Thursday 20 February 2014

Cats or Dogs?

Are you a cat person or a dog person?   For many years I had Siamese cats, which are almost a cross between the two.   When I moved up here into the country, from a city, I made the mistake of bringing my Siamese with me.   He adored my next door neighbour and she would have been delighted to take him, but I thought he would move happily.   Sadly he didn't - he hated it up here and lived for only a short while.   Although he was quite old I always felt he would have been happier staying behind.   Whoever said, "I am the cat that walks alone - all places are alike to me" certainly didn't know my Sam.   An amusing story about him, which I may have told you before -
My neighbour was rather posh and used to have little afternoon tea parties on her terrace during the school holidays (she was Head of French in a Girls' Grammar School).   She set out the tea and then took her friends for a tour of her garden.  When they got back to the table, our Siamese was sitting in the middle of a silver salver of strawberries eating from a jug of cream with his paw.

Once settled up here in the Dales I began to think it was a more suitable environment for dogs and so I bought my first dog, Algy - a black pug.   He was adorable.   Anyone who thinks pugs are lap dogs has never known one.   As the owner of the kennels where we took him when we went on holiday said - he was more like a battery power pack!

Then some folk in our village went to work in Japan.   They had a German Short Haired Pointed called Oscar and they called one day to ask if we would rehome him.  We did and he was a wonderful dog.   He got on well with Algy and guess who was the boss ??
If Oscar lay in front of the Aga on the rug and Algy came in, he would climb over Oscar and push has way to the nearest part.   They never had a cross bark.

We also had a male tabby cat called Maxi, who got on well with both and spent most of his day curled up in a chair.   That is until we got two new farm cats - Blackie and Creamy (guess what colour they were?) - within a month he had become an outdoor cat and obviously preferred it.   Sadly he eventually got run over in most distressing circumstances, which I still can't bear to think about.

Algy died at a good old age and then four years ago Oscar also had to be put to sleep - again a good age for the breed.   Then, after a week during which I couldn't bear a dogless house, we bought Tess, a Border Terrier, and what a joy she has been.  And luckily she gets on very well with Tip, the farmer's Border Collie, who is himself a very good age and arthritic now.

People who are not 'animal people' miss such a lot in their lives in my opinion.

Regarding my son's cats - they are now down to one, Sinbad, who is himself a rescue cat who found them.   He is the most beautiful, long-haired tortoiseshell, very affectionate.   About two years ago he came in with a very badly damaged front leg - it seemed that someone with an air gun had shot at him.   The vet had to amputate his left front leg  which has left him quite disabled.  He leads a very quiet life but seems happy and contented.

25 comments:

Em Parkinson said...

Definitely dogs though I used to have two cats when I lived in London. I treated them like digs and took them for walks (not on a lead!). I wouldn't have a dog in the city so they were substitutes.

Anonymous said...

We are "Dog" people. We adopted Duffy, a poodle/Westhighland terrier mix, from Santa Cruz Humane Society and he has been our joy for 3 years. He is so smart, he had us trained in less than a week! There is an anonymous quote that says "Dogs have masters, cats have staff." I believe it. Sandy O' @ myyellowswing.com

Attila said...

I think ideally I would have cats and dogs and horses! Greedy? Moi?
I grew up with cats but always wanted a dog (and a pony but I knew that wouldn't happen) and we got one when I was nine. Ten years later I left home and the dog was not going to be given up by mum and dad! And where I was living I couldn't have a dog. So cat no 1. Now on cat no 5. Except he's no 1 as each one is at the time. No 3 (but my best baby) loathed dogs with a vengeance and attacked any passing by, after he had a nasty experience with dogs at 5 months old. I will never forget the look on the face of the innocent old lab whose owner I was yelling at to get going quick, or my cat would attack! "What me? But I like cats!"

the veg artist said...

After my beloved Rupert (cat) died at nearly 18yrs I didn't know if I could bear to love a little animal again. I considered a dog - had always wanted a small dog - but our garden is just not suitable, with too many gaps in the considerable hedges, so I resigned myself to being pet-less. Then, about 18 months ago, a tiny tabby kitten started turning up at the back door. Scared, hungry, in need, she became a regular visitor. As I write this she is curled up on 'her' stool in our warm sitting room, although she will leave it to eat and to spend at least an hour each day on my lap.
She can leave the house at night, although I don't think she goes far. SHE has decided that we are cat people, and that we were obviously in need of a cat!

A Heron's View said...

I confess to being a Dog person, probably because I have nearly always had one about the place. They are great company & very loyal.

