11 Ultimate Reasons Why Cats Are Better Than Dogs

Oh, the never-ending dilemma: Cats vs dogs.

This comes to every person’s personal preferences, but, it doesn’t stop most people still getting into this discussion.

Don’t get me wrong, I like dogs, too, and I think they’re just awesome. However, I was surrounded by felines from a young age.

I continue to learn about them every day and I truly find them fascinating companions. After years of working with them closely, I can tell you that they’re just the best!

If you’re still somewhere in the middle and unable to decide on your future pet, check out these eleven reasons why cats are better than dogs.

1. Low Maintenance

Cats are just so much easier to care for.

They don’t need training like dogs do. You don’t have to take them out on several walks daily just to help them defecate. They even do their grooming all by themselves! 

Caring for a dog can be very challenging in terms of leaving them alone at home. Cats can be needy, too, especially when they’re very young. For instance, you can’t just leave a newborn kitten alone, without surveillance, while you sleep.

However, with time passing, cats become more independent and self-sufficient. While they appreciate your company, they’re also fine with being alone for some periods.

On the other hand, dogs are more dependent on us. When you know you’ll be absent for some time, you just need to ask a family member, a friend, or even a pet sitter for help.

In simple terms, cats just don’t require a high level of care as dogs do. In this contemporary busy lifestyle, I believe most people will prefer to have a more low-maintenance pet.

2. Less Expensive

The price of buying and maintaining a pet is, of course, important for everyone. After all, you hope to spend a good deal of years with your furry companion and you need to think of finances here, too.

In this regard, cats tend to be more budget-friendly compared to dogs. Visions Federal Credit Union explains how dogs are more expensive to both buy and care for.

Adopting a cat costs $30 to $300 on average, while adopting a dog costs $100 to $700. If you decide to buy a cat, you can expect to pay around $300 to $1000, while the average price for a dog goes from $1000 to $3000.

Dogs are larger, meaning that they demand more food. They also need items like a collar and harness.

Another important thing here is that most cats take good care of their coats. You can help them with brushing, but, in general, a cat won’t need frequent baths and grooming.

On the other hand, dogs require regular professional grooming, which, of course, costs.

3. Suitable Even For Smaller Living Spaces

When deciding to get either a cat or a dog, you’ll need to think about your living circumstances.

A dog, no matter how large or small it is, requires a decent space. This means that the perfect type of environment for them is a nice house, preferably with a spacious yard.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that it's impossible to live with a dog in a smaller apartment. Some breeds will be just fine living like this.

However, cats are much more suitable in this aspect. They are just more adaptable than dogs and require less space.

Even if you have a very small apartment, you can make it comfortable for your cat just by providing it with some toys, nice opportunities for heights, and a good view of their surroundings.

Also, a litter box will be enough and you won’t have to disrupt your routine to get your pet out on a walk to pee or poop. As we all well know, this isn’t the case with dogs.

4. Cats Live Longer Than Dogs

Different factors can affect the lifespan of both dogs and cats.

Still, cats are expected to live longer on average. According to the New Zealand Herald, dogs live around 12 years, while cats’ average lifespan is around 15 years.

Although it’s not possible to say the exact reasons for this, there are a couple of potential causes.

Some suggest that cats are more solitary, while dogs are pack animals. This prevents felines from catching and spreading infectious diseases.

Also, cats are extremely skillful in defending themselves. They’re both prey and predators, are agile, and aren’t afraid to use their sharp claws.

Dogs have been companion animals much longer than cats. For years now breeders have been breeding them selectively for desirable traits, like specific coat coloring, size, and temperament.

Selective breeding caused purebred dogs to become prone to some genetic illnesses. Cats aren’t as diverse as dogs, meaning that they’re less likely to inherit genetic conditions.

5. A Cat In Your Home Keeps The Pests Away

Annoying pests are something most of us deal with in our homes.

While having a dog may not make any difference here, cats are of great help with this issue! They’re just born predators who love to stalk, hunt, and attack their prey.

So, a feline friend is likely to kill and eat spiders, as well as other bugs and mice. You’ll often encounter a cat just lurking and waiting for its prey to come near.

Some cats will even bring you dead animals to brag about their hunting skills!

