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According to the American Pet Products Association, there are more cats than dogs in the United States: 94 million cats and 90 million dogs. There are many reasons to favor cats over other pets. Among them are their ease of maintenance. Got a cat? There are a lot of things you won’t have to worry about. Here are 12 examples:
Perfect For Couch Potatoes
Of course, dogs love to snuggle on the sofa, but they also require time outdoors on a leash. True enough, walking a cat on a leash and harness is an option some cats increasingly enjoy, and it may be enriching, but it’s not a daily requirement. Instead, with a cat, it’s all about shut eye, lazing in your favorite seat while kitty “makes bread” and purrs away in your lap.
Quick and Easy Potty Pickups
If you’re a responsible dog parent, plastic bags must go with you wherever you take your pup. There’s no such issue for cat parents, as scooping a litter box is only a room or two away.
No Worries if it Rains, Sleets, or Snows
In Northern cities, a winter coat for the dog might be a must and after slipping on your own boots, now comes the struggle to put on the dog booties (and there are four paws to deal with). If you’re lucky, the pup does his business fast while the snow is falling and the wind is blowing. Then there’s the rain. Even with a slicker on, you’ll be dealing with a stinky, wet dog. Dog parents deal with more inclement weather than postal carriers.
Dogs Drool – Cats Don’t
“What’s that rag you carry around?” The proud parent of a Retriever answers, “To catch drool.” Some dog breeds may create enough slobber to drown a kitten. The very notion of shaking a head with drool flying every which way could even offend finicky feline sensibilities.
Mice-free Home
It’s been said that an ideal diet for an indoor cat is a “mouse in a can.” Be careful what you ask for. What if you really had to deal with that? Welcome to the world of some pet reptiles such as boa constrictors and various large lizards that devour a mouse in a single gulp. Imagine the response from your houseguest, Grandma Rose, when she wanders over to the freezer late at night to get a scoop of ice cream and instead grabs a frozen pinkie mouse. Grandma Rose might fall over right there.
You Don’t Need a Football Field
Cats require playtime, but except for kittens and maybe some Abyssinians and Japanese Bobtail they truly don’t have canine endurance. You can get tennis elbow playing nonstop fetch for 30 minutes with a goofy Labrador. No such problem for cats who will give it up long before half an hour.
Cats don’t do that
Cats are, of course, meticulously clean, taking their own bath whenever needed. Have you ever smelled a European ferret? In truth, it’s not that ferrets are dirty. Like Pigpen from Peanuts, ferrets carry around their odor with them. After all, these guys are a relative of the skunk. Ferrets are delightfully entertaining pets, but you may need a clothespin for your nose. There is no such issue with cats.
Cats are just hygienic
Let’s face it (it’s the truth) — some dogs, especially hound dogs, may have a certain smell about them. And many dogs love to roll in the grossest smelling thing they can find, from a dead animal to manure. Even writing about such a horrendous habit is arguably distasteful in a cat magazine. No cat would ever even entertain the notion of joyfully rolling in anything so gross.
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