Conference misery::feline

       I don't agree with the contention that the animal/human relationship
    is restricted to cats. In fact, my dogs are much more affectionate and
    bonded with my wife and I than any of our three cats are. The cats are
    there when THEY want to be, while the dogs are there when we humans
    NEED them to be.(and sometimes, to be sure, when we DON'T need them!)
    I don't think that cats really do have much of a 'relationship' with
    humans...although humans surely do with cats. Cats give you what THEY
    want...when and where they want to...
    
       Not to take anything from the cats, who are wanted and needed as
    well, but they are more aloof---except for one who was raised with a
    litter of Basset Hound pups, and who thinks he's a dog---but the girls
    will 'allow' petting on occasion, but one will run if she thinks you're
    trying to 'catch' her, and the other will scratch your eyes out if you
    make any sort of attempt to pick her up. Almost ANY of the dogs will be
    extremely happy and full of love and wriggles if you grab them and hug
    or pet them....and immediately there will be a pushing contest to see
    who can get the most hugs 'n attention from us.
    
       Dogs throughout history have proven time and time again to be MUCH 
    more LOYAL to man than any other animal---up to and including the point
    of DEATH to protect their human if that is what is required. While I
    will agree that it is not unheard of that a cat or other animal will
    show remarkable streaks of loyalty, it is uncommon in comparison to
    the dog. 
    
       What is extremely surprising to ME---and I was unaware of this until
    I saw and read entrys in this conference---is the fact that there are
    "cat" people and "dog" people.... I and most of my acquaintences and
    friends are "animal" people or "NO animals" people. I like MOST animals
    without too much reservation. (I guess I draw the line with water
    bufalo and giant sloths). MOST animals are fascinating, and if given
    the chance to demonstrate their unique characteristics, will astound
    you sometimes...
       
       Dogs formed a practical partnership with humans in prehistoric times
    to assist each other in the hunt and shelter areas. This developed into
    a strong friendship and bond that has lasted throughout the centuries.
    Cats began to USE man for their ends at a much later time, and have
    kept a certain 'distance' that only THEY allow to close when they so
    desire.
    
       JMc
    
      

    As a diplomat, I agree with both of you... 
    
    I also love all animals, even ants for instance. But there really are
    "cat" people and "dog" people (and "horse" people etc.), different
    people have different relationships to different kind of animals. The
    more species you love, the better man you are, as we say here. 
    
    The cats are wild animals. Even the most domesticated exemplar of cat
    is a WILD FELINE, just remember Kipling's "cat who walks alone"...
    And the 'less domesticated people' (dont take this wrong) like 
    'less domesticated animals'... It has something with conformity, I
    think. Cats are revolutionars, even the laziest thing of cat, Garfield.
    
    Dogs are (in most cases) reliable. I would not fear to let my life
    depend on the dog. I mean I trust them. They are fullsouled, loving - and
    in most cases easy to understand. A cat you never can understand...
    
    As for cats, I even love in them the total ignoration of us - if they
    ara for it. Cats do what THEY want to, and this I love in them. Some
    people (like me and probably the author of .0, and probably the most of
    the FELINERs here) have a special art of mental harmony with the cats
    (others with dogs etc.). This is what I feel to explain with "cat"
    people or "dog" people... 
    
    And the love is differing. A dog loves you. The cat is loved by you.
    
    In short, as a friend I would choose a dog. Marry I would a cat. (I
    actually have, I think... Sue is a feline.)
    
    The whole thing could be told in the opposite direction, too, I think.
    We are different, as out pets are. No wonder. 
    
    And, value the differences!
    
    
    Nat
    (Wife Sue, Cat Smokey, Dog Cicero)

    Sorry, .1 seems to have missed the point of what I was saying. .2 comes
    much closer.
    
    I didn't mean to imply that it was not possible to have a relationship
    with animals other than cats.  Having lived with many dogs, I know it's
    not only possible but likely to have a deep relationship with a dog,
    and that dogs are indeed far more "devoted" to their human companions
    than most cats are.  This is not at issue, and I happily agree with .1.
    
    What I was trying to get at was that dogs (and virtually all other
    pets) don't represent "in miniature" a wild species.  As .2 points out,
    a cat is much closer to being a "wild animal" than a dog.  
    
    Please do not fall into the too common trap of assuming that when
    someone says something is "different", that means it must necessarily be
    "better" (or "worse").  I was not trying to assign any value to our
    relationships with different kinds of domesticated pets, but rather
    to explore how they differed and why.
    
    I might argue that the nature of the man/canine relationship is
    consistent with the nature of wolf society, and that dogs bring to that
    relationship their lupine heritage, just as cats bring their (unique)  
    heritage to the relationship.
    
    Dogs are not "little wolves".  Cats *are* "little tigers".  With rare
    exceptions, people do not think about (or romanticize) wolves, hyenas,
    and dingos, they way they do lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, lynxes
    and cheetahs.  This is why the feline/human relationship is different
    from the canine/human relationship.  Not better, not deeper, not truer,
    but different.
    
    Unquestionably different.
    
    len.
    
    

      Re .3
     
      Actually, this is becoming a pretty good note...lot's of things to
    consider...
    
      I think I understand both relationships pretty well, having had
    numerous companions of both species, and currently having 13 of the
    canine and 3 of the feline persuasion residing with me. 
    
