Cats: What does your opinion say about you?

PostHack

People who don't like cats generally don't have any real experience of them. Having a "pet" cat that you occasionally see on the windowsill isn't having a pet. What's the point?

People with the usual (Irish) experience of cats are amazed when they see our cats playing and being affectionate and having individual personalities.

Any cat that gets plenty of attention and human contact from kitten-hood will have a personality to match any dog.

It's like feral children versus "normal" children.

Its Behind You!

Its Behind You! wrote: »

Indeed, I wont go too much into what I do for a living, but there seems to be a greater love for dogs and a deep dislike/hate for cats held by people who are a bit more "vunerable", shall we say.

Thats your opinion of those who dislike cats? That they're vulnerable? No judgement there at all.

I think that an intense dislike either way, might reveal elements of a persons characteristics or life experience...

Comments like the above reveal quite a bit about a persons characteristics too.

I like cats and dogs, but prefer dogs. Cats are fun, but stupid in comparison.

looksee

I don't see how you can say cats are stupid, they have trained me really well.

angeline

PostHack wrote: »

People who don't like cats generally don't have any real experience of them. Having a "pet" cat that you occasionally see on the windowsill isn't having a pet. What's the point?

People with the usual (Irish) experience of cats are amazed when they see our cats playing and being affectionate and having individual personalities.

Any cat that gets plenty of attention and human contact from kitten-hood will have a personality to match any dog.

It's like feral children versus "normal" children.

I agree with this entirely. We always had dogs growing up but I was given a stray kitten and I can honestly say my cat is more affectionate than any dog we had. They all have their own unique personalities and if they are given time and affection you will always get that back.

looksee

looksee wrote: »

I don't see how you can say cats are stupid, they have trained me really well.

As soon as I hear of any:

Police Cats,
Search And Rescue Cats,
Drug Cats,
Guard Cats,
Seeing Eye cats,
Hearing Assist Cats or
Bomb sniffing cats,

I'll revise my opinion of how smart they are.

Odysseus

Its Behind You! wrote: »

So you hear some folk say "I don't like cats, they're selfish, dogs are loyal" and the reverse I've heard said too, "Cats are independent and clever, dogs are dumb and needy".

Well I reckon opinions like that reveal more about the persons character than the natural characteristics of an animal...what ya reckon?

I don't know, should I make it part of formal assessments?


Edit: I'm sitting here with my dragon writing this what does that say about my personality?

looksee

Candie wrote: »

As soon as I hear of any:

Police Cats,
Search And Rescue Cats,
Drug Cats,
Guard Cats,
Seeing Eye cats,
Hearing Assist Cats or
Bomb sniffing cats,

I'll revise my opinion of how smart they are.

Its Behind You!

Candie wrote: »

Thats your opinion of those who dislike cats? That they're vulnerable? No judgement there at all.

No, that's a generalisation, that's not what I'm saying.

Its Behind You!

Odysseus wrote: »

I don't know, should I make it part of formal assessments?


Edit: I'm sitting here with my dragon writing this what does that say about my personality?

I would say the tone of your post would say more about you than your choice of pet.

Odysseus

Its Behind You! wrote: »

I would say the tone of your post would say more about you than your choice of pet.

That's is interesting, tone is very difficult to assess in posts, I think it causes a lot of ill feeling at times. However, you seem to interpreted it in one way, now the question is are you right or wrong.

Teyla Emmagan

looksee wrote: »

I don't see how you can say cats are stupid, they have trained me really well.

Before I got my cat flap my cat would just sit on the front door step and howl until I got up and let him in. When I was lying in at the weekend he would jump onto the bed and shriek at me until I got up and fed him.

Cat had more smarts than I do.

dodderangler

Hate cats
Their sneaky little ba5tards
Dogs are real pets
Obedient and loving
Most people will feel a lot safer having a dog in the house rather than a cat
I'd rather have my ferrets in the house than a poxy cat

Fr_Dougal

Cats are vermin. They're for people who don't really want to look after a pet but want to be able to tell everyone that they're an animal lover.

'I love the way my pet goes off for days at a time', said no normal person, ever.

Odysseus

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Cats are vermin. They're for people who don't really want to look after a pet but want to be able to tell everyone that they're an animal lover.

