When I heard that a person called her dogs after well-known people who lived in Westmeath but were long deceased, I wondered if the dog’s face reminded her of those folks or was it their personalities? Generally, dogs and other pets are given a name on a whim. If one has a name before it moves in, the name remains otherwise it will bring tons of bad luck.
I’ve had both dogs and cats, often at the same time. According to a recent report, Not only do dogs seem to love us back, but they also actually see us as their family. It turns out that dogs rely on humans more than they do their own kind for affection, protection and everything in between. Dogs understand the world through their noses. A couple of small-scale studies have shown that when owners interact with their dogs, both the human and its dog releases oxytocin. “It’s one of the chemical measures of love in mammals.”
The ratio of brain to body size is slightly higher for dogs than cats, which may be because dogs are a social species and their brain has evolved more with the extra complex communication and interaction.
Do cats like humans? Of course they do! They often lie down beside their owners and begin purring. Cats have almost twice as many neurons in their cerebral cortex, the area involved in memory, attention and perception. Cats are harder to train and won’t fetch things or guard their owner. But does that mean dogs are smarter, or cats are?
Dogs and cats are both domestic animals belonging to distinct species. The cat belongs to the feline family, and a dog to the canine family. On the other hand, cats just meow or purr. Another difference that is that dogs need plenty of space, and they love to run around.
Though dogs and cats are distinct species that appeal to diverse types of people, they are similar. Cats and dogs are both mammals, but their ancestors diverged from the ancestral lineages millions of years ago. Cats and dogs are both predatory mammals that have relatively similar biology. There is a tendency among humans to think they are more similar than they really are.
Cats and dogs were both domesticated by humans, although dogs were domesticated about twice as long ago as cats were. Both animals have served humans well and worked to earn their keep. Cats are used to help control the rodent population for people, while dogs helped protect humans from intruders and predators.
Both dogs and cats have fur to keep them warm, and they periodically clean their coats by licking them. Although humans have bred both in such a manner to produce dozens of color combinations, the wild ancestors of both animals were probably cloaked in muted earth tones to camouflage with their surroundings.
If you’re looking for a workout buddy, a cat may not be your best choice – they aren’t known to be athletic. Dogs, on the other hand, are usually great exercise pals. Most breeds enjoy running and hiking. Dogs throughout history, have worked in groups and so see their pet parent as the pack leader, looking for direction and following it closely. Cats are solitary hunters, very independent and often don’t rely on their humans other than for basic needs such as food.
Do cats feel affection? They do but can’t show their emotions the way humans do. Nor do they wag their tails, lick people or jump up on their favorite humans like dogs tend to. Instead, cats cuddle up on laps, rub their heads on those they love and vocalizing their affection.
One major difference between dogs and cats are the way they sound. Dogs will bark, howl or growl, whereas a cat meows or snarls.
The eternal dispute between dog and cat lovers will probably never end.
Everyone has their preferences. One type of animal will never be so widely loved as to be prevalent at the expense of the other. We all love who and what we love because we’re unique, and that’s a lot better than choosing a winner.
