Dogs are better pets than cats, and it’s time we stop pretending otherwise.
Having been in many arguments over this topic, I always hear the same rhetoric pushed by cat fans: “Cats are more independent.” “They’re smarter than dogs.” “They can take care of themselves.”
Congratulations, you’ve just figured out a major reason why dogs are better pets.
Dogs are sweet-natured and innocent, needing the support of their owner to get them through the day. They rely on us to take them on walks, make sure they’re well-fed and let them outside to relieve themselves.
There’s a sense of purity in their lack of independence. You are a core aspect of their life. Dogs appreciate everything you do for them. Saying the word “walk” in front of virtually any trained dog gets them overwhelmingly excited just to feel the breeze in their fur and go on an adventure with you specifically.
You don’t get that dynamic with most cats.
Instead, cats seem to think of you as a servant rather than a friend. When you invite a cat into your home, it starts thinking that the home now belongs to them, and you just basically exist as an attendant who runs around doing chores.
From what I’ve seen, many cats simply exist and don’t do much more than that. They’ll sit on the couch and occasionally give you the pleasure of having its gaze set on you for a moment before it gets bored and goes back to licking itself.
If I wanted an animal that barely knows I exist, I’d fill a bowl with water and throw in a betta fish. Its colours are much prettier than that of a cat, and it won’t shed hair all over the place.
Compare this lack of energy to that of a dog. Dogs frequently sit by the door while their owners are out, waiting for them to return home. To a dog, you’re not just someone who’s there to serve — you’re their entire life. They are loyal until the end, and they repay your kindness with truly unconditional love.
They’re also much more fun to play with. Most dogs will happily bring you their favourite ball or chew toy in hopes of playing fetch, or offer you a rope for a game of tug-of-war. When I was a kid, my dog would want to play tug-of-war with my younger brother and I, but because he was much smaller, she wouldn’t tug quite as hard when she was playing with him.
You don’t get that kind of empathy with a cat.
Instead, playing with a cat usually consists of dangling something in front of its face or shooting a laser onto the floor for it to chase — fun moments, to be sure — but again, the cat isn’t particularly interested in you; it likely just wants to attack what it sees moving in front of it. Dogs integrate you into the playtime experience; cats just see “play” as a means to an end.
I’d be remiss to say that cats have no redeeming qualities, or that every single cat is guilty of these issues. I’ve been around cats that want to snuggle or purr as they rub against my leg. These are certainly charming experiences that give me a small glimpse into the mindset of people who enjoy cats. It’s just that the average dog is far more playful than the average cat, meaning the batting average is far higher for canines.
Dogs ultimately don’t live very long compared to humans, so they might only be your friend for a chapter of your life — but to them, you’re their best friend from beginning to end. The pure joy radiated by my dog after I came inside from throwing out the garbage, as if it had been ten years since we’d last seen each other, is enough to convince me that dogs simply have a lot more to offer.
It’s true that dogs are usually a lot more work for their owners due to their lack of independence, and it can be a nuisance having to go outside to clean up piles of feces scattered across the backyard. But the unconditional love and support they give you in return easily makes up for it, and the work quickly becomes worth it for an animal that considers you its best friend.