'I love the way my pet goes off for days at a time', said no normal person, ever.

TBF not all cat owners let their pet roam free, causing problems for other people. Some owners are responsible and do not let their cat out to roam.

Teyla Emmagan

How come cat lovers never hate dogs but loads of dog lovers hate cats?!

My conclusion is that cat people are actually animal lovers and dog people who hate cats are untrustworthy psychopathic freaks.

It's scientific, innit.

I love cats, I feel like i can understand them.

It might be due to the fact that our family always owned a cat while I was growing up.

I like dogs as well, they're more fun than cats, although they require more effort to keep!

What does my opinion says about me? I guess I'm a sneaky, selfish introvert who doesn't want to rely on anyone

Odysseus

Deleted User wrote: »

I love cats, I feel like i can understand them.

It might be due to the fact that our family always owned a cat while I was growing up.

I like dogs as well, they're more fun than cats, although they require more effort to keep!

What does my opinion says about me? I guess I'm a sneaky, selfish introvert who doesn't want to rely on anyone

I don't think it says much in general; yeah of course it says something about you as a subject; however, I don't think that can then be transfered to all cat owners.

I was a meeting one day, someone felt they needed to add that the client keep snakes; and that this implied
something sneaky about them. I asked then what did it say about me that I keep a dragon and that shut them up.

Keeping my pet says something about me, but that cannot be applied to others who keep dragons or other types of lizards.

To turn back to that meeting, all that person was doing was projecting her thoughts about those who kept snakes on to that client.

Edit: just seen that was your first post, you poor thing!! Welcome to boards

Odysseus

Odysseus wrote: »

I don't think it says much in general; yeah of course it says something about you as a subject; however, I don't think that can then be transfered to all cat owners.

I was a meeting one day, someone felt they needed to add that the client keep snakes; and that this implied
something sneaky about them. I asked then what did it say about me that I keep a dragon and that shut them up.

Keeping my pet says something about me, but that cannot be applied to others who keep dragons or other types of lizards.

To turn back to that meeting, all that person was doing was projecting her thoughts about those who kept snakes on to that client.

Edit: just seen that was your first post, you poor thing!! Welcome to boards

Judging by your vocabulary and writing skill, you are without doubt a thoughtful and intelligent person.

Thank you for the welcome to Boards woo hoo

looksee

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Cats are vermin. They're for people who don't really want to look after a pet but want to be able to tell everyone that they're an animal lover.

'I love the way my pet goes off for days at a time', said no normal person, ever.

Can't say that I ever heard a cat person saying that either.

So I gather you didn't actually read my post...

Originally Posted by looksee

I don't see how you can say cats are stupid, they have trained me really well.

GLaDOS

I love cats I like dogs as well, though sometimes find them a little needy, but that's just me.

People who don't like cats seem to resent the fact that they don't fawn over people as much as dogs do.

GLaDOS

Candie wrote: »

As soon as I hear of any:

Police Cats, http://www.infinitecat.com/cat-tales/police-cat.html
Search And Rescue Cats, http://carca.ca/
Drug Cats,
Guard Cats, http://www.businessinsider.com/hermitage-st-petersburg-cats-2012-6
Seeing Eye cats, http://www.animalintelligence.org/2008/08/14/libby-the-seeing-eye-cat/
Hearing Assist Cats or
Bomb sniffing cats, http://www.flickr.com/photos/merwells/4974780422/

I'll revise my opinion of how smart they are.

See links for some examples

Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusik

Mince Pie

I don't like cats simply because I don't like getting shredded by their claws everytime they come near me and also not the biggest fan of chocolate starshape in my face. They also only seem too give affection when they want food.

I love dogs cos they are fun, can take them for a walk (also recommended for people with depression because of this fact) and great for cuddles.
Don't care what that says about me cos it ain't gonna change.

OneArt

I wish people would just shut the f*ck up about this.

Cats and dogs are different animals. They do what they do to survive. Dogs are pack animals and survive better in groups, hence the loyalty.

Cats are solitary creatures and have learned how to manipulate humans somewhat. It's all down to the survival of their own species.

I think humans are selfish for expecting an animal to give them unconditional love and obedience. Dogs will give it because they have the protection and comfort of a family. Cats will only stick around if there's something in it for them. And why shouldn't they? Cats don't owe the human race anything. We used them to get rid of vermin and now just keep them as pets or living toys.

