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kufurexJul 14, 2010
Pretty much the same actually. If that are stuffed, that is.
mpenetrabletacoJul 14, 2010
Cats are definitely easier and cheaper, unless you have some special breed.
Closed AccountJul 15, 2010
Even with special breeds your only extra expenses would be for health care. You can definitely groom your own cat, even if it's a long-hair, so that's not really an issue unless you and your cat are total prima donnas.
wolfmannJul 15, 2010
not really, I have a rat terrier/chihuahua mix and it eats less and basically costs less than most cat's I know of -- heck she could eat our table scraps and never have to touch her dry food. However my lab/border collie mix always has ear infections so she's a bit more expensive (other than the amount of food).
chiefbandit2200Jul 15, 2010
Well it does of course depend on the specific kind of dog or cat you get, but in general cats are cheaper and require much less work.
infestusJul 14, 2010
pet rocks are the easiest pets to maintain.
surferessJul 14, 2010
Cat food is a lot cheaper than dog food.
Closed AccountJul 15, 2010
Most cats use less of it, too ;)
greenroom628Jul 15, 2010
unfortunately, that's not true for my cats and dog. one of the cats has a condition where they get mineral deposits in his bladder too often and would get kidney stones on any other food, so he's on a special diet and, consequently, so is the other cat. in our household, cat food is $40/bag vs $30/bag for the dog.
PatriceBeaulieuJul 14, 2010
Cats are easier to maintain but there not fun =(
goweigusJul 15, 2010
it seems the biggest part of having a not fun cat is not being a fun person (the good cat owners I know all have great fun cats)
Closed AccountJul 15, 2010
they're
PatriceBeaulieuJul 15, 2010
I prefer dog =P
testiculeseJul 15, 2010
You've never seen my cats. They are far more playful than dogs (and a s**tload less destructive)
The battles that these two have are of epic proportions.
crackerjohnJul 15, 2010
Laser pointer
skintighJul 15, 2010
You need a pet who's personality suits your own. Some cats love toys and attention, others keep to themselves.
http://www.aspca.org/adoption/meet-your-match/
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1694804,00.html
freeridstyleeJul 15, 2010
Plus you have to factor in all the internet money your cat will surely make.
prompelJul 15, 2010
If you have to ask, then you can't afford it.
scotty87Jul 15, 2010
It is so inexpensive I've never bothered budgeting my (2) dogs. Seriously if you have to think about it, don't get a pet. The second something happens to them you'll have to put them down.
This is considering I take both dogs for all their regular shots, etc and also give them Hill's Prescription Diet food.
greenvortexJul 15, 2010
Dog or cat, if you let it get too fat, you will eventually end up with huge vet bills.
testiculeseJul 15, 2010
That would peg the owner as a complete moron.
gefahrJul 15, 2010
what are you at, getting terribly fat?
dougman82Jul 15, 2010
Too bad the lower cost of having a cat doesn't offset the annoyance of having to keep a tray full of poop in my house.
goweigusJul 15, 2010
ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
so your dog poops outside then?
why couldn't the cat?
PS: unless the ground is too tough most cats will digg a whole and bury their poop in it
ageofmasteryJul 15, 2010
If you empty it regularly it won't get anywhere near full.
plumcantaloupeJul 15, 2010
my cat's breath smells like cat food
reconfigurJul 15, 2010
I don't mind. I'd rather not have to go outside numerous times a day, pick up s**t or leave it there. All three of those things are annoying for different reasons, unless your dog s**ts in a forest or something.
testiculeseJul 15, 2010
Beats having to walk a dog every few hours. Cleaning up a cat pan is certainly no strian. Takes 2 minutes every 2 days. (And I have two cats)
memnochxxJul 15, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
mtxrawkusJul 15, 2010
My cat poops in the neighbors yard. I didn't even have to teach him!
countess666Jul 15, 2010
problem solved:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTvJrlgOyeg
loudmusicJul 15, 2010
You could always spend MORE money. My brother-in-law had one of these and says it was worth every penny.
http://www.litter-robot.com/
Just have to find room for it.
nanerJul 15, 2010
They didn't include any vet costs, is that a wash too?
ed3839Jul 15, 2010
That was all in the article, which you clearly only skimmed, and therefore made yourself look foolish.
nanerJul 15, 2010
Or I watched the video at the top of the page and didn't read the article at all. Don't assume anything about other people, it makes you look foolish.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
Closed AccountJul 15, 2010
s**t... Easy to understand why kids didn't make the list...
charlesdkraussJul 15, 2010
I'd say cats are cheaper.
I don't really like cats though, but I love dogs.
