Of course, all animals are great, but that doesn't mean that every animal is best suited for you. For me, I love both cats and dogs, but I knew that for my lifestyle, a spunky little Pomeranian would get bored in my little 700 sq. foot apartment. I looked into getting a cat, and while there are cat fanatics out there (I believe we call them crazy cat ladies, but hey, there's no shame in that!), they do have an odd reputation for being uncaring and aloof.
However, I put those unfavorable rumors aside and went to a nearby cat rescue with the idea that maybe I'd bring a cat home. Well, needless to say, I fell in love with a cat who I re-named Kitty. As a side note, I understand that "Kitty" isn't the most creative name in the world, but that's just the name she seemed to respond to; I like to think that she's the one who chose the new name. ;)
So for our second blog post, I wanted to dispel the rumors "that once you get a cat, you become that cat's slave." So without further ado, I introduce the top ten reasons why I believe that cats make greatest pets!
1. Cats Love a Good Challenge
Kitty is well aware that her water bowl is only a few feet away, but she had a point to make here. She wanted to prove that although she looks silly trying to drink my water from the small pink cup, she can succeed in doing the difficult task at hand.
2. Cats Are Fearless; No Amount of Danger is Too Great!
When I see a scorpion, my natural instinct is to freak out and put a glass over it. For Kitty, however, she laughs at the face of danger! Just look at how she's ready to pounce! See? Like dogs, cats have protective instincts, too.
3. Cats Love to Cuddle
One of the biggest misconceptions about cats is that they don't really like their humans. Dogs get all of the credit for being the cuddly and affectionate pet, but I believe this picture here just proves otherwise.
4. Cats Love Kisses!
Cats are very affectionate, and like dogs, they give you kisses to show their love. The greatest thing about kitty kisses is that they don't leave your face feeling slobbery and gross.
5. Cats Miss You When You Leave
Some naysayers may say that Kitty is just looking outside or plotting her escape. But let me tell you this: she wasn't looking out the window before I went for a walk that day! She went to the window after I left. It's obvious that she was waiting for me to come back.
6. Cats Will Greet You at the Door
This goes hand-in-hand with Number 5, but it just further proves that cats really do miss you when you're gone. On this separate occasion, as soon Kitty heard me coming through the door, she decided to come say hello!
7. Cats Love to Play!
Another misconception is that cats just want to lounge around all day, and only get up when they want to eat. Although a game of fetch isn't their favorite thing in the world, they do enjoy a good feather on a string.
8. Cats Can Be Lazy Too, But That's Okay!
One of the great things about cats is that they don't need to be high-strung balls of energy all the time. It's very calming when you aren't trying to keep up with your pet (dog) running around and acting crazy at every chance it gets. This equals to lower stress, which equals to lower blood pressure. Who would have thought that cats may actually improve your health, too?
9. Cats Are Curious Creatures
I'm not sure what Kitty saw on the floor or on the couch, but she is destined to find out! It may or may not have any direct benefit to humans, but it sure is amusing nonetheless!
10. Cats Are Hyper-Alert
I know that dogs get credit for being guardians, or "watch dogs." When they sense something out of the ordinary, their go-to approach is to bark and let their human know. But don't discount the cat's alertness just yet! Cats are sensory creatures as well, and will heed warning when needed.
So there you have it! But keep in mind that these are only ten good things about cats, and this is not a complete and exhaustive list, by any means. So for everybody else who has something to add to this list, I encourage you to do so in the "comments" section! :)
** DISCLAIMER: Although this post was framed as a "cats vs. dogs" comparison, please note that I still have a lot of love for dogs as well. Stay tuned for a "10 Reasons to Love Dogs!" post in the future. :) **
