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Originally Posted by mrsD
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Cats are very much like children also.
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Ok, so let's get it out there:
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Similarities between cats and young children . . .
1. They want your attention when they want it and do not expect to wait for it.
2. Regardless of what you are doing in the bathroom, they are coming in.
3. No matter how many times you tell them not to play with their food, they will still do it.
4. They accidentally urinate in the wrong places sometimes.
5. When they eat too much food too quickly without chewing, it usually comes back up.
6. When they are tired, they can pretty much take a catnap anywhere.
7. If something small is mysteriously missing suddenly, they probably took it.
8. If there is a glass of water sitting out on the table, they cannot resist sticking their hand in it.
9. They cannot suppress their curiosity and get themselves into some hairy situations because of it.
10. They have no qualms about waking you up just because.
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[Cats] seem to be able to plan in a minor way.
Predators have to plan to catch things to eat.
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. That sounds like a similarity with dogs.
. Aside from lions, cats are solitary hunters. Wolves/dogs hunt in packs, which requires planning, communication with, and aniticpation of, their fellow hunters.
Cats DO plan by lying in wait on top of the refrigerator until some hapless human comes by to be pounced upon, or darting out in front of a human's path to.... I'm not really sure why they do that;
. I just know they do it, and it's intentional, whether planned or spontaneous. I've known a couple of small dogs who play that same game.
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All our cats know "all done" as a sign that something is over, or a treat is gone, or they are leaving the vet. They visibly react to "all done". Weezie still fetches, and Houdini fetches 1 in 5 throws now. I have a large basket with all their toys in it..
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All our dogs (and those they've been educated with) know "All gone", "No", "Leave it", "Wait", "Ok" (the general/universal release word) and on average, 125-250 other words. They fetch until the human ends the game. They have a container of toys, and in addition to fetching each by name, will put them all away again when instructed. Dogs can be fairly easily taught not to engage in certain behaviors; cats just wait until no-one is around.
For the most part, dogs have 3 basic kinds of games they play innately:
1. Chase & retrieve (fetch, tag)
2. Possession (includes "tug-o-war" and "I've got it and you don't")
3. Shake & kill
Depending on the dog's role/function/job, some are best avoided to prevent aggressive behaviors; others, if channeled sensibly, can be a lot of fun.
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Oreo makes a special meow for OUT...
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Dog noises have different meanings as well. Cats are claimed to be able to make over 100 distinct sounds, while dogs are alleged only a couple dozen (I am dubious of the latter having watched countless YouTube videos of talking dogs & cats) but I'm not terribly concerned until
. . It's also advisable (and easier) to curb most dogs' vociferous abilities/proclivities earlier than later. I don't know if curbing a cat's vociferousness is even possible other than shoving a bowl of food under its face or letting it through the door. Our dog's protective instinct just kicked-in about a week ago (he's 2-1/2) so now he has an alarm bark as well as the many others we've identified & channeled. He knows the difference between "speak" and "whisper" (many dogs learn that easily) and when to apply each.
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Cats and dogs are very smart, if we listen to them and watch their body language.
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Desmond Morris wrote (at least) two books on the subject:
Dogwatching
Catwatching
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I think the differences are in neediness, and clinging type behaviors.
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I think that's what a
cat person might say; a
dog person might say that dogs are more social and family oriented. I might say the differences are that cats are aloof and narcissistic, whereas a cat person might say independent.
I think it's as silly to make these comparisons as it is to make comparisons between cat and dog people, because they're entirely different species, many of the "traits" compared are anthropomorphizing, and I doubt they (in the case of people)
completely accurately fit anyone here.
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[Cats] do not "beg" for attention unless hungry (or wanting play when kittens).
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I
beg to differ. (pun intended
. ) Our cat would walk around the house vocalizing for no reason at all other than she felt like it. She'd beg to go out or come in (whereas the dogs waited quietly and patiently by the door), complain if she wasn't getting petted NOW, or if someone was sitting in HER chair, etc. She had her own taste in music as well, and was not shy in her criticisms.... (Though she liked sitting on my lap when I played the guitar, she had utter contempt for DW's banjo.
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Cats do not like a dominant human, and prefer quiet type interactions. They will do wonderful things, if they want to please you though.
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Dogs do not like a dominant human either; this is old information and a myth. They want, and feel secure with, a LEADER or
pair of leaders. They do wonderful things all the time, and LIVE to please you,
especially working and sporting breeds, but all breeds instinctively. It's their nature, and contrary to what some people think, it is
not from any sense of insecurity.
Dogs will go to great and imaginative lengths to illicit laughter from humans. Ours have all been called, "Laugh Magnets" for good reason.
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While Oreo is afraid of big trucks, she loves them when they are NOT moving.
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That's probably a good thing. Small animals (like cats) like machines for the warmth they provide. Many auto mechanics (though hesitant) may relate stories of cats wound up in fan belts, etc. because they were napping someplace warm under the hood of a parked car when the engine suddenly started. Last time I went for a blood draw, there was an unusual sound under the hood as we pulled into the lab parking lot. When we got out, a chipmunk scooted out from the engine compartment - it had ridden the whole six miles (undoubtedly in terror) from home to lab.
Doc