Why Are Dogs Better Than Cats? Here Are 13 Reasons!

If you’re a cat lover, this post may well put your nose out of joint… just saying upfront! I realise that writing a blog post about why dogs are better than cats may well result in a barrage of protests from feline fanatics.

However, this is really meant to be a bit of fun, so if you love cats I’ll apologise in advance.

That said, I have owned cats and dogs and although I love them both, these days I would always choose a dog over a cat.

Does this mean I think that dogs are better than cats?

Well maybe a little bit! So I’d better explain why.

Why Are Dogs Better Than Cats?

Of course it’s a controversial and divisive subject. If you love cats you’ll possibly believe that cats are better than dogs. If you love both you’ll probably think it’s a stupid thing to discuss, period. After all, how can any animal be better than another?

So what we’re talking about here is subjective… and for me I prefer the company of dogs to cats.

With this in mind, here are the reasons I feel are why dogs are better than cats!

1. Dogs Are Better Than Cats Because They’re Smarter

This is a very bold claim I know, but there is some scientific evidence to support the view that dogs are more intelligent than cats.

The cerebral cortex in dogs contains vastly more neurons than that of cats… according to this National Geographic article, dogs have around 500 million of them versus 250 million for cats. 

The cerebral cortex is an area of the brain that supports multiple important functions such as:

• Attention
• Awareness
• Consciousness
• Decision making
• Memory
• Perception
• Problem solving
• Thought

Neurons are specialised cells that send and receive signals from your brain, and the more neurons there are, the more cognitively capable an animal potentially is.

While a high number of neurons doesn’t necessarily equate to a high level of intelligence, it is an indicator that is combined with others as contributing to the likelihood of higher intelligence.

2. You Can Visit More Places With Dogs Than You Can With Cats

There’s a reason why you don’t see many people out walking their cats… they’re skittish and don’t respond to commands in the same way dogs do!

I’ll admit that I have seen people walking a cat around the block with a lead on, but that’s pretty unusual to be honest and it certainly makes me raise an eyebrow!

Dogs can be taken out for walks on a lead around city centres. They can also be let off a lead in areas where they won’t get into trouble (like enclosed spaces, parks and fields). Dogs can sit quite happily next to you in bars, cafes and restaurants (where permitted) in a way that cats simply couldn’t cope with at all (unless crated).

Visiting friends? A dog will likely be way more welcome than a cat, simply because they’ll not get into the same sort of mischief as a cat and will probably be more obedient.

If I want to walk to my local shops to buy a newspaper, I can walk with my dog. Or if I need to run an errand, my dog can keep my company in my car. If I need to go away for an overnight stay, my dog can come with me so I don’t need to arrange a sitter as I would need to do with a cat.

For me dogs can go to more places with you and so can be more a part of your life more than a cat ever could.

3. Dogs Are More Loyal Than Cats

Dogs are abundantly more loyal than cats. Indeed… indeed, it’s fairly common knowledge that dogs are one of the most loyal pets anyone can have.

A dog will stick by their humans whatever the situation. In fact, there are many examples where dogs have stayed by their human’s side when they’ve been in an accident or gotten themselves into a survival situation.

In most cases cats are quite aloof. Sure, they’ll cosy up to you when they want food or warmth. However a dog will be your best friend simply because you’re one of the pack.

Domesticated cats don’t have the same pack mentality that dogs do and so are less inclined to be loyal one way or the other.. If a cat doesn’t see you as a valued member of the pack, why would it be loyal to you?

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4. Dogs Are Better Than Cats At Making Friends

This works in two ways.

Firstly, dogs tend to be more friendly with other dogs than cats are with other cats. Of course this is a generalisation as some dogs can be just as territorial as cats can. However, many dogs enjoy a playful run around in the park with other dogs they’ve just met.

Cats that meet other cats for the first time tend to have a wailing standoff rather than a friendly game of chase me.

Secondly, dogs create many more opportunities for you to meet other people than cats ever could. As a dog owner I constantly meet other dog owners when out walking and oftentimes this means you’ll stroke up a conversation.

While this may not result in you gaining a new bestie, it at least gives you the opportunity to develop some sort of friendship… even if that means a casual chat when out on walks.

5. You Get More Exercise With Dogs Than Cats

A major difference between cats and dogs is that dogs require you to be involved in their exercise. Since dogs require you to take them out so they get the exercise they need, you get exercise at the same time.

This might take the form of a simple walk or if you enjoy more vigorous exercise you can take your dog out with you when you go jogging… dog breed permitting of course!

I’ve seen many people out walking their dog or running with them. I’ve never seen anyone out running with their cat!

Staying at home playing chase the cat toy just isn’t the same as taking your dog outside for a walk (or run).

