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A cat’s 9 lives or 1 from a dog? The answer is simple — gimme the dog

A cat’s 9 lives or 1 from a dog? The answer is simple — gimme the dog

Posted: Friday, April 6, 2012 8:00 pm
By: By David Critchlow Jr.

A cat’s 9 lives or 1 from a dog? The answer is simple — gimme the dog | David Critchlow Jr., Just A Thought

Dog: Man’s best friend.
It doesn’t get any clearer than that.
So what does that make a cat? Who cares?
OK, OK, before I get myself in too much trouble with cat lovers, I think it’s fine that some people prefer cats; just don’t try to persuade me that cats are better than dogs.
It is certainly not my intention to offend unreasonable cat lovers, who got all worked up when cartoonist Simon Bond published his book, “101 Uses for a Dead Cat.”
I don’t want to make this about cats, which remind me of having my shoelaces tied together when they weave affectionately around my ankles when I’m trying to walk.
Cats, especially kittens, are entertaining and oh-so-precious when they’re batting around a cotton ball or a dead mouse.
But be careful of all that happy-go-lucky affection.
Just recently I was at a friend’s house and the family cat took an interest in me. What started as a playful boxing match with my hand turned violent when the frisky feline began hissing and buried her teeth into my fingers while swiping at me with her paws. Thankfully, she had been declawed so the damage was minimal.
I thought about letting the declawed monster outside for a bit for an attitude adjustment in the real world, but then remembered I’m an animal lover and figured that, somehow, I probably provoked her.
But enough about cats; dogs can be counted on.
A guy may get himself in trouble with family and friends or have a bad day at the office or school, but he can always count on his dog to be there to welcome him home with a toothy smile and a wagging tail.
Just throw him a ball, give him a scratch behind the ear or rub on his belly and you’ve got a friend for life — without the bad attitude or big mood swings.
And they’re intelligent, too.
Law enforcement agencies train them for sniffing out drugs and even bombs. Ever heard of a drug- or bomb-sniffing cat?
I’m amazed when I see blind people traveling about with the aid of a seeing-eye dog. I’m still waiting to see the first seeing-eye cat. They would probably lead the blind person into a lot of furniture.
As for protecting the home from intruders, I feel fairly confident that my dogs are a better deterrent than someone’s cats — unless it’s the lions protecting Mike Tyson’s home.
And what about hunting? What’s more impressive than watching a dog work — whether it’s retrieving ducks or frozen stiff at point over a perfectly camouflaged quail?
Whether working or playing, dogs offer great companionship.
And, before cat lovers start bombarding me with examples of cats making great pets and companions, I’m not saying they don’t have an important role in society.
In fact, I can think of a couple of cats I have enjoyed very much through the years — Garfield and Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat, which are doubly nice felines because there is no litter box duty involved.
I will admit, I think it would be entertaining to watch a cat show, wondering how it would compare to the world famous Westminster Dog Show.
Some may think I’m headed to the doghouse with the overly-sensitive cat people after a column like this, but I’m not worried. I think heading to a cathouse would be more problematic.
This column is dedicated to the memory of Maggie, who couldn’t see or hear, but was a wonderful canine friend nonetheless. (Note: I still have two dogs, so I’m not looking to adopt any new ones at the moment. In case there’s any doubt, I’m not looking for any cats either.)
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Editor David Critchlow Jr. may be contacted by email at dgc@ucmessenger.com.

Published in The Messenger 4.6.12

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