| pokoko said: (...) That's why I like cats; they're self-sufficient but still pleasant. They're intelligent and don't need constant attention and care. You rarely see starving cats on the side of the road. I like knowing I can go away for a few days and my cat will be just fine. They're soft and nice to touch and yet they don't come with a lot of the negatives (in my opinion) that you get with dogs. The way I see it, dogs are like kids, but cats are like pals. (...) Dogs (and needy cats) just aren't for me. |
This seems like a very one-sided opinion of someone who's been around lots of indoor dogs. I'll agree with you on that point. That, however, was never my experience growing up with my dogs. Even when we only had one Golden Retriever, he never "needed" attention and we would leave him alone for hours, or even the whole day, and he'd be totally fine doing what he does. He was an outdoor dog in a big yard, something that big animals need. He would always call when we needed him, and he loved spending time with us and playing, but he would never beg us for attention.
He also found food just fine by himself (rabbits, avocados, and even birds). Dogs, when given the real living environment they need, do just fine.
Interestingly enough, our outdoor cat was the opposite. While he was good at getting his own food and could be left on his own for hours on end, he would also start meowing like CRAZY whenever he heard my sister's voice (she was basically his owner). He would claw at our windows (destroying our screens in the process) and meow, meow, meow until she finally went out there to give him attention. She'd pet him for a few minutes, head back inside, and then the meowing would start up again. It didn't always happen, though (as I mentioned earlier, he could be left for hours alone).
He spent 100% of his life outside though and always took care of himself and never got eaten by any wild animals (such as coyotes), so I will say I'm very proud of him as a cat. He was way more badass than 99% of housecats.