Conmaicne Mara

Cats serve no useful purpose once the mouse trap was invented. Scratch furnishings, piss and **** where they aren't supposed to, let roam across peoples property at will by a lot of "owners", kill wild birds and frogs better than most wild animals. Most crazy women seem to adore them however, which says enough.

Fizzlesque

Candie wrote: »

As soon as I hear of any:

Police Cats,
Search And Rescue Cats,
Drug Cats,
Guard Cats,
Seeing Eye cats,
Hearing Assist Cats or
Bomb sniffing cats,

I'll revise my opinion of how smart they are.

http://www.thedailymews.com/catchat/seeingeyecat.htm

" We hear a lot about seeing-eye dogs and their wonderful work in guiding blind people. I would like to tell you about my seeing-eye cat who helped to guide his dog friend who went completely blind.

Mancat was one of a litter of six newborn kittens tossed into the garbage by persons unknown at my husband's work place. Naturally, my husband bought them home and I bottle-fed them. Mancat's five pretty sisters all found wonderful new homes and were of course spayed.

Mancat was a very ordinary looking black and white kitten. No one wanted him so he stayed.

Mancat grew into a very large and very beautiful cat. He was raised with my dogs and formed a special attachment for Mary, my old black Pug. Due to an old injury, Mary was blind in one eye and the sight was failing in the other. She was fourteen when she went completely blind.

We only realized her sight was gone when we noticed Mancat's behaviour. He started walking beside Mary wherever she went. If I moved a piece of furniture he carefully guided her around it. When she walked outside and down the steps to do what dogs have to do in the garden, he went with her. He stood beside her at meal times to make sure the other dogs didn't take an unfair advantage and raid her dinner bowl. He even guided her into bed at night.

As she grew older, we made little steps so Mary could still climb on our bed, the place where she always slept. Every night this wonderful cat helped the old dog negotiate the steps. Then he curled up beside her to sleep.

Mancat was Mary's eyes for the next two years, until she passed peacefully away at the age of sixteen. He mourned for her in the few months he survived after her death.

I was taking the dogs and cats for their evening walk in the back paddock when they startled a Tiger snake. A highly venomous and aggressive Australian snake, Mancat was the one bitten. He didn't make it to the vet. We buried him beside Mary, his friend.
I know this is a sad story but I think it is also a beautiful one. I will never forget the love and loyalty of my seeing-eye cat.



-- Anne Jordan <deerhounder @ bigpond.com>"

Where To

For me animals fall into three categories

1)Those you can eat

2)Those you can train

3)Those that are useless.

Cats are useless.

Chiorino

Always liked dogs and despised cats. My opinion on cats has softened over the years though, mainly down to the fact my place would be crawling with mice without one of the little feckers.

Chuck Stone

I get the feeling that people who hate cats and love dogs are a bit on the control-freak and needy side.

Also, I don't get the whole 'a cat will eat you when you are dead' bollocks. I don't give a **** - eat away - I'm dead.

Conmaicne Mara

Fizzlesque wrote: »

http://www.thedailymews.com/catchat/seeingeyecat.htm

"Cashew, the 14-year-old lab is blind and deaf. Her best friend is 7-year-old Libby, her seeing-eye cat. Libby steers Cashew away from obstacles and leads her to food. Every night she sleeps next to her. The only time they are apart is when Cashew goes for a walk. Without this cat, Cashew would be lost and very, very lonely. Amazing but true: this is one animal that knows what needs to be done and does it day in and day out for her friend. – - Terry Burns"

The ALF are to animal extremeists as Sinn Fein were to the IRA......

"...sources with the Animal Liberation Front refuse to condemn the macabre act..."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2004/oct/17/theobserver.uknews

Shryke

I like both but would have a dog over a cat any day of the week.
As for disliking a certain animal, I can't say I see the how that works. I think that anyone who equates loyalty to stupidity, while ignoring very clear evidence that dogs are very smart, probably has serious trust issues or their not very bright themselves.
There is no comparison for me as far as having a pet goes. Cats are fairly silly self indulgent things. Sometimes affectionate, most times asleep or wanting to be fed.