I used to be a dog person. For the first 30 years of my life, I thought dogs were the ideal pet. I grew up with dogs and always pictured myself continuing to own them into adulthood. In my mind, cats were aloof, lazy, and not affectionate enough. They didn't seem to bond with or listen to their owners the way dogs did. I couldn't imagine preferring a cat over a dog.
But that all changed five years ago when circumstances compelled me to adopt a cat. And living with a cat completely transformed my perception of them and made me realize how misguided many of my assumptions were. After just a year, I had become a total cat convert. Now when I look back on my time as a dog owner, my main thought is: what was I thinking?
The Loyalty Illusion
If you had asked me what I liked most about dogs back when I owned them, I would have said their loyalty and commitment to their owners. Dogs seem to live for their humans - eagerly following them around, playing with them, obeying commands (sometimes), and getting super excited when they return home. They're so clearly attached to and focused on their owners. Whereas cats, by contrast, give the impression of just doing their own thing and not caring that much about the humans they live with.
I now realize this was a misperception on my part. The apparent "loyalty" of dogs is driven largely by their pack animal mentality. Dogs are wired to follow a leader, whether dog or human. You're not so much earning a dog's loyalty as drafting off its instinct to operate socially in a hierarchy. When you come home, your dog gets excited primarily because it sees you as the leader of its pack returning - like a wolf separated from and then reunited with its alpha.
Cats' psychology and social structure is totally different. They're solitary hunters by nature, not pack animals with a rigid hierarchy. So a cat doesn't relate to you as a leader to follow around everywhere. But that doesn't mean cats are incapable of loyalty or strong attachment to their humans. It's just that when they do develop an attachment, it's a conscious choice on their part - a true bond that they form voluntarily out of affection and trust. The relationship has a different, and arguably purer, basis than the dog-human dynamic.
Interacting on Their Terms
Another thing about dogs that appealed to me, related to their attachedness, was how interactive and playful they are. Dogs are always ready to play fetch, chase a ball, go on a walk, or goof around wrestling with you. Whereas cats struck me as much less eager to actively engage with their owners or do shared activities together. They seemed more content to simply sit there doing their own thing while ignoring you.
After getting a cat though, I came to appreciate the type of interaction they offer. It's true that most cats don't enjoy playing fetch or going on walks. But that's because those are dog activities, not cat activities. The key with cats is engaging with them on their terms with the types of toys and games they're instinctively drawn to - things like cat dancers, laser pointers, string toys, and oversized boxes. Frankly, these are more fun for the human as well as the cat.
The best part is, you're not imposing the activity on the cat or making it perform for you. It's a collaborative form of play that you're both actively and voluntarily participating in. The cat gets a chance to tap into its stalking and hunting instincts while you get to puppet-master the whole thing. When you find a toy or game that really gets your cat fired up, it's a blast - and deeply gratifying to see your cat go into full predator mode because of you.
Also, I discovered that a cat can absolutely be just as affectionate and cuddly as a dog - again just more on its own terms. My cat follows me from room to room around the house. She's always finding creative ways to curl up next to (or on) me, rubbing her cheeks against me, and purring loudly. We have long petting sessions where she totally blisses out. She comes running when I call her name. She's clearly strongly bonded to me and enjoys spending time together. The affection is just as real as that of a dog.
The "Independent" Misconception
Beyond loyalty and interactivity, people often cite the "independence" of cats as a drawback - I certainly used to see it this way. There's a belief that cats are excessively aloof, indifferent to their owners, and resistant to bonding or training. But after living with one, I think this is a total myth.
Cats are independent-minded and won't just blindly obey commands like dogs. But that's a feature, not a bug. They're not subservient animals by nature and it would be weird if they acted that way. That said, cats absolutely can learn to follow rules and respond to training when you approach it the right way - mainly by making it seem like their idea. With some creativity, consistency, and positive reinforcement, you can train a cat to scratch only designated objects, come when called, stay off certain pieces of furniture, and more. You just have to work with rather than against their psychology.
What cats offer is a sweet spot between a dog's sometimes overwhelming neediness and the total non-interaction of something like a fish. Dogs require and demand a huge amount of time and attention. If you don't give it to them, they can become anxious and destructive. They can't be left alone for more than a few hours. Many dog owners end up structuring their entire lives and schedules around the dog's needs.
Cats, by contrast, are much more flexible and self-sufficient. Yes, they require care and attention. And yes, the more time you spend actively engaging with them, the stronger your bond will be. But if you have to go off to work for the day or take a weekend trip, a cat can handle that just fine. They don't need to be walked multiple times a day. They can entertain themselves to some degree. You're working together as a team rather than the cat being either totally dependent on you or dominant over you.
Litter > Poop Scooping
I'd be remiss if I didn't touch on one of the most viscerally compelling advantages of cat ownership - not having to pick up poop. One of my absolute least favorite parts of owning a dog was the constant need to take it out for bathroom breaks and stoop down to scoop up its feces multiple times a day. No matter how long you do it, you never get used to the feeling of a warm, squishy poop through a thin plastic bag. And I can't count how many times the bag somehow broke, leaving me with a palm full of fresh dog waste. Never again.
