Cats and Dogs

Being owned by both a cat and a dog has its moments. Especially when the cat has dignity and clear boundaries and the dog is a beefy doofus with no sense of personal space. We have had our cat for about a year and a half, and Stewie as he came to be named, has been a source of joy and entertainment. Then we moved into our house. Being in a house after being in crappy apartments so long was nice, but Art works at night a lot and it freaked me out a little to be alone with all the creaks and groans of a different place. So Art went to the pound and fell in love with this lug of a dog, and I did too. Now they are Stewie and Dewey, and we have noticed some fundamental differences between the two species.

The cat lays at my feet.
The dog lays on my face.

The cat eats daintily and cleans himself afterward.
The dog inhales it and rubs his mouth sploosh on me.

The cat sits in the window and soaks up the sun.
The dog goes through the window and chases the sun.

The cat goes in his box and neatly covers his excrement.
The dog pees on the banister and it runs all down, making me wonder why my banister is wet whilst I ascend the stairs.

The cat entertains himself by playing with his catnip mouse and circular thingy with the ball in it.
The dog entertains himself by eating my dishcloths, classwork, and wooden spoons.

The cat plays games with me when he is good and ready.
The dog won’t leave me the f*&$ alone.

The cat greets me with “Whatever, man.”
The dog greets me with, “MAMA MAMA MAMA MAMA MAMA MAMA!!!!”

The cat is entitled to tuna.
The dog earns every Milk Bone.

The cat hates the dog.
The dog loves the cat.

The cat disapproves with disdain.
The dog accepts with joyful exuberance.

So many lessons here. It has become obvious to me that you can’t have a cat if you are needy and you can’t have a dog if you’re unwilling to deal with some discomforts, such as a paw in the eye from time to time and the loss of good sneakers. I love them both for their individual characteristics and whatnot. But for all that, it is always good to remember:

The dog loves you for who you are.
The cat sees you for who you are.