Cats to my mind have only one use and that is for catching mice and rats.

Several years ago I had a small dog (breed unknown) with whom one of the cats would go for a walk with over the fields .

Sue in Suffolk said...

A very apt post as you will see when you read my tomorrow blog! (as long as all things go as planned)

Cro Magnon said...

Well, I was brought up with a series of cats, but now have two dogs and a cat. They're all a pain in the neck; but I love them to bits.

Arija said...

I love both, the more animals around the merrier is my motto. My husband was a definite cat person, I on the other hand, will take anyone who needs a home. Unfortunately I don't have the facilities for hippopotami or giraffes, they need the company of their own kind. At present I only have my dog, a few chickens and an ailing chick to lavish love on but just down the hill there are seven cats and two dogs, a goose and two ducks that gladly take the love overflow.

Gwil W said...

I don't have any pets but if I lived in the country I'd have at least one of each and probably a goat too.

Mac n' Janet said...

We have a cat and she rules our home with an iron paw. We like dogs and in the past have had a number of them, but we travel and it's easier to have someone come in and feed the cat, a dog would have to be walked.

Pondside said...

I'm a dog person, all the way. I've never had a cat because my brother-in-law, nephews and then my daughter are all terribly, chokingly allergic. Rory is our third Cairn Terrier. I love the breed - actually really like all terriers. There is a cat that lives outside at Pondside - I know he wouldn't like to think that we thought he might be 'ours'. He comes and goes and as long as he's around we don't have any mice coming into the attic - bonus!

Doc said...

My wife has never been without a cat until just recently as our old cat Max passed at 15, a good age I think. I have always been a dog person and we have three. A mini wire haired Dachshund (Sophie), Pembroke Corgi (Miss Betty) and my wife’s shadow a Boston Terrier (Popeye).

Crafty Green Poet said...

Bunnies! I loved having a bunny as a pet and would do so again.... I've always loved cats too abd when i was growing up i loved our next door neighbours' cats (we never had our own pets then)

Since volunteering with the Water of leith Trust and walking along the river every week I've made friends with lots of dogs and now appreciate dogs much moer than I used to.

MorningAJ said...

Cats - though we're now down to two. (And might have to find a new home for one of them if they don't start getting on better!)

I used to be a dog person. Grew up with dogs. But cats are more interesting, I think.

Dartford Warbler said...

I love both cats and dogs ( and horses) , but if I had to choose just one, then a cat would win. I admire their independence and intelligence. The companionship of a bright, loving cat is hard to better.

Our elder son and his fiance are keen to have a Border Terrier as their first dog. I shall pass on your positive comments about Tess!

Rachel Phillips said...

I am currently feeding seven cats, some indoors and some outside. I call them my babies and I love them all.

Elizabeth said...

I knew you would get lots of comments on this one!
Me: mostly dogs
Robert: cats and dogs

So many Moroccan cat stories
and Buster has his own blog of course.
Our animals bring us such joy.

angryparsnip said...

I am a Dog person. I just love them and they love you back. The look of love and trust and understanding in the eyes just breaks my heart.
I am allergic to cats but saved 2 wonderful cats and treated them like dogs. They loved it and were wonderful companions. One used to go on walks with one of my Scotties.
I do have several problems with cats but I will leave that for my blog tomorrow.

cheers, parsnip


The Weaver of Grass said...

Lovely comments - nice to see there are so many animal lovers out there.

Lucy Corrander Now in Halifax! said...

A Rupert Bear fan!

If I had a dog, I'd like a border collie. Unfortunately not practical - but I can imagine.

Unknown said...

Love them both but provide for 6 cats. One had a left front leg amputation and manages to jump, climb, balance on things, play, do everything he always did. Am sorry your son's cat isn't as mobile. Just wanted to write this so someone reading who might have to make a decision about amputation would give the cat a chance.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Neither really though I like pigs! And for some reason cats are inexplicably fond of me!

A said...

Seems it's an eternal battle between cat person and dog person - I say why not be both?

Heather said...

Animals seem to be as adaptable as humans in coping with disability. We have no pets now but often 'borrow' other people's from time to time. I do miss having a furry bundle snuggling alongside on the sofa on a cold evening, but not so much the muddy paw prints all over a newly washed kitchen floor!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you for the comments - they make such interesting reading. I have tried to go to some sites but found it impossible (my skills on the computer are limited to those I use regularly). I particularly wanted to pass on Marilyn's comment about three legged cats but sorry Marilyn, I can't get on to your site.