This question has been bothering me for a very long time. I have both animals and so far, things are quite peaceful for those two. Unfortunately, my experience with Patty (my cat) and Homer (my dog) is considered rare, since we all know that cats and dogs can never go along inside a home. With patience, you might get to house train those two mortal enemies, but if you don’t have such a quality, then you’d be better off choosing just one type of animal only.
The answer whether you’re a cat person or a dog person is entirely dependent on you. But if you ask me about the advantages and disadvantages of owning a cat and a dog, well, here are some of the things that I can tell you about:
Cats
Advantages – Unlike dogs, you don’t need to bathe cats all the time. Most importantly, if you do need to bathe cats, they’re not that difficult to handle, unlike dogs. Very affectionate and tidy, most cats are happy taking their naps on the kitchen counter, playing with balls of yarn, and stroking your leg whenever they want something from you.
Disadvantages – Of course, cats have their own disadvantage as well. Cats have a habit of bringing inside your home animals that they’ve captured while stalking outside. This is something that most cats have within their system. You’ll have to be patient to train your cats not to do this. Also, if your cats aren’t housetrained, making them use the kitty litter might be a problem. Not to mention the cat hairs and scratches you’ll find on your favority chair!
Dogs
Advantages – If you’re an active fellow, having a dog around is good for you. You can take it for walks, play fetch, and go camping along with your best buddy. A very loyal animal friend, dogs make really good house pets. They’ll be too happy to see you walking out from your car after a long day of work, along with your kids! Most of all, dogs are very brave and protective. They won’t hesitate to bark and bite those whom they think is a threat to their master.
Disadvantages – Well, taking care of a dog also has it’s own share of problems. For one, dogs who aren’t properly housetrained may end up digging holes in your garden and taking a dump inside your house. This is the reason why I always advice young kids to adopt a dog from an animal shelter instead of buying a pup. These animals are housetrained already and won’t be a headache for you.