The debate between cat lovers and dog enthusiasts about whether felines or canines make better pets rages on, with each side quoting the many virtues of owning their preferred pet. However, your choice between the two is a personal one. And if you favour both, many pet owners combine cats and dogs into their households to have the best of both worlds.
Regardless of what your dog lover friends and family members might say to persuade you to get a canine instead of a feline, cat ownership is a rewarding relationship. Here are a few of the reasons having a kitty is a great idea:
Cats are low maintenance
Kitties do require a degree of care that you must ensure to be a responsible cat owner. Most people assume that cats do not need grooming as felines take a DIY approach to it. This is true but leaving all the grooming to a kitty leads to furballs that it coughs up, a distressing experience for cat and owner alike. Fortunately, Vet’s Best, NaturVet, Scruffy Paws Nutrition, Only Natural Pet, Nutri Vet, Spectrin, and Pet Naturals offer a wide range of supplements to help with this problem. Scruffy Paws Nutrition’s organic hairball treatments come in a tasty chewable that most cats find delicious. This negates the need to hide a tablet in some meat or another treat to get your cat to take it. The supplement helps reduce how much fur your feline sheds, decreasing the amount of hair it ingests during self-grooming, which leads to hairball formation. Made from 100% all-natural products, this hairball chew, combined with regular owner grooming, ensures that your cat will not struggle with hairballs.
Cats are independent creatures and do not rely as heavily on humans as dogs. For example, they do not need to be walked or taken outside to ‘do their business’. Nevertheless, they require regular feeding with quality cat food and a supply of fresh water. They also need a scratching post, somewhere to perch, and a bed to keep them happy.
Cats are hunters
With a feline in your house, you never need to worry about pests, such as rodents. Cats are natural hunters, and their silent approach makes them much better at it than dogs. Their instincts give them far better odds of success. The unfortunate result of this is that a kitty might want to present its owner with a ‘kill’. Cats identify their owners as pack leaders and need praise from them.
While felines love hunting rodents, they are also great at killing insects, such as flies, and spiders. No prey is too small for a cat to give its undivided attention. However, cats do not discriminate when it comes to hunting targets, so they might be interested in getting hold of your pet fish or birds.
Cats have a long lifespan
A cat that is properly cared for can live for up to 20 years. As felines age, their needs change. Therefore, an older cat will spend more time napping and require different food to suit its changing dietary needs. Its long lifespan gives you many years to develop, grow, and enjoy a close relationship with a cat. At the same time, it makes getting a cat a long-term responsibility.
That longer relationship will make it challenging to part with your cat when time to cross the rainbow bridge comes. However, as cat ownership is so rewarding, you will look back at your many years together with much affection.
Cats are playful and affectionate
Most people stereotype cats as being indifferent to their owners when this is not the case. Cats develop a close affinity with their owners and demonstrate deep affection for them. What confuses non-cat owners is that felines show their love very differently from dogs. Cats gently headbutt their owners or rub the sides of their faces against them. Felines who place themselves at their owners’ ankles and curl up around them show allegiance and love to their pack leader.
As mentioned before, cats will ‘gift’ you with a kill as a sign of affection. They also purr when you rub them, lie next to you or on your lap, and follow you around the house. Felines also love playing hide and seek, treasure hunts for treats, or pouncing on toys. Cat owners do not need much space to play with their kitties and keep them entertained.
Cats are good for your health
Studies indicate that a purring cat can lower its owner’s high blood pressure and calm their nervous system. There is even research suggesting that having a kitty reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Felines are great companions, erasing feelings of loneliness their owners might experience. They positively affect your mental health and can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Loneliness is a leading cause of these two mental health conditions, and a cat’s unconditional love can make an immeasurable difference.