Dogs or Cats, and is it all Toxoplasmosis?

Chel Owens

“Mom, do you like cats?”

I thought about it, eyeing the orange tabby he cradled. “No, not really.”

My son faked a scandalous expression. “Who doesn’t like cats?”

“Me, that’s who…”

© Chel Owens

I can understand his confusion. Cats are the only animal we voluntarily care for at the moment, besides his Christmas-present turtle. The cats are the first pets we’ve invited in and kept. I hold them, talk sweetly to them, and feed them. Any second, however, I expect they’ll go for my throat.

© Chel Owens, from when we first brought them home.

I’m just not a cat person. I am, and always have been, a dog person.

My life dream was to travel the country in a pickup truck with several dogs. If I had to have a home, it was going to be a ranch where they could run. I relate far more to Charles Muntz of Up with his posse of trained canines than I do to Madame Adelaide Bonfamille of Aristocats.

Look, I know dogs are dumberer. I got it. And it’s not like I love ALL breeds of dogs. It is like I dislike all breeds of cats, and especially dislike certain breeds.

I think it comes down to trust. I know, given the option, that cats would take over the world, lock us up in a pit, and forget completely about humanity. Dogs, on the other hand, would invite us over for games and treats.

What about you? Are you a cat person or a dog person? Why?

—————-

Here are last week’s posts:
Wednesday, January 19: Admitted that no one likes housework in “Neverending Lau-ahn-dreeee.”

Thursday, January 20: Announced the Terrible Poetry Contest. There’s still time to enter a sonnet!

Friday, January 21: An a-maize-ing Friday Photo.

Saturday, January 22: I found my feet! -in poem

Sunday, January 23: A quote by Henry B. Eyring about struggles.

Monday, January 24: “I’m a Mormon, So” I receive personal revelation.

Tuesday, January 25: “Daddy’s Here.”

©2022 Chel Owens

62 thoughts on “Dogs or Cats, and is it all Toxoplasmosis?”

  1. I’m definitely a cat person. My mom has had cats since before I was born, so I grew up with them, and fighting with one particular cat for my own bed. My husband is convinced our cat thinks of him as a tasty morsel, but I’m clearly her person, so I get all the affection and none of the, “I’m going to eat you when you’re dead.”

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  2. Definitely Dog. Cats bite the hand that feeds them. Who does that? Even the nice ones are just marking you – mine, mine, mine – when they rub around your legs, and not because they love and want you all for themselves, they just want more territory. Greedy little critters. And they’re just hoarding your warmth when they cuddle up close. Dogs genuinely want to play with you and give you kisses, and they can hardly wait until you come home every time you’re out. Not just when it’s time for their dinner. Most dogs are a lot more willing to do what you like to do as well. They even remember what you like and do it again, and again. Wow! I think cats remember too, but they use it against you whenever they feel like it – which seems to be most days. 🙂

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    1. I do wish dogs didn’t eat so many inedible things that are incredibly gross. And I thought you were going to suggest cats liked to rip holes in you! Our cats do love to pick at everything. Of course, for the brief time we had a dog, she ate the sprinkler pipes, grass, and apricot tree…

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  5. I love cats! In fact, I like most animals. I love dogs too. Honestly, 99 percent of all cats are sweethearts. Did something happen in your childhood that made you dislike felines?

    I never had an issue with a wacky cay UNTIL recently. My most recent kitty, a lost Maincoon I saved about four years ago after a hurricane. He was a rare one. A feral cat who I cared for and he became a happy loving kitty. He slept with me nightly and followed me everywhere. However, when I was put on My most recent batch of chemo it caused severe reactions from my cat. It’s rare and can happen with dogs and cats. When getting chemo infusions you smell differently, especially right after an all day treatment. You are told to drink a lot of water and try to evacuate as much as possible and use a separate bathroom from others in the house for a good week after chemo. What nobody mentioned is that chemo can affect your animals. My cat would hiss at first. And then after a week he’d be all lovey dovey again. His behavior slowly changed until one time he got really confused. He happily ran up to me and then when he caught my scent Poor kitty went crazy and bit the heck out of me.so I had no choice. I found him a loving home,( A mom and her teenager daughter who adore him). He felt threatened by the way I smelled when I went to weekly treatments for chemo. My previous treatment was once a month, but getting chemo every week really didn’t get it out of my system, and so I became a stranger to kitty. It broke my heart, but if I want to live I have to focus on my health.I have reoccurring ovarian cancer. I will be on and off chemo for the rest of my life. And I can’t live afraid of my cat. So I cried, but made a choice to give up my cat to a . I’ve only had sweet loving kitting in the past. I ve never had a cat bite me until cancer. Some other patients have had similar reactions from pets.

