I have a lot of feminist friends who I love dearly, but there seems to be one issue that we can’t easily overcome. We talk in circles about it and sometimes can’t even politely agree to disagree when it comes to the all important question: Which animal makes a better pet? Dogs or cats?
Those crazy cat lovers say, “Cats are independent and introspective and {some other stuff I never hear because ew, they’re cats!}.”
But, I say…are there rescue cats who will run in and pull you out of a burning building or warn you if you’re about to have seizure?
Will they let you know how much they love you right when you walk in the door? Will they let you hug them while you cry?
So, today’s poll is very serious and of the utmost important regarding Mormon Feminist and the animals they love.
[polldaddy poll=6739295]
16 Responses
Ha! For one shining moment, 100% of people agree with me! My position is that all animals are smelly and messy and make me sick. I am willing to clean up human poop if it comes out of my child, but I see no reason to invite more poop into my life. I told my husband before we got married that I would never be willing to have a pet. Maybe fish if I absolutely had to. If this was a dealbreaker, speak now. He still married me and we have lived happily pet free lo these four years. I know that I am an anomaly and pet lovers think I am some kind of monster. I’ve just never liked animals up close and personal. I enjoy seeing them in the wild and am a devoted bird watcher. I just don’t want them in my house eating my food, chewing my stuff and pooping smellily.
I should clarify that they literally make me sick through allergies, not figuratively. I don’t think the existence of dogs is sickening, I just can’t have one near me for a long period without getting all itchy and miserable.
I have to agree with EM. I don’t like the hair, poop, pee, sticking nose in crotch and yappy. We’ve always had a dog and a cat when our kids were growing up. Always said my husband was a dog lover and I’m a dog owner – big difference in my world. When the last dog died and all the kids were gone, my right foot went down firmly and now we’re animal free and I love it. I don’t hate dogs, but like them at a distance, and get very upset when people are cruel to them.
I’m in agreement with the other commenters. Not a pet person at all. I view owning a dog as similar to having a child, except that the dog is stuck in perpetual toddler-hood, always needy and with poop to clean up. I’m willing to consider a goldfish since, in my experience, they thrive on neglect. My husband is a cat person, but we struck a deal early in our marriage: he could purchase any drum set he wanted in exchange for never bugging me to get a cat. He now has his drum set and our home is happily pet-free.
My Sweet Beau could charm the most hardcore Feminist. He was abused and neglected before I got him. I found him in the local ASPCA sitting alone scared in a cage. He weighed only 12 lbs. and you could see every bone, rib cartilage in his body when I brought him home. I took him out of the cage brought him out for a walk and when I brought him back, he placed his little paw in my hand and looked up at me. I was done. There was absolutely no way I was leaving him there. I told Beau(whose name at that point was Bodacious) that he wasn’t going to be staying in the cage anymore, that he was coming home with his momma dog. I have had him in my life now for the past three years(Dec). When people ask me what breed he is I tell them he’s part Sheltie /part sack of sugar. He has no problem going up to people on the street( I always ask first, if its okay, I recognize fully that some people don’t want dogs coming up to them) and giving them his paw(whether they’ve asked him for it or not)
There are no words in the Human language that can express the love I have for this dog. He has taught me so much. One of the great lessons that Beau has taught me is to take notice. He not only makes me visible to other people , he makes everyone else in the neighborhood visible. Last month Beau made friends with a little boy who has cerebral palsy. Now, every morning when Beau sees this little boy on our walks, he runs up to the boy and will sit down next to him and wait for the school bus with him. Beau is like this with everyone. He doesn’t care if you are Black, White, Chinese, Woman/Man/Child. Once you are his friend, he always remembers you. He has an amazing memory. It amazes me that his previous owners did not notice his innate sweetness or goodness. They did not notice the gem and precious gift they had in their possession.
I love you dog boy, I don’t care if people find what I’m about to say as odd or strange, but, I think you chose me that day three years ago almost as much as I chose you. I observed you from a distance, you were not going up to anyone willingly-ling, but, you came right up to me. Did you know hard I would fall for you? Did you know you would have me wrapped around your little paw? I didn’t. I love you Beau, I love you every sec of every minute of every day.
When discussing issues of great eternal importance like this one, I cannot stand idly without bearing my testimony of cats. I know cats are true. Also, they clean up after themselves when they poop. Would a dog do that?
Amen, sister. Amen.
I am a dog convert.
I never envisioned myself with pets- too much fuss, and I like to travel, so what is the point? I did see growing old and getting a cat one day….. but I got married. And my husband LOVES loves LOVES dogs. We got one, and I love him. It took a while… the puppy phase was hard, and sometimes I resent the difficulty in travelling with him. BUT. As a diabetic, he –untrained– has woken me up when I have been in diabetic shock, and stayed with me till I was right. He has also stayed by my side when I have had hypos. I believe he has saved my life, or at least helped me to save myself. So I converted. And I love my dog.
Spunky,
Since I’ve had my Beau he has 1) woke me up when I had a nightmare. (No more watching Criminal Minds.) 2) He knew when I was in the midst of having a bleeding episode and pushed me back into the house.
Ha ha – loved the video – also explains my vote: DOGS!
EM – ME TOO!!!! I jokingly say it’s in our prenup. No animals. I made it very clear and I am sticking to it even though all my children and my husband have begged for a dog. As the mom I know it would fall to me to care for it so I refuse to back down. My husband claimed his mom didn’t take care of the dog, but then I asked him who took care of it while he was on his mission, while he was at college, etc.
I can do kids because they grow up, but dogs don’t.
Comment
Emily, how did you *know*?! We adopted our first family pet from a shelter today — a dog! I had one cat growing up, and that’s the extent of my pet experience. I’m hoping for the best!
I always tell myself that I’m still working on humans. I like to visit with animals. Other people’s animals. Other people’s well-behaved animals. In the end, I think it takes a lot of caring and due diligence to thoughtfully care for pets, and I would rather spend that time and energy connecting with humans. Well behaved (mostly), intelligent, quirky, and independent people.
We have a cat, but I don’t really like him. Or any other animal. I feel half-human saying that, but it’s true.
Dog’s Journal:
This morning I got to eat dog food. My favorite thing!
Then I got to go for a walk. My favorite thing!
Then I laid down for a nap. My favorite thing!
Then my master came home and we jogged. My favorite thing!
etc.
Cat’s Journal:
This is day 187 of my captivity.
Today, the Nazi slave owners attempted to bribe me with canned salmon and catnip. I was sorely tested, and though I ate the salmon and played with the catnip, I did not let on any secrets.
In order to display my annoyance at their tactics, I retaliated by pooping in their favorite plant, and clawed up the curtains. etc.
—-
Descriptions:
Dog – Man’s best friend
Cat – Man’s solitary, weird and quirky roommate who poops in a box.