I guess you get what you pay for. :P
diskohJul 15, 2010
I've had my cat for 17 years and my dog for 5. The cat is most definitely easier and cheaper. That is, provided it's an indoor cat. I've only had to take him to the vet once in 17 years. The dog costs like 500 bucks a year to take for annual check-ups and shots and all that crap because she goes out in the world a lot more, including daily half-hour walks.
The litter box isn't a big deal. Just get either an automatic one (expensive, but are a 1 time cost) or use disposable ones that you can just replace every weekend instead of scooping poop out every day.
They are equally affectionate and lovely to be around, but the dog is certainly more engaging.
bythogJul 15, 2010
If you aren't taking your cat for annual vaccines and a physical then you are a bad pet owner. Being "indoors only" is not an excuse to let your pet's health potentially suffer.
diskohJul 15, 2010
I raised a cat from birth to being a healthy, happy, vibrant cat who is past human driving age, without a hitch along the way. I don't need a lecture.
testiculeseJul 15, 2010
Your last 5 words are not true. If a cat is socialized as a kitten, it is just as engaging and just as attached to you as a dog. I've had 7 cats growing up, including the two I have right now, and every one of them has been just as interactive as a dog. Cats as a rule are social animals. They are not, however, pack animals, generally.
Three of my cats use to come hiking with me. They were actually better than the dogs I would bring (I've had 5 dogs growing up). All my cats have slept in the bed (as well as all the dogs). All the cats have either initiated play, or responded positively to play. Laser lights, string, all kinds of stuff. They go ballistic. Yesterday, the black cat divebombed the gray one, did a barrel roll right over here...and flew right off the table. Talk about hysterics! (Some cats, however, don't have the KILL-PLAY-KILL instinct, and they can be a little dull, I grant you)
When I come home from work, both cats come running to greet me, just like all my dogs did in the past. They sit with me when I watch TV, and the one follows me all around the house and just 'hangs out' with whatever I'm doing (unless I'm vacuuming)
It's all in how they are raised. Most cats are ignored growing up, and have no social skills, and think little about humans because of it.
diskohJul 15, 2010
My cat is extremely attached to me. By engaging I just mean it is a different type of socialization. My cat loves to nuzzle and be pet while I'm watching tv. He's a joy. My dog loves to play fetch in the yard and tug a rope. That's what I mean by engaging. More... exciting.
spazattack5000Jul 15, 2010
My cats are indoor/outdoor cats so I don't even have to buy litter for them as they s**t outside. Only issue is parasite medication because they are incredible hunters and bring stuff home pretty much every day.
kevinmaloneJul 15, 2010
What is this?! Words and paragraphs!? Where is my infographic? I can't understand anything without an infographic.
feeishJul 15, 2010
Actually you're right this could have been made a lot better if it were an infographic
fredfredricksonJul 15, 2010
Not just an infographic. A s**tty infographic.
rocroJul 15, 2010
This comparison is for urbanites only.
Rural people don't need to pay for their dog to take a s**t. Rural people don't pay to have their dog groomed, they just get a bucket and some soap. Rural people also often feed their dogs leftovers from human food.
I'd still say dogs cost more, but a dog in the countryside is a lot cheaper than one in the city.
freeridstyleeJul 15, 2010
Same as a rural cat. A lot of people have barn cats that eat mice and s**t in the wild.
ed3839Jul 15, 2010
Bathing costs were not mentioned, because clearly most people don't bother to pay to groom a dog.
Dogs are not the only pets that eat human food. My cat gets a portion of pretty much every meal I eat. He's an insistent little bastard.
treshnellJul 15, 2010
No Kitty that's MY chicken pot pie!
pennysboatJul 15, 2010
Having bought both a kitten and puppy in the past 3 years, I can say cat is about 10 times cheaper if you factor in all the damage a puppy does to your house (chewing on everything possible, scratching floors, stealing food off the counter, ruining outdoor flowers, etc).
Last time I calculated we were close to $2500 in puppy related damages and we try to keep our eye on him 24/7.
captainnopantsJul 15, 2010
Not for nothing, but cats with claws destroyed much of my parents furniture before they were declawed. Declawing, by the way, is horrible.
feeishJul 15, 2010
Scratching posts work wonders. As long as you cat uses it though
testiculeseJul 15, 2010
You have to catch cats early, appropriate a scary enough response to make them think about it, *and* offer a replacement for them to tear up. I brought a piece of firewood and put it in the corner of the room. They tear it up good, and I just sweep the shavings every week before I vacuum.
Damages: $0!
memnochxxJul 15, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
bythogJul 15, 2010
FTA: "At the vet's near my house, a cat costs $160 to neuter, and a dog costs $290. Spaying is cheaper because it's not as invasive."
