The perspectives page is featured in the newspaper, the Newsstreak. This is where writers tell us their side on a certain subject. Both staff writers and guest writers can write for the perspectives pages. All ideas and topics go through the HHS Media editorial board.
Cats are more useful than dogs
Junior Sid Tandel holds his cat, Squeaky. “I like Squeaky because he’s really nice sometimes but he also leaves me alone when I don’t want to deal with him. He’s also a Hemingway cat so he has cute little thumbs,” Tandel said. Tandel prefers cats since they are less messy and needy overall.
There are many reasons why cats are better than dogs, but let’s start off with the basics. They’re much calmer. There’s no barking or making a mess when your cat’s eating. Cleaning up a dog’s mess can be exhausting; cats are a lot easier to take care of. You don’t have to take them on walks, and you can leave them alone without worrying too much about them. If you keep your dog outside it can bark at people and it can make them annoyed.
The next reason is that cats are a lot cheaper in cost. According to the Animal Humane Society, cats range from $32 to $270 and dogs cost $115 to $660 dollars. Cats also tend to live longer than dogs. They can live to 15, when dogs usually only live until they’re 11. Cats also don’t smell as bad as dogs, and you don’t have to clean them because they clean themselves. Cats are also better for the environment than dogs. Dogs have an impact on the environment equal to 2.1 times an SUV.
Cats are also a lot cuter than dogs, especially when they’re sleeping. Some people think that cats don’t like people, but new studies show that cats prefer human interaction to food and sleep.
I’m not the only one who thinks this though. Freshman Byron Moats appreciates the calm nature of cats, and the fact that they are less dirty than dogs.
“Dogs are dirty, they’re dirty animals. They always smell so bad and they bark a lot. I have two cats and they’re a lot calmer,” Moats said.
Freshman Brian Zelaya, a cat owner, agrees.
“I have a cat and I really like it. I feed it food and it’s nice to me,” Zelaya said.
Overall, cats are better than dogs in just about every aspect. They cost less, they’re less annoying and you don’t have to take care of them that much while still getting to hangout with them whenever you want!
Dogs are better than cats
Junior Betsy Quimby holds her dog Jake. Dogs are known to be much friendlier than cats, as well as being useful and teaching responsibility.
It’s simple: dogs are better than cats. There are so many reasons this is true. For starters, dogs are better than cats because they’re much friendlier. Dogs are happy to see you when you get home, but cats only want you home so that you can feed them and clean their litter box.
Dogs also teach responsibility better than cats. Dogs rely on people more than cats do. They need to be bathed, taken outside and groomed. Cats can bathe and groom themselves; they don’t need you. Cats also don’t need to go outside because they don’t need as much exercise. If you have a dog then you know that they teach great responsibility which is a skill you can use later on in life.
While there is more work that goes with raising a dog, this means you can get closer to your dog than you can with a cat. You can create a sentimental bond with a dog that you couldn’t have as well with a cat. Cats don’t need you as much so they won’t associate with you as much. Sure, they’ll want to be pet every now and again, but that’s about it. If they don’t want to associate with you, you don’t want to associate with them, making your sentimental value towards them less.
Also, dogs are more useful. Have you ever heard of a drug sniffing cat? Or a military cat? They’re so much more difficult to train because of how stubborn they are.
Dogs also come in many more varieties. While there are 71 standardized breeds of cats, they don’t vary as much as dogs do. Cats biggest difference between breeds is their color, but dogs have so many more traits that make them different. First of all, there’s a big difference in variety; according to Psychology Today there are 339 dog breeds, which means there are a lot of differences. Dogs are bred for different things, some are bred for fighting, others hunting, some for tricks and so much more. Dogs range in size, color and personality. So there really is a dog for everyone. Live in a small house and don’t have a lot of space? A chihuahua sounds like the dog for you. Live on a big open area and enjoy rabbit hunting? Sounds like you need a blue creek beagle. Have a lot of kids running around and you need a dog that is gentle? You should get a Newfoundland.
These are just a few of the reasons why you should have a dog. If you really want a cat, go for it. Enjoy spending your life slaving away preparing meals for a picky eater and cleaning up feces. But if you’d like, you could get a dog. They’re fun, energetic and bring memories for the rest of your life.