6. A Dog Might Save Your Life

A dog is more likely to save your life than a cat.

Mountain rescue teams use dogs to help find people in disaster situations. Police use sniffer dogs to help track missing persons. In both cases this can help to save your life.

Dogs have an incredibly developed ability to identify smells and locate where they’re coming from… and they can do this over extremely large distances. This alone makes dogs far better rescue animals than cats.

There are many examples where dogs have rescued people… I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of one occasion where a cat has done the same.

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7. A Dog Is Always Happy to See You

Dogs are always happy to see you. Cats are happy to see you when they’re hungry.

When you return home, perhaps after only having been away for a few minutes, a dog will greet you like you’ve been away for months!

If you leave the home as a cat owner, your cat might not have even realised that you were ever there…

… unless it’s hungry!

8. Dogs Are Better Than Cats Because They’re More Consistent

Dogs are usually emotionally very consistent. The way they respond to you the interactions they have with you is usually the same.

From being enormously excited when you come home, to wanting to be near you (even on you) at every opportunity, dogs rarely decide to lash out without warning.

On the other hand, cats can be happily purring in your lap one moment, and the next decide to scratch your eyes out!

Of course dogs can get angry at you too but this usually happens for a reason.

Cats never seem to need a reason to exact retribution for some imagined sleight… or even no sleight at all!

9. Dogs Don’t Poop in Your House… Like Cats Do!

Dogs tend not to poop in your house… at least unless they’re puppies or feeling unwell.

House cats poop in your house all the time and even outdoor cats might demand a litter tray indoors to poop in as well as keeping their toilet outside.

Litter trays for dogs are pretty rare and most dog owners I know would never entertain the idea of them in their own house!

For cats, it’s almost a given that they’ll need somewhere to poop in your home!

Dogs sometimes eat poop though!

10. Dogs Don’t Bring Dead (or Live) Animals Into Your Home… Like Cats Do!

Dogs don’t bring dead animals into your house as often as cats do!

In my pre-dog life, my cat used to bring a bunch of dead animals into our home. We had a regular supply of dead slugs, worms, mice and birds.

On one occasion our cat even brought a live bird into our house! This resulted in a very challenging hour trying to coax the bird out of the house while our cat was going nuts elsewhere trying to get at it’s quarry!

My dog has never brought any animals home… either dead or alive!

Dogs do roll on dead animals though!

11. Dogs Sleep Better at Night than Cats

Dogs tend to sleep better at night than cats do. Okay, better might be a bit of a stretch… but dogs do have a slightly different sleeping pattern than cats, which makes them less disruptive to our sleeping routines.

Dogs have a diurnal sleeping pattern. This means that they mostly sleep at night, which aligns with us humans.

Cats on the other hand have a crepuscular sleeping pattern. This means they wake earlier in the day, perhaps dawn, which is less conducive to a good night’s sleep for us!

12. Dogs Are Better Than Cats Because They’re More Fun!

Dogs are more fun than cats. This statement may well send the feline cohort into a fury… but I can’t see any place where a cat is more fun than a dog.

Of course cats can be hilarious and I certainly don’t mean that cats can’t be any fun at all. I’ve seen some hilarious videos online of cats being, well, cats… and they can be funny.

It’s just that I feel that cats are not as much fun as dogs.

• Dogs can hang out with you in far many more places than cats.
• They can go out for walks (or runs) with you.
• Dogs interact with you in more engaging ways than cats.
• Dogs respond to things you say.
• Dogs don’t have sudden changes of mood for no apparent reason.
• Dogs are ready to play at any time of day.
• Dogs are always happy to see you.

I know that cat lovers may disagree with me here, but let’s face it… dogs are just more fun!

13. Dogs Are Easier to Train Than Cats

Dogs are better than cats because they’re far more easy to train.

It’s not often I see cat obedience classes advertised or hear about cat whisperers who can help to curb undesirable feline traits 

Neither have I ever witnessed a cat owner issuing a command to their cat and the cat actually responding to it.

There’s a reason you don’t see cat training classes… cats are not as easy to train as dogs. Even if you could train a cat as easily as a dog, a cat would likely decide to do whatever it wanted anyway!

Dogs can learn and respond to a multitude of words and phrases. This makes them not just great companions but also means they can help interact with you in far more meaningful ways than cats can.

Summary: Why Are Dogs Better Than Cats?

I know this article is likely to cause some disagreement with cat lovers (and I do love cats too). It’s just my feeling that dogs are better than cats in many, many ways.

Of course I’m always delighted to talk through differences of opinion so I’d love to hear from anyone as to why cats are better than dogs… in their opinion.

Why not tell me your thoughts on this in the comments section at the bottom of this page?

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