Persuasive Essay: Why Cats Are Better Than Dogs

Cats are better than dogs for about half the population of pet owners. The other half prefer dogs.  A persuasive essay on why cats are better than dogs cannot solely be about cats and dogs. It should also be about people and what they like.

In this essay I will stick to trying to convince you why cats are better and avoid discussing people. It is up to people to figure out what they like after gaining a reasonable knowledge of both species.

Perhaps, the most important reason why cats are better is because they are more convenient. They require less input from the owner because they are independent animals. However, this is misleading. Cats need us more than a lot of people realise. The domestic cat has become quite sociable. Depending on the individual cat, many cats are much more content when their human companion is around. Cats can routinely be left alone all day but it is less good for the cat than being with his human companion all day. Cats, like dogs, can become stressed if left alone for long periods daily. Cats are more convenient, yes, but often at a price for the cat.

Dogs need to go for a daily walk. I don’t know dogs that well but I believe that frequent dog walks are a necessity. This will please many people and displease many others! If you don’t want to go for regular walks with your dog then get a cat. This is a persuasive reason for getting a cat.

Cats are fastidious about personal hygiene! They groom themselves a lot and daily. You don’t need to bathe a cat unless something unexpected occurs and your cat needs help in washing himself. In contrast, take a dog for a walk in winter and you are likely to have a major bathing session on your hands immediately on return to the home. I have seen many dogs covered in mud.

Cats are quieter than dogs. Dogs bark and it is much louder than a cat’s meow. Yes, sometimes outdoor cats fight with each other and make a noise but this is uncommon. Caterwauling by unspayed females can be disturbing but this won’t happen if she is spayed. So, dogs can be noisier than cats and this is a persuasive reason why cats are better than dogs.

Dogs probably cost more to maintain. There are at least two reasons for this. Firstly, they are nearly always larger than cats and therefore require more food to sustain themselves. That will cost more. Secondly, there are far more purebred dogs than cats. It is common knowledge that companion animals that are deliberately breed to a breed standard on appearance are more likely to become ill or have a genetically inherited defect or health problem. In general, random breed cats are going to be more healthy than purebred dogs. This is of major importance as it will save money and avoid trips to the dreaded vet. So you’ll have to adopt a rescue cat.

Although this is meant to persuade people to adopt a cat, I have to be realistic and honest. One anatomical aspect of the domestic cat that some people dislike and are often frightened of, is claws! Dogs have claws too but they are blunt because they are worn down walking. A cat’s claws are often sharp and cats know how to use them. Dogs don’t use theirs as weapons, as far as I know. To some people claws are a minor inconvenience although there are many ways of successfully dealing with claws without harming your cat.

Cats are less dangerous to people. There are many thousands of cases of dog bites annually in any country. There are a considerable number of human deaths annually from dog attacks in many countries. Dogs can worry people. Cats tend to move away from people they don’t know when outside. However, in the home, you will have to understand cats to get the best out of them and avoid unnecessary bites and scratches.

If you are looking for persuasive reasons why cats are better than dogs it probably means you are undecided. One solution is to get a dog and a cat. If they are raised together, they’ll probably be lifelong close companions.

This is more an afterthought which has come to me some years later. Global warming is at the top of many people’s agenda. There is an awareness of the damage done to the planet through unmitigated human activity. Pets contribute to global warming. The meat that they eat in their pet food comes from livestock grazing on land that was once Amazon forest. Vast swathes of the Amazonian Forest is being destroyed to produce meat. The factories that produce pet food produce global warming gases. The bottom line is that the carbon dioxide equivalent footprint of cats is lower, in general, than for dogs because they’re smaller and they eat less. This is a positive for cats and is a reason why cats are better than dogs! Although the manufacture of clay-based cat litter damages the environment and cats hunt wildlife; two distinct negatives.

This page is clearly evolving because it has come to me that there is a negative about cats and positive about dogs if you are a straight man chasing a straight woman: women are more attracted to men in a photograph which includes a dog while they are repulsed when a cat is included. Click this link to read about this phenomenon. And there is another point which is come to me late in the day. When dogs poop you have to clear it up. They poop in the park, on the grass and on pavements. They don’t bury it. You never see cat poop and it’s not just because they do it in a litter tray when they are full-time cats. When they do it outside, they normally cover it up. Just a thought to add to the catalogue of points that I have made above 😉.

P.S. If I have left something out, please leave a comment.

P.P.S The title is slightly strange but it is taken from a Google search term so it is relevant and live.

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