people think - they are low maintenance, they take care of themselves, and they don't need daily interaction. Luckily for both me and my kitty I spent a lot of time reading up on cat behavior after I adopted her. I have friends and family who don't understand that I cannot leave her alone for days on end. "She's a cat", they say, "she'll be fine by herself". They don't realize that I spend at least a couple of hours a day playing with her, that we have nightly cuddling sessions on the couch, and that the best part of my day is when we go to bed for the night and she crawls under my covers and attaches herself to my leg.

Also, I can't convince the people in my life that my cat is a loving, sweet little being. She is deathly afraid of people, and she hides when anyone comes to visit me. I can't tell you how many eye rolls I get when I express just how important she is to me, and that she doesn't ever hide from me, even after a visit to the vet! Let me tell you, I now have a complete understanding of (and sympathy for) the whole "crazy cat lady" stereotype. My friends & family who have dogs don't get it, because their dogs just love everyone who gives them a pat on the head. If only I had a dollar for every time someone has told me that Holland just "needs more exposure" to other people.

Yes, if someone moved in with me, I have no doubt that she would warm up to them in a week or so, but she is not going to love on a person she doesn't know.

Sadly the most harmful evidence against cats is the fact that they are so easily litter-box trained and can be free-fed. My dog-owning friends have to get home "to let the dog out" or "to feed the dog". It's like people think that because cats manage to poop in a box and don't gorge themselves on any food put in their vicinity (well, SOME cats anyway...

) it means that they don't need companionship and interaction.

Whew. Now I'm ranting!

 

[thf]

Hehehe.....I consider my dog "cat-like" in more ways ( yeah yeah and I know a dog is "dog like" and a cat is "cat like") I say this because he is pretty low maintenance (which is something I love about cats). I do consider cats to be less work, but also that is coming from someone who goes above and beyond for my dog and my cats health and behavioral needs. The three of them are a pretty healthy compatible pack/pride. The dog is so gentle and quiet. I have to make sure the cat doesnt steal his food while he is eating. The dog just backs away!! But actually....to me what makes him "cat like" is he sleeps a lot & is very patient and gentle....and dependent, but not an "in your face" type. When i meet people with dogs who jump, bite, bark non-stop, destroy the house, eat poop then lick you, drag their owners down the road, its a reminder to me why I love my cats.....and my "cat-like" dog.

 

[mystik spiral]

I think the bottom line is that all dogs and cats have their very own personalities and shouldn't be generalized based on their species.

to those of us who love our animal companions for who they are. When it comes right down to it, we shouldn't classify cats as "cat-like" or dogs as "dog-like" any more than we can classify humans as "human-like".

 

[jennyr]

I am a life-long cat person who has just acquired my first dog. At first I could not get used to Tasha not being a cat, and I treated her much like a cat, though she soon disabused me of that. After two months I am beginning to see just how different the two species are, both to be loved and respected in their own ways. But obviously when two species share a house, especially when one is in the minority (chez moi, 1-8) then both will adapt to the other and to the existing rhythm of the house. They share the same toys (though the cats ignore Tasha's rubber bone!) and Tasha is becoming friends gradually with individual cats. Both Tasha (dog) and Persil (cat) play fetch with me. Tasha wrestles with Bonaparte and they chase each other. All my cats know their names and come when called, though this is something Tasha learned more quickly. All of them know some words - come, treat, dinner, cheese, out, no and down being the ones I use most often! Tasha has a guilty expression when she does something wrong, so I know immediately if she has peed on the floor. Most cats would simply pretend it was nothing to do with them, though Biscotte has guilty behaviour body language.

So many characteristics are shared, and come out as part of an individual's behaviour, reinforced by surroundings and daily routine.

 

[furbum]

Hmm.. I wonder if I am doing cats a disservice when I say that Bootsie is like a rabbit. Thing is she has only a powder puff for a tail (it looks exactly like a rabbit tail and she was born that way). Also she has a spinal injury (also born with that) and hops in the way that a rabbit does because I guess it is more comfortable for her to move her back legs together.

I guess I don't really see the harm in comparing our cats to other animals. Even if a cat can fetch it really isn't very often that they do in my experience, though I see dogs doing it all the time. Is it as easy to train a cat to fetch, or to sit?

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by furbum

Even if a cat can fetch it really isn't very often that they do in my experience, though I see dogs doing it all the time. Is it as easy to train a cat to fetch, or to sit?

I've never trained a cat to fetch. It's something they do purely on their own with no training. Ironically, I've only ever had one dog who would actually fetch, yet I've had multiple cats who have.
Other training depends on the cat. They're motivated differently than a dog is, but can be trained. I do have a couple that know what sit means and sometimes listen.