Either that is a typo or the writer is an idiot. Spaying is MUCH more invasive than a neuter in both species. A cat neuter literally takes ~5 minutes to perform (excluding the time waiting for sedation to kick in).
Overall the article is very vague and doesn't take into account an individual's geography. Health costs aside--since they tend to be roughly equal--it is a little cheaper to keep a dog where I live than a cat if you take into account the fact that cat food is more expensive lb for lb and if you don't just totally go overboard for your dog's toys.
feeishJul 15, 2010
They also don't take into account that you can get plenty of toys for free just by walking outside. I my aunt and uncle have 2 dogs both love to play with sticks. And both love ice cubes as treats so their are 2 things that can be crossed off as free.
testiculeseJul 15, 2010
I think the author just got it backwards.
That aside, $150 to spay seems a bit much. Using Friends Of Animals (they subsidize the procedure from charity contributions) my two cats were spayed for $60.
Closed AccountJul 15, 2010
How about destroyed lawns/plants from dogs pissing on them? We have some neighborhood dogs that run around and do this. Yeah, makes me real happy....
kd1sJul 15, 2010
Properly prepared you can leave a cat for a week. When we've done so we've had friends check in on the cat ever 3 days or so just to top off food, water and sweep the litter box.
I've already decided though that if we get a dog it'll be a small one and it will be taught to use the litter box.
testiculeseJul 15, 2010
Take out it's voice box! (Jack Russels seem to be, if properly trained, good about not yapping their fool heads off)
zizar3Jul 15, 2010
MACHKEECA
beesknees21Jul 15, 2010
Dogs usually are better than most security systems for deterring criminals and/or alerting the people in the house to a problem.
metasenseJul 15, 2010
When your pet gets a debilitating disease, or requires immediate veterinary care, the bill will wipe this petty list out in one fell swoop.
Dog or cat, the bills are the same...expensive.
So get what you like and can live with, not what's cheaper.
leezusJul 15, 2010
Buy a motorcycle or save fluffy.
Hmmm. Maybe I'm just a bastard.
zomgorlyJul 15, 2010
If you are picking a pet from what the costs will be, I am not sure you should be getting a pet.
matthewf01Jul 15, 2010
My cat rocks. +1 for being cheap too.
Someone posted on Craigslist that a cat had given birth in her basement, and this few-days-old kitten wasn't being nursed by the mother. My girlfriend picked the kitten up and we had to bottle-feed it by hand a few times a day. I was scared she wouldn't make it, she was so delicate and unbelievably tiny --- but now I've been rewarded with an affectionate loving baby cat with such personality!
hallisnaJul 15, 2010
For those that don't know, its actually illegal in most places to seperate kittens from their mothers until after 4-6 weeks. This is apparently an important stage in development when they learn to socialize with other cats. Sounds like in your case though, the mother wasn' doing its job so it was better off having an owner straight away.
animeguruJul 15, 2010
Dogs may cost more, but I'll take a dog over a cat any day. I just don't feel cats are as connected to their owners as dogs are. My dogs greet me at the door when I get home and are always excited to spend time with me. I can't say the same for my friends who have cats.
In the end though, it really doesn't matter because pets are all relatively expensive but most pet owners gladly absorb those costs. Just get whichever is going to make you happy.
reconfigurJul 15, 2010
Yep. I personally don't like dogs for the reasons you mentioned. Cats stay out of your face for the most part... unless you're sleeping.
Closed AccountJul 15, 2010
It all depends on your cat. My cats will always come downstairs and check out what is going on when an outside door is open. They always greet me when I come home. They come up and snuggle when I watch a movie/tv on the couch.
But, yes on the whole cats are more independent.
raisingspiritsJul 15, 2010
Not that it really matters or you care... but my two cats greet me at the door when I get home. One in particular is extremely social and loves attention. He always wants to be where people are, especially if I have friends/guests over and will happily play with you. With that said, I find myself describing him as being very dog-like in his personality and much of his behavior. Best of both worlds I suppose.
happyimbecileJul 15, 2010
I grew up with several cats and dogs. Our cats always played as much as our dogs, sometimes more. The only cats I've ever seen that weren't just as nice and playful as dogs had s**tty owners that never played with the cats after they were kittens.
s**tty owners = angry cats. Loving owners = awesome cats.
testiculeseJul 15, 2010
If cats are socially raised, they are just as 'loyal' as dogs. My cats greet me at the door, follow me around the house, play like crazy.
A cat ignored will ignore you.
v3nomJul 15, 2010
I didn't read the article, but I've owned both cats and dogs, sometimes simultaneously and sometimes not.
