Dogs Are Better Than Cats

By: Brynn Smith

What is the best pet? Someone might say parrots or maybe a lizard, but the real question that everyone is wondering is “Which is better? Dogs or cats?"

Cats and dogs are so similar but so different. Cats are known to be mean and independent. Dogs are known as “Man's best friend." Here's why I think dogs excel in the art of being a human's best companion, and why you should too. 

Alivin Powell, a Harvard staff writer, wrote an article about how "…a pet can be really good for a person's health." “Having a dog has been shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels," she said, "…and petting sessions release oxytocin in both the owner and the animal." "As if all that weren't enough, dogs are good for your social life, helping break the ice with strangers." Another article from Harvard University states that dog owners have lower blood pressure and healthier cholesterol levels, plus a lower risk of heart disease. 

An article titled "The Value of Companion Dogs as a Source of Social Support for Their Owners" talks about how a dog that is present in a household should be regarded as a resource for social support. In a different article from The National Institute of Health titled: Social and Emotional Support and its Implication for Health, explained how “In fact, social isolation itself was identified as an independent major risk factor for all-cause mortality.”

According to The American Veterinary Association, 38.4% (48,255,413) of pet owners own dogs, and 25.4% (31,896,077) own cats, but what are the reasons people want to have a cat as their pet? Well, a lot of people think cats require less maintenance than dogs. 

"They self-clean; they do not need walks or to be taken outside to go to the bathroom... Cats do not need any formal training and are capable of entertaining themselves,” states The Karingal Vet Hospital. 

What about the litter boxes? Why would you want your pet to want to be by itself and independent? The only thing a cat really needs from you is food, a bed, and a litter box. I don't know about you, but I wouldn’t want to have to clean a litter box. 

Dogs are loving, loyal, caring, playful, cute, and curious. Cats are independent, aggressive towards humans, impulsive, need excessive grooming, and you have to clean out a stinky litter box. Dogs are the best pets out there. It's time we acknowledged that.