Somebody has told me cats and dogs are equally as good.

Each to their own. I know two ladies who love cats and are not keen on dogs. I prefer dogs and adore them but even then they must be very small and lap dogs that I can cuddle. Some pick a cat so that they find it easier to travel or go out a lot. Others because they can get one for free.
I prefer a dog beca\use they are more bonded with you and loyal, less independent.

You strike up conversations with any passing everyone don't you Frank? I don't know if I'd be so keen to talk to a strange man walking his dog in the dark. Especially if he looked twice at me.
Not that you are 'strange' in any way of course Frank

I had both cats and a dog for many years. They got on with each other extremely well and I loved all of them. Sadly, only three cats remain of my little animal family – but they arrived safely in New Zealand on Saturday. Apparently, they all hopped out of their crates, explored their new surroundings – a cattery with underfloor heating – and headed for their food bowls. Not bad going for 16-year-olds after a hideously long flight. They have to ten days' quarantine, then we can collect them.

Aka

I am not strange but there are many strange people about.

Frank

We have had both cats and dogs and all of them have brought their own love into my family in differant ways over the years,most people I know would if they could give a home to either if the need was there.

glammanana

I don't think I could give a home to a cat or a dog with Andie there. I think he regards the house as his.
He will allow my daughters dogs in the house and they have stayed but he is not over friendly with other dogs in his house.
Andie chased a cat off the garden a while ago and it went in to next doors whose dog was also in the garden and I was told by the neighbours the cat was off like a rocket in to the next garden.
There is a dog in that house but he was not out at the time.
Probably it would not be wise for any cat to be in the close as every house has a dog.

Frank

Its quite normal not to want another animal in your home if your existing pet would not take to it,but in our family we have always had animals of all kinds and have fostered dogs for years when we had the space in the big family home,even now I would never see a animal without shelter be it a cat or a dog (or even that pot bellied pig we fostered) so thats where we differ Frank.

glammanana

I am thinking from a practical point of view.
Cats don't seem to like me.
I don't think it would be good for anybody with a cat to buy a house in the close I am in.
Probably it should be re named Dog House Close.

Frank

Cats are sensitive creatures..

Are you in the Dog House Frank??

The more people I meet the more I love my dog !

Equally as good in what way? Cats are good at climbing trees whereas dogs are totally useless. However, feline barking to deter intruders has a way to go.

absent

Dogs will take you for a walk and will come on holiday with you.
There are guide and dogs for the disabled.
Andie barks to tell me something is going on.
When I am cleaning my teeth sometimes I do not hear the phone so Andie comes in and barks to tell me it is ringing.
An elderly person who I lived by once fell down the stairs and the dog barked constantly for about 10 minutes and the neighbour went in to investigate.
When I lived in London a cat got stuck up a tree and we had to get the fire service in.
Dogs do not climb trees.
What about police dogs?. I know of one personally which has been responsible for several arrests but he is very nice when he is with friends. I think he regards me as one of them and he likes Andie.

Frank

Cats will also go for walks and will tolerate you if you (and the dog) go with them. Stroking cats lowers blood pressure. Cats bristle and hiss when something is going on. If I fall downstairs, an irritable cat will pat my face until I get up or scrabble about enough until I call an ambulance. The fire service will not rescue cats unless you pay these days. No cat in its right mind goes up a tree it can't get down; it just likes to be difficult. Kittens are the exception;puppies aren't that bright either, but just as adorable. No cat would dream of being involved with the Met.

I collected my sole remaining cat from the cattery on Saturday after I had been on holiday for two weeks. He hates the cattery and I knew he would be glad to be home. I expected him to make a beeline for the garden after two weeks confinement but I was wrong. He is like my shadow - I can't move without him following me, he is next to me all the to e and I remarked yesterday that if he could climb inside me he would at the moment. Cats like dogs are individuals and all my cats have been affectionate, but without a doubt they respond to the affection they are given. If anyone gets a cat because they want an independent pet that they won't need to bother with then that's what they will get. But as discussed on another thread they might not get it for l

Oops! iPhone finger!

Meant to say they might not get it for long as cats vote with their feet.

At one time I had 3 dogs and 2 cats in the same house and they lived together in harmony. One of the cats would come with us when we took the dogs round the field, and the Jack Russell liked nothing better than to curl up with the cat and clean her (the cats) ears until they were inside out and pretty soggy [yuk emoticon]

Although we now only have cats, Maurice is very friendly to all, although he did nearly give me neighbour a heart attack the other day when he wandered in to say "hello" as she was carting her shopping indoors. They have 3 greyhounds Maurice was brought up on a farm where Mr P and I were renting a cottage and would often invite Ben the Labrador in to sit by the fire with him. I don't think that Maurice has quite grasped that not all dogs are like that!

absent

I only know of 1 case where a cat went for a walk on a lead.
I spoke to the owner who also had a dog with him and he said when he took the dog for a walk the cat followed behind and got upset on times.
He tried putting a collar and lead on him and he was happy.
Sadly the dog died before the cat but the cat still wanted to be walked like a dog twice a day.
He said that somebody spoke to him about it at some point in almost all of the cat's walks.

Frank

This is true, I'd go one step further and say that cats are actually better, the perfect pet in fact, I think as animals go they are clean, some might disagree with me. Dogs need their excrement bagged up and disposed of, and it smells foul, that's not say that cats' pooh smells ok, but at least they have the good grace to make some attempt to dig a hole and cover it up and you are far less likely to tread in it when out for a walk. They are very independent and don't need quite as much doing for them as a dog would. Having to walk the dog in dire weather would put me off. However, at their best dogs are wonderful and although their devotion is often more obvious than a cat's, the latter can also be extremely devoted they just aren't quite the sycophants that dogs are. Cats don't gang up with other cats in packs and attack random people, never heard of anyone being surrounded by a pack of aggressive cats. Their paws are much nicer than dogs, much neater, they probably cost less to feed. Cats are extremely comical,although they do have a few bad habits like vomiting up fur balls, but we can't all be perfect! Cats have just as many devotees as dogs hence LOLCats website, is there one for dogs?

I have always adored cats, unfortunately I don't have one at the moment as all my family are allergic to them, they might just have to go! I hope I have put the case for cats, I like dogs but they will always come second.

Cairns are cute though Frank, bet Andie is nearly as good as a cat!

BAnanas

I was attacked by 2 cats once but only got a couple of scratches.
For some reason cats do not seem to like me.
May be it is because I am a multi dog owner in some ways.
Andie is mainly my dog because he lives with me but the 2 dogs which my daughters have seem to regard themselves as belonging to all of the family and I think Andie thinks the same.
Cats seem to shy away from my daughters and granddaughters as well as my sons in laws.

Frank

HUNTERF My aunt's half Siamese cat happily walked on a lead and one of my tabbies used to walk on a lead and travel on buses on a lead. The tortie always used to accompany the dog on his late night walk but didn't have a lead. I also used to see a cat happily walking along on a lead in the town where I lived until recently.

I love cats and they love me unfortunately I have a severe allergy to them so can't go near them

absent I'm glad to hear your cats arrived safely. Such a long way to travel at their age! I bet they'll love it when they've settled in

Galen

Somebody told me once she would love to have a dog like Andie but her husband was allergic to dogs.

Frank