Cats are definitely cheaper, but dogs are more worth it. More of a personality.
chinolofusJul 15, 2010
did anyone actually think cats cost more?
although my pitbull beats cats in the spaying department since the anti cruelty society spays and neuters pit and pitbull mixes for free.
feeishJul 15, 2010
Pitbulls are such awesome dogs. They just get a bad rap for being used as fighting dogs.
flaptasticJul 15, 2010
Cats are cheaper, sure...until it gets angry.
Good luck cleaning cat pee off of <whatever you value the most goes here>.
reconfigurJul 15, 2010
Usually they stop peeing everywhere after they're fixed. My female cat pissed on a wall once, right in front of me, standing up! Also, cat "spray" is far worse-smelling than cat piss, but that usually stops as well.
Also, vinegar is supposed to work well, otherwise they just keep peeing where they smell their urine.
reconfigurJul 15, 2010
People should definitely go the ASPCA route. Purebreeds are overpriced and inbred anyway, and usually sold by odd people.
Do people really put their dogs in crates at night? That seems a little inhumane for dogs, who tend to get lonely easier than cats do.
hammer7Jul 15, 2010
Yes people do put their dogs in a crate at all hours of the day. If done correctly crates are a great way to train a puppy. But my experience is that they are not for every dog. I have had two terriers and tried the crate method only to find out that they do get very lonely and want to be with their owners at night. We stopped the crate training on our second puppy because she pooped in there anyway. Something I read that they will never do.
feeishJul 15, 2010
To a dog a create is like a den it makes them feel secure and safe. My grandparents' dog was afriad of thunder so when ever there was a storm he would hide in his create. You can also us a create for training like a timeout.
mtxrawkusJul 15, 2010
Its not good to use it for a safe place AND a punishment place. It confuses the animal.
feeishJul 15, 2010
Well obviously yeah. I was just listing options
wolfmannJul 15, 2010
I do... otherwise they are up all night barking at the deer in the back field... it is their bed, and they are out of it as much as possible.
hopzJul 15, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
feeishJul 15, 2010
Ok but either way I'll invest a little more money and get a dog because I just like dogs more.
You should get a pet that makes you happy and is a good friend not one that you pick just because it is cheaper.
lostsymphonies1Jul 15, 2010
Without reading this article, I can tell you without a doubt cats are easier and cheaper in every way.
imkidredJul 15, 2010
Cat would cost more once you factor in the kitty liter. I have a house and don't spend on pop bags. I just use grocery store bags when needed. Who wants a furball you never see, won't scare away anyone and scratches the furniture? Dogs FTW.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
jasonlimanJul 15, 2010
Cats are more affordable. First, they almost never go over 15 pounds, unless you own an exotic cat or obsess cat. If you are a renter, the deposit costs is always cheaper for cats. Second, I have two cats, both toilet trained, so I am litter free. Thirdly, I usually buy 3-2 bags of 10+ pounds dry cat food per month, and last 3 months. I calculated it, and it costs around 5 bucks for each cat per month.
One of the main cost to own a dog is the labor. I suppose dog owners are responsible to walk their dogs couple times a day, at around 1hr total every day, that's around 360 hours a year. You do the math.
memnochxxJul 15, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
scecilioJul 15, 2010
You think it's obvious that cats are cheaper than dogs until you start watching "Simon's Cat".
higherlogicJul 15, 2010
For most this generalization may be true, but not for me. I have a dog (a tiny Pomeranian) and a cat. The cat was free (it's been my parent's for about 6 years), the dog wasn't (about $2k).
I don't have to walk my dog because I have a back yard (rocks, not grass), so no need for a leash or picking up after her (it washes away in the rain basically). She's had the same toys since I got her (about 1.5 years now), and my cat doesn't really play with toys. My cat and dog both eat the same food (regardless of if I buy cat or dog food), so for me,
y cat is more expensive because of how much litter costs. I spend more on my dog though because she has a lot of treats and toys and grooming stuff, even though both pets are low maintenance.
memnochxxJul 15, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
esb82Jul 15, 2010
The Pom doesn't count as a dog, though.
higherlogicJul 15, 2010
It's a big yard, she doesn't need walking. She only weighs like 5 pounds and gets all the exercise she needs either chasing the cat or fetching toys outside. But yea, agree with esb82, not a "big" dog like an Akita, German Shepherd, etc., that would require walking, picking up after, etc. She's basically a cat.
PatriceBeaulieuJul 15, 2010
O.o My dog Ain't destructive and is perfectly clean.
cuervoman914Jul 15, 2010
goddamned german shepherds. they're awesome though
dilbertJul 15, 2010
We Make Great Pets.
ultraseamusJul 15, 2010
Sure, you can cheap out and get yourself a furry pile of indifference or, you can spend a bit more money and get yourself some unconditional love.
*is allergic to cats