      I think that SOME dog breeds more adequately emulate the wolf/man
    relationship, such as German Shepherd, Wolf hybrid, maybe even Doberman
    and Rottweiler... These breeds are more independent in their
    relationship than say, a Cocker Spaniel or Beagle, so the relationship
    is built more on equal respect than dominance.
    
      I agree that a cat is more NON-domestic than dogs, ut tey still are
    NOT wild animals in the real sense due totheir many centuries of
    lolling around letting mankind support them. 
    
      However, ther IS somethng to the MENTAL bond that a cat can
    occasionally have with a human. I remember two of mine---one a Siamese
    male named "Rama Thai" (Can anyone translate that?????) who would come
    to me when he was out of the room if I THOUGHT him to come!! I am not
    making that up!! It was eerie how he would do that, and he also would
    talk to me when he came, as if tho say, "O.K....what do you want??"
    He was a real pip...would sleep with me, sit on my lap, come to the
    door when my car came down the street...how he knew it was MY car I'll
    never know... He was my "familiar".......
    
    
       John Mc

    
    I have been an animal lover my entire life...but there is just
    something about cats that are even more special to me.   I believe it
    is because they are so mystical, each one has their own unique
    personality, and there is a WAY to their hearts (you just have to
    find it!)
    
    I believe my obsession came when I moved to my new house and within
    three days realized there were homeless stray (some feral) cats 
    living in the woods behind my house.   My heart broke watching these 
    beat up kitties who were hungry, hurt, hated humans...but survived!   
    As most of you are totally aware...it takes alot of time, love and
    patiece to work with feral cats...but there is just something so
    special when you get a little closer to their hearts.   The joy of
    being able to JUST stand on the porch with them...was thrilling!
    
    Over a two year period...I saw both J.C. and Van Gogh slowly turn 
    from very wild scared animal to my two biggest babies!  These two
    guys come running when you call...they love to just sit and stare
    at you...and are very happy just being beside you!! (very similar
    to a dog) 
    
    I guess I love cats because I have seen so many needy ones...I love
    the different personalities...and I love how some are so independent
    and free spirited!!   But yet...I know if a "needy cow" walked in
    my yard...I'd probably get involved too so it makes me believe the
    word "Needy" is a key for me!
    
    Sandy
    

    I agree with all the previous notes..I have had all kinds of pets all
    my life.. everything from a pig to a raccoon (my children only had her
    for about three weeks and my husband made them give her back as she
    kept hiding shiny things-like his car keys, coins, jewelry left out on
    bureau)..but even though I love all the dogs we have had, cats are in a
    category all of their own.  I have adored everyone I have ever had.  My
    siamese I now have (Tai Tai age 12-13) is waiting by the door when I
    get home (my husband is retired and sometimes Tai is on his lap and I
    guess when he hears the garage door go up he knows it's me coming
    home.  As I start supper he's at my feet "talking" a mile a minute.  If
    I don't feel good or are in a bad mood, he knows.  He will follow me
    around and be with me (purring all the while).  My feral cat we adopted
    is also unique.  He is definitely not a lap cat.  Don't touch me unless
    I solicit it.  Don't pick me up.  But just around 5a.m. he will jump up
    on the bed, find where I am and walk the length of me, sit on my rib
    cage and purr.  If I carefully touch his head and cheeks, he will rub
    against my and and - believe it or not - drool great big droplets and
    purr some more.  I firmly believe he knows we saved his life and gave
    him a soft spot to live in.  I often feel sorry for those that have
    never intimately known a cat.

I grew up with dogs.  For years and years I considered cats as "bad".  Well,
look at all the cartoons I grew up with:  Sylvester and Tweety, Tom and Jerry,
Mighty Mouse, Jinxie and Pixie and Dixie, and on and on.....  Well, my first
real encounter with a cat was while right after I graduated from college. 
There was a "stray" hanging around the Presbyterian Center at Georgia Tech,
and those of us who hung out there tried to adopt him.  I remember distinctly
sitting in the center when this cat chose my lap to sit on.  He just curled up
there, purred and turned his head upside down (you know the way they do it). 
I thought to myself, "This is pretty neat."

I have since had many cats in my life, and they've all been unique, some have
touched me in ways that the dogs I grew up with never could.  The dogs' love
was unconditional.  The cats made choices, and in the choice forged bonds that
I never thought possible between human and animal.

-Patrick

    I think Patrick sort of hit on the right words.  The cat "chooses" you. 
    It seems too easy to have a dog love you.  I have had dogs and been
    very bonded to them, wouldn't trade it for anything!  But a cat is
    different.  It is a wonderful feeling say, when you are feeling out of 
    sorts and the cat that usually is on his own comes to comfort you by
    choice.  Then there are the little ones that like to play "monkey" and
    ride around on your shoulder til you shoosh them off!
     Well, look who's talking.... 
    Karen 
    8'}

    
    "The cat chooses you".  How true.
    
    Walking into a strange house, sitting on the floor getting acquainted
    with a breeder.  A red ball of fluff walks around the corner, up
    into your lap and falls asleep in the crook of your arm...feeling down
    and wondering why you bother with anything, he jumps up onto the 
    bed, lays down next to your pillow and extends his paw just enough to
    make contact...after being away he looks at you with that look and 
    then turns his back to you and just sits and makes you wait until
    he has "paid you back" for leaving him...a big stretch, a paw on the
    face and a last good-bye...