Cats using a litter box is vastly superior in every way. They instinctively and easily learn to go in the box with minimal training. No need to take them outside at regular intervals throughout the day and night - they take care of business on their own. Scooping litter is so much quicker and more sanitary than picking up a warm poop pile off the sidewalk. You do it once a day rather than multiple times a day, and it's all contained in a neat box rather than out in the grass or shrubs somewhere. Not to mention being able to go away for a night and not have to worry about the cat having an accident in the house because you weren't there to walk it.
There are tradeoffs to everything of course, and in the cat vs. dog debate, people sometimes cite the smell of litter boxes as a point against cats. But this is another non-issue if you keep up on scooping and get a good litter. I scoop every evening and top off the litter once a week or so, and there's no noticeable smell at all. Whereas it's pretty hard to control that wet dog odor, especially on a rainy day - even with regular baths. If anything, I had to deal with more funky smells when I owned dogs.
The Zen of Cat Companionship
Ultimately though, the biggest reason I've come to prefer cats is the overall vibe and energy they bring to living together. With dogs, I always felt a bit like a cross between a drill sergeant and a cruise activities director - constantly having to take charge, issue commands, enforce rules, and provide entertainment. The dog-human relationship is so asymmetrical. Dogs are pack animals and they instinctively put you in the role of the boss whose job is to lead, care for, and keep them in line. That's a big responsibility that takes a lot of time and energy to uphold, day after day.
Living with a cat, by contrast, feels so much more chill and balanced. It's more like a low-key friendship between equals. The cat isn't looking to you to be its master - nor is it trying to dominate you. You're just two creatures sharing a space and enjoying each other's company. There's an ease and lightness to it that I find really relaxing and refreshing.
With a cat, you have so much freedom to simply go about your business and live your life. Your cat will happily accompany you through your day as you go from room to room and activity to activity. Sitting with you as you drink your morning coffee, watching intently as you make dinner, curling up in your lap as you read or watch TV in the evening. There's a special warmth and coziness to having a cat seamlessly integrate itself into the rhythms of your life in that way, without making excessive demands or interruptions.
Of course, as I've said, cats do require a certain amount of attention and interaction. They get bored and lonely if you leave them alone too much. And they thrive on active playtime and affection. It's not like you can just ignore them completely. But compared to dogs, the maintenance level is so much more manageable - and so much easier to mold around your own life and schedule rather than the other way around.
Cats as Teachers
I really do think cats can be teachers of a sort. Their whole mode of being is so instructive and inspirational. They're deeply attuned to their own needs and preferences and unapologetic about pursuing them. They don't contort themselves or compromise their nature to please others - human or animal. They simply are who they are and communicate what they want from the world. And they form their bonds and attachments from a place of voluntary affection, not obedience or subservience.
There's something extremely admirable about that way of carrying yourself through the world. And it's an energy that can rub off on you if you're open to it. Living with my cat has made me more attuned to my own needs, more protective of my autonomy, and more accepting of my introvert nature. It's made me question how many of my behaviors are driven by obligation or a desire to please vs. my true inclinations. It's encouraged me to engage more on my own terms rather than constantly contorting myself.
This might sound a little woo-woo or over the top, but I think there's a real power to adopting some of the cat spirit and seeing where it takes you. Certainly it's changed my personal energy and approach to life since making the switch from dogs to cats.
A Conscious Choice
If you can't tell by now, I'm a total convert to the feline way. My only regret is not discovering the joy of cat companionship sooner. For most of my life, I failed to really see and appreciate cats for what they are and what they uniquely offer as pets and partners. I let the cultural stereotypes and misconceptions cloud my view. But now that I've experienced it first-hand, I can't imagine going back to being a dog person.
Honestly, if someone put a gun to my head and said I had to choose between only dogs or only cats for the rest of my life, I'd go with cats without hesitation. And I don't say that to be provocative or knock dogs. It's just that that's how much I've come to love and appreciate what cats bring to the table and how they fit into my life. The laidback companionship, the communication style, the general vibe and energy of a human-cat household - it just works for me in a way dog ownership never fully did.
At the end of the day, the dog person vs. cat person debate is not one that can ever be settled universally, nor should it be. Different people have different needs, personalities, and lifestyles. And different pets fit better into those. For a long time, I assumed I was a dog person because that's all I really knew and that's what I thought I was supposed to be. It wasn't until I took a chance on a cat that I discovered my true pet personality.
So while I'm clearly in the cat camp now, I'm not trying to convert anyone away from Team Dog. I'm just saying - if you're on the fence or have always assumed cats aren't for you, maybe set those preconceptions aside and give a feline friend a chance. If you're anything like me, you may just discover a whole new dimension of animal companionship you never knew you were missing.
At minimum, I think we'd all do well to take a page from the cat playbook and practice being a little more independent-minded, communicative of our needs, and deliberate about our relationships and activities. There's a lot to learn from these deceptively wise creatures, if only we're willing to watch and listen.