It feels like an ancient debate, who’s better? The cat or the dog? It all depends on perspective but the results are in. The world has finally come to a definitive answer to decide which of these two common house pets are better.

I have a couple of friends up at school who are from all of these amazing places. One girl is from Africa, another from Jamaica, and one of my good friends is from the Bahamas. That’s one of the great things about going to college so far away. Each have their different reasons for choosing the State University of New York College at Oswego, and each have their different story. In common, however, is the strange fact that they don’t have house pets like we do.

In December 2017, I had three girls over. Two girls from Africa and one from Jamaica. We were in the dining hall when one of the girls from Africa mentioned that she wanted to pet my cat. She was always mentioning how she wanted to come over to meet her. So I said why don’t you guys come over and meet her. My friend was excited until she got to my room, at which point she became terrified. The other girl from Jamaica also was in the same state of mind. They treated my overweight torti like she was a fierce lion. We walked into my room and Addie was on the couch.

She’s not too fond of strangers so when they moved in to meet her, she jumped from the couch and cautiously moved towards the group. I fished out the treats for the girls to give her. They told me, while trying to avoid Addie and pet her at the same time, that no one had pets at their home. Those that did have the occasional dog growled and bit anyone who wasn’t the owner. Pets just weren’t a thing, not like how we have pets in America. Even when you consider Northwest American compared to the South, we have our dogs inside and sleep in the same bed or lounge on the same couch.

I mention Addie first, because it’s more chronological. December 2017, my brother and his fiancee got a puppy, an Australian Cattle dog, naming him Waylon. My family has never owned a dog before. My mom grew up with cats and my dad just didn’t have any pets out in Ohio. All the same, when my brother and I showed up with the dog in my arms, him having just puked on my shoulder, my dad wasn’t too impressed but my mom was eccstatic. She started to call the pup her grandson, and the two weeks he spent at my parents, he grew in size and in bravado.

See, when we brought him home, it wasn’t just my parents that he had to meet. It was the cats. Addie was having none of this puppy business. She would come up to him, back arched and tail puffed. She would give a low growl and a hiss, especially when the puppy was sitting anywhere near her spot in front of the fire. Eventually, she became a little more used to him as he was napping in my arms one day and Addie came to sit by my side. Midnight had swatted at Waylon the first day, but by the third didn’t mind when Waylon sat near the fire when he was napping in front of the flames.

So the decision, which pet is better. Yes yes. Drumroll please..

Baadddhuuummmmmm

Neither. Well, both. They can’t be compared. Some people are dog people, and some people are cat people. You have those who love both equally. Some people are allergic and some are terrified because of the culture. It all comes down to both creatures deserving love and attention, and if you want to have a pet, you personally need to be ready for the needs of the pet. If you get a dog you need to be ready to bring to dog out, to puke on your shoulder while bringing him home. You need to be ready for constant play time. If you want a cat, you need to be ready for either an outdoor cat or to be cleaning a litter box. You need to be ready for play where you are aware of how you might be antagonizing the cat (some belly rubs mean play time, or they attack because they’re over stimulating).

Cats are not dogs, do not have the same mannerisms, and are a completely different species.

I lay to rest the old argument. Research before you adopt.