this post was submitted on 11 Nov 2023
57 points (88.0% liked)

Asklemmy

43927 readers
794 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy πŸ”

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 95 points 1 year ago (16 children)

Better question is why people don't like cats.

[–] Ashtear@lemm.ee 26 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Some people are better with consent than others.

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 10 points 1 year ago

And it goes both ways. Lots of dogs will run up and jump on you, lick you, ram their nose into your crotch, etc. Most cats won't do anything they might be considered intrusive unless you've put quite a bit of effort into convincing them it's ok.

load more comments (15 replies)
[–] Weirdfish@lemmy.world 51 points 1 year ago (2 children)

My cats are the perfect balance of affection, entertainment, and low maintenance.

Dogs are great, but I can leave my cats alone for a long weekend and when I get home, the house is just as I left it.

[–] ikiru@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago

As someone with dogs, I envy this so fucking much.

[–] MissJinx@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

I have both dogs and cats and cats are indeed very low maintenance.

[–] HEXN3T@lemmy.blahaj.zone 46 points 1 year ago

I’ve gotta be completely honest, anything is better than other people.

[–] datavoid@lemmy.ml 44 points 1 year ago (3 children)
[–] Caligvla@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 1 year ago (3 children)

What the hell does toxoplasmosis have to do with liking cats?

[–] otter@lemmy.ca 19 points 1 year ago

It inhibits the fear response in rodents, so they are more likely to cuddle up with cats

The joke being that humans are infected too

In rodents, T. gondii alters behavior in ways that increase the rodents' chances of being preyed upon by felids. Support for this "manipulation hypothesis" stems from studies showing that T. gondii-infected rats have a decreased aversion to cat urine while infection in mice lowers general anxiety, increases explorative behaviors and increases a loss of aversion to predators in general. Because cats are one of the only hosts within which T. gondii can sexually reproduce, such behavioral manipulations are thought to be evolutionary adaptations that increase the parasite's reproductive success since rodents that do not avoid cat habitations will more likely become cat prey

[–] yata@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 year ago

Apparently it is a popular American myth.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] currawong@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 year ago

On the whole, there was little evidence thatΒ T. gondiiΒ was related to increased risk of psychiatric disorder, poor impulse control, personality aberrations, or neurocognitive impairment.

[–] VM_Abrantes@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

lmao imagine having an affinity towards felines because a parasite told you to

[–] dabu@lemmy.world 32 points 1 year ago

Because I can actually observe my adopted cat loving me more with every passing month. We're learning each other, he communicates with me and gets closer and closer. For the first year he didn't even think about cuddling but now he's on my laps everyday. It's really nice to feel him liking me more and more so I like him back as well. It's a very positive circle of affection.

[–] dugmeup@lemmy.world 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Cause they are cute and mimic babies.

And they infect your brain with a cat loving infection.

[–] fahfahfahfah@lemmy.billiam.net 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] dugmeup@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

That's the one!

[–] terminhell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I've had both over my life. Both have pros and cons.

As others have said, cats overall require less attention; both in interaction and maintenance. Our cats are really good about keeping house bugs to a minimum with their natural hunter instincts. Flies,moths and other critters don't last long. Also litter boxes are something I wish dogs could figure out lol.

Dogs are more social, so they'll need more from you. They need frequent outside time to run and exercise/bathroom. Most dogs don't care about catching bugs and critters like cats. However, if treated right, will defend the house to the death from intruders.

In my current situation, cats are better. If I had a much bigger, we'll fenced yard, I'd love to have a dog again.

[–] SecretPancake@feddit.de 13 points 1 year ago

You can easily train a dog to use litter boxes. There are actually indoor grass mats you can buy. It’s mostly a way to deal with very old dogs who have trouble keeping it in.

But please don’t do that with young and healthy dogs. They need outside time. If you don’t want to do that, just don’t get a dog.

[–] Harlan_Cloverseed@kbin.social 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] confluence@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I've had cats and dogs, and in my sample, cats have been better at navigating boundaries. Also, the beans. Also, the everything.

[–] PsychedSy@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 year ago

My dog is terrific at navigating boundaries. He knows to cross them when he can't see my eyeballs.

[–] livus@kbin.social 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

My family had cats when I was a baby. The cats put a lot of time into imprinting me to give them baby food, heat etc (babies are resource rich from a cat point of view).

I always obey commands from cats.

[–] snowe@programming.dev 18 points 1 year ago (3 children)
[–] F0l11k 10 points 1 year ago
[–] Apollo2323@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

He is asking why insanely much! I know a woman who has like 20 cats she doesn't even have time to spend with them and taking care of all them. But just because she loves cats she can have that many

[–] livus@kbin.social 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Having cats you can't take care of is where it has veered into the realm of mental illness.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Thorny_Insight@lemm.ee 13 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Cats are independent and dogs are dependent. That's why I like cats better. I also don't want to deal with the death of a dog that I'd probably consider my best friend. No thanks.

[–] supercriticalcheese@lemmy.world 38 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's not like the death of cat is any less traumatic, cat's show appreciation in different ways that is all.

So you end up missing the little crazy cunts anyway :-(

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] twotone@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

Having had both kinds of animals of pets multiple times, it isn't any easier unless you simply just don't interact with the animal and thus don't have a connection with it.

[–] CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I am not a cat person, but I've lived with a couple of them and they can be really charming little companions. They can also be incredible assholes and imo their charisma doesn't make up for it. Some people just weigh the pros and cons differently.

[–] GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Part of this is people continue to believe cats can't be trained. It's harder, but possible. It also means you have to work harder to train out bad behaviour (and they will only mostly stop while you're around). So getting your cat to not bite you can be done, as well as training them to not go on the counter when you can see it.

Cats are also domesticated differently than most animals, and will absolutely, literally shit on things they know you care about if you piss them off.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] ChexMax@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I think it's more of a gamble with cats. Dogs are just gonna love you. Some cats are completely sweet and cuddly, and others attack your ankles everytime you try to get water.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] showmustgo@hexbear.net 11 points 1 year ago
[–] Omega_Haxors@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 year ago (3 children)
[–] currawong@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Doesn't affect humans in this way.

Look out everybody, this user is infected!

[–] amio@kbin.social 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Only if you literally have AIDS or some other near-complete immune dysfunction.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)

In short, they're like our siblings, minus the sibling rivalries.

[–] AlpineSteakHouse@hexbear.net 4 points 1 year ago (6 children)

They can be friendly if you treat them right and they're mostly low commitment.

Dogs need cuddles and pets daily. Cats can take care of themselves on a day-to-day basis.

load more comments (6 replies)
load more comments
view more: next β€Ί