Cats Make Better Pets Than Dogs

Thanks for the post! Thank you also to those who are following this debate! Voters, please remember to vote based on how the debate actually goes, and not on a pre-round opinion. Grazi! First, I will counter my opponent's argument and then I will point out what I think are the most important aspects of the dog vs. cat debate. 1) My opponent says that dogs are better for cuddling. My opponent also says that when cats snuggle in the night by lying on top of you they are trying to kill you. Firstly, cats are not nearly big enough to suffocate you. Dogs have a much better chance of making you die of asphyxiation since they are so much bigger. My opponent admitted that "whether big or small" dogs will snuggle. Thus, while cats are harmless in this regard, dogs try to kill you and might actually succeed. I know from firsthand experience that they stand on top of you too, and they are often very heavy. 2) Also, cats tend to like physical contact more than dogs, and are thus better snugglers. 3) Plus, if you want more sleep, close your bedroom door. Cats can't open doors. Your point there is not very meaningful. 4) My opponent suggests that cats have retractable claws that scratch humans, and dogs don't scratch humans. While cats do scratch, they do so only sometimes. Dogs have huge claws that are NOT retractable, and hence scratch you every time its paws touch you. Therefore, dogs scratch much more often. 5) Cats like your company. They protect you at night. Their tendency to sleep by you is a sign of affection. Cats are therefore sweeter. 6) My opponent points out that dogs "need" walks and playtime. I couldn't agree more. Dogs force you to spend massive amounts of time with them, even when it is inconvenient. Cats do not require this constant babying, and can keep themselves occupied. Therefore, they allow one to run on one's own time. Also, one cannot leave a dog alone for very long, but a cat may be comfortably left alone for awhile since (s)he is quite capable of entertaining her/himself. Dogs are extremely high maintenance, and not any more fun. 7) You can keep Dawn out of your room by closing the door, but this of course might be mean since Dawn only wants your company. 8) While cats sometimes claw furniture, buying a clawing post stops this behavior. Dogs, not matter how many toys you buy, will tend to chew not only on furniture but on ANYTHING that is left around the house (shoes, electric cords, etc.) Now for my offense: I am not a very picky host. There are only a few things that bother me that guests do. I am fine with guests chewing with their mouths open, or raiding the pantry without asking, or interrupting my stories. What I cannot stand is when a guest pees on the rug, or poops on the floor. This is one thing I will not stand for. Dogs think that a good guest makes a mark on the carpet. It does so only to say "I was here." Cats do not do that, and do not need to be potty trained. Dogs will naturally want to defecate everywhere. In terms of guest behavior, poop is the worst. Dogs poop everywhere when they are puppies, and often when they are adults. They pee everywhere for their entire lives. Cats naturally know good house hygiene. This is a huge deal in terms of pet behavior, and cats definitely win in this regard. Additionally, dogs cannot be used in apartments because they scare everyone nearby with their barking. Cats are quiet and do not frighten mailpeople. Also, if a cat goes feral no human is in deathly danger. If a dog goes feral (regresses into a wolf) humans are certainly in danger. I would prefer having a pet that cannot kill me, like a domestic cat. Cats in this debate round are clearly superior. Vote Con/Neg if you don't like poop! Thank you so much for the fun round.