6. Cats Are Quiet

No matter whether you decide to have a dog or a cat, there are some adjustments you’ll need to make.

If peace and quiet is something you really enjoy, then owning a dog can be overwhelming. Cats are a lot more quiet. 

They will, of course, meow and make other funny sounds like trills and chirps occasionally. Still, even the most vocal feline's utterances are significantly quieter than a dog's resounding barks.

7. They Smell A Lot Better Than Dogs

Every dog has a certain smell. This is just entirely natural and isn’t something that can be solved with frequent baths, shampoos, and grooming.

When you enter a dog’s parent’s home, you’ll just know there’s a dog around by its specific smell. 

On the other hand, most cats smell good. They’re in general a lot cleaner animals than dogs.

They spend a lot of time grooming. To be more precise, cats spend as much as 30 to 50% of their waking hours on grooming, as suggested by Cat Behavior Associates.

They just love to be clean and smell nice!

8. Cats Make The Perfect Comforting Companions

Dogs are known to be a man’s best friend, while cats have been labeled as aloof for years.

Well, there have been some studies in this area recently about cats as companion animals. I believe that this is an area that we have to learn a lot more about.

Mónica Teresa González-Ramírez and René Landero-Hernández [1] investigated the differences between cats and dogs in the pet-human relationship. The participants in their study were owners of both dogs and cats living in Mexico.

The study's findings revealed that pet owners consistently rated their interactions with cats more positively than those with dogs. Also, they explained they found cats as low-costing, required less responsibility, and involved fewer restrictions in their daily activities.

This study suggested that these owners had a better overall relationship with cats than with dogs.

Coming to a home and cuddling with a purring cat is just another level of comfort. Cats aren’t aloof. Once they get used to their owner, they become the most loyal companion ever.

While dogs are likely to bond with a whole family, cats are more likely to form a special relationship with one person. 

Having a cat means having the perfect companion that will even recognize when you’re down and will do its best to elevate your mood.

9. They’re Less Energetic Than Dogs

Most dogs love to go outside, run, play, and be involved in all of your activities.

Cats are more self-sufficient and less energetic. Coming home after an exhausting day won’t prevent your dog from begging you to get it outside or playing with it.

Cats usually aren’t like this. They will let you have your own time and space and will even appreciate you giving them their own.

Gilbertsville Veterinary Hospital explains how dogs need 12 hours of sleep during the day. Most cats, on the other hand, require around 15 hours of sleeping and napping. This will not be enough for some cats and they will want to sleep up to 20 hours daily!

Felines just need to get a good rest to conserve energy for their hunting activities. 

In any case, it’s a lot easier coming home to a sleeping cat than to a rambunctious dog.

10. They Are Potty Trained More Easily

Potty training is an important part of pet parenting.

As soon as you don’t have to direct your pet where to defecate, your life gets easier! Cats are a lot easier to handle in this aspect, too.

Most kittens will be litter-trained in a couple of days. They just use the litter box instinctively, since they’re so clean and tidy.

In the case of dogs, teaching them to poop in the proper place can be very challenging. 

Usually, it will take up to several weeks, a lot of cleaning, patience, and positive reinforcement to get a puppy on board with the litter box training.

11. Cats Are Less Aggressive And Dangerous

Finally, having a pet in your home should make you feel safe about yourself, your family members, and your guests.

In general, a cat is less dangerous and less likely to show aggressive behavior than a dog. It’s not so rare to hear about dog bites, but hearing a domestic cat hurting a human severely isn’t very likely.

Although cats have teeth and claws and are great predators, they’re still small and almost harmless. 

Dogs, regardless of their breed, are always larger and potentially more dangerous than felines. 

Sure, you can get a scratch from a cat every now and then, but this is usually just about not respecting a cat’s boundaries. 

When treated well, there’s a very low chance that a cat will ever attack you.

Conclusion

Are cats better than dogs?

In my opinion, yes! They both make awesome companions and will make your home a happier place.

However, there are just so many advantages to owning a cat. They’re clean, quiet, independent, suitable for apartments, and not likely to show aggression.

In comparison to dogs, they’re less expensive, less energetic, and a lot easier to take care of.

In the end, the decision to have either a cat or a dog ultimately depends on your own preferences. 

Still, these are just eleven great things about cats that any dog lover cannot deny!

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