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    1. Wow; I’d never heard that about chemo! We had to re-home my dog because she just didn’t get along with other dogs, kept running away, and I realized I didn’t have the time or energy to train her. I’m sorry about your sweet cat.

      Most of my experiences with cats were negative as a child, yes. They were all so grumpy! Our current cats are sweethearts.

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  6. I’m a critter person. There’s good and bad in both dogs and cats. The rabbit we had was great, too. My son has had a couple of rats. Some people count reptiles, which he had frequently, as pets, but I’m not crazy about them.

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  7. I think cats are greatly unappreciated. Every meow sounds like a threat but they only saying thank you. They don’t have the vocal range of a dog. My cat of 17 years has trained two dogs (they have passed on) and although we’d like another dog the cat deserves some peace and quiet in her dotage.

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  9. Cat person here. I’ve had 2 cats in my life & they were the best – Charlie from when I was 4 to 18 and Cookie for 2004-2019. Very chilled most of the time although Cookie used to love playing hide & ambush & run away again. We’d also chase each other around the garden and go on occasional ‘explores’ away from the house (not very far to be honest as he would get nervous but always felt braver with me with him). Sigh – still miss him. My eldest daughter has a right scamp called Figaro aka Mr Figaro Cat – he was in a list of ‘top cats to follow on Twitter’ – https://www.autostraddle.com/20-cats-to-follow-on-twitter-in-2022/

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  10. I’m 100% a dog person. I’ve been around primarily big dogs my entire life. I’ve enjoyed them all except for one we got from a shelter. She was sweet around people, but a switch flipped, and she became ultra aggressive around other animals. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was only a matter of time until she killed another dog. I hated that feeling of not trusting her, but she had a screw loose or some history. When I tried to take her back to the shelter, the owner refused her at first. Every other dog we’ve owned has been sweet, loyal, and gentle.

    When my wife and I first got together, she had a cat. She had to give it up when she found that she was allergic to it.

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    1. Well, allergies are one problem. You can’t always get around those.

      I’m sorry about your dog. Our dog had social problems, too. She wouldn’t kill the other dog but would do …something that made the other one nervous so *they* invariably attacked *her*. It was the weirdest thing.

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  11. I am definitely a dog person and make no “bones” (pun intended) about it. I am so glad to hear you are as well. I knew I enjoyed your writing. My wife wanted a cat five years ago and trying to be a good husband I said okay. The first one she adopted was the psycho cat from Hades. I “forgot” to close the door one day and never saw it again. The second one is my buddy Wallace. He’s the only cat I’ve ever liked. He’s an outdoor kind of guy which means no cleaning littler boxes or smelling, well you know… He’s chill and hangs on the front porch day and eats – several times a day. He was malnourished when we got him so I let him eat what he will, which is usually three squares a day.

    As for cats being smarter – I’m not sure that’s true. A dog has the vocabulary of a three year old, learns how to help around the house (my two do the dishes every night…), and follows commands (for the most part). Cats – they can crap in a box. Enough said.

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    1. 😀 😀 I was aiming for evil genius vs helpful friend in my observations. Your cat from Hades is pretty much my usual experience with them but I’m glad to hear you have a nice loafer now. 🐈

      I need to get me some of these dogs that do the dishes!

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    1. 😀 Dogs are a bit impulse.

      The cat, though – she still nearly kills me just walking out to feed them. Or she gets kicked accidentally. What is it with cats and winding around your legs even when you’re moving?

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  15. I was a dog only person until my daughter asked us to look after her cat. She had a pair but the dominant one was bullying the other and it stopped eating. After a little while it’s shy personality came out and it’s a sweet little thing, completely clueless. We’ve now also semi adopted Steve, the drug dealing cat (Named after our drug dealing neighbour who left to move interstate). He’s also a lovely cat, very polite and good natured

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  17. Both…but if I really had to be pressed it’s cats, because I am way more like a cat than a dog. But as Betty is presently cuddled at my side, I really do love my pets…

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  20. To be scarily honest lol I’m not a pet person…. BUT if I had to have one, I’m a dog person in real life (but I loveeee kitten pics lol)…

    I truly (no not really) believe CATS can feel our fear and toy with our emotions LOL ….

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  22. I think if you looked at the percentage of “Good Individuals” among dogs and cats, you’d have a much higher percentage among dogs. Cats can be good, but many or maybe even most don’t care to resist the wiles of Satan. Some dogs are bad, but alot of that can be chalked up to bad owners, too.

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