Are you a dog or cat person?

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I love both. Cats give me asthma so I’ve only housed a couple for short times until I found them homes.

Dogs are my spirit animal. Life for me would feel empty without a dog in the home.

 

[Gloria27]

Love both, had dogs now I have cats and love them to bits! Right now I'm a cat person, I don't like loud noises

 

[missy]

Love both, had dogs now I have cats and love them to bits! Right now I'm a cat person, I don't like loud noises

Gosh I have to agree with you. A few of our cats are very very vocal and sometimes I just want it to stop lol. And then there are dogs that don't bark. That's the kind of dog I want haha. But yeah generally cats are quieter than dogs and I welcome the peace. But of course love al animals noisy or not. But I prefer not noisy if possible. As I am typing this in the home office Jasper just jumped on the desk almost knocking over my coffee. OMG dogs don't do that

Animals rocks

 

[missy]

I love both. Cats give me asthma so I’ve only housed a couple for short times until I found them homes.

Dogs are my spirit animal. Life for me would feel empty without a dog in the home.

Thank you for finding them homes. Both my dh and I have asthma and it was a long road to coexisting healthfully with the cats. Greg got immunotherapy for a very long time and I am on Dupixent. THat's how much we love cats haha

And totally get the house feels so empty without our furry babies. It doesn't feel like a home without them.

 

[missy]

I voted both. We grew up with lots of cats & I thought I hated dogs. We got 2 cats when our girls were little. Poppy, the black, was an avid hunter & sadly died shortly after we moved into the Vicarage almost 2 years ago. She fell from a really high tree trying to get to a squirrels nest, landing belly down on a chopped tree stump below. She shattered her spine, pelvis & hips. It was horrific. Sparks is a Lilac Point Birman & this year she’ll be 11. She has the most beautiful lilac blue eyes.

In Aug 2023 after we’d moved, we picked up this beautiful bundle of Fox Red Labrador. As I said, I always hated dogs, but I love this dog SO much that it hurts. Her eyes can tell me a story just by looking into them.

Gorgeous! And before we had cats I thought they weren't good pets as I grew up with dogs and thought they were the best. It's all about what we know and don't know. Same for Greg. He wasn't an animal person til he got to know animals. He didn't grow up with them. I am thankful my dh and I are on the same page and we are both crazy animal people lol. And I love this photo of your sweet baby

 

[missy]

Both but cats have a slight edge as I grew up with Burmese cats. The agents of chaos have definitely converted me to a lifelong oriental shorthair devotee.
Pics of my little loves Otto, Min, Franklin and Barry.

Gorgeous!!!!

I prefer cats, but we have had both.
We lost our Spitz a few years ago due to old age, the cats loved him.

Awww beautiful photos!

My family - I love animals

They are family!!!! The best of family. LOVE your photos!

 

[missy]

We always had Yorkies or miniature poodles when I was growing up. As an adult I’ve always had Boston Terriers. I think when you find a breed that suits you, you tend to stick with it when you can. My current Boston is a rescue so I was very lucky to be allowed to adopt him.

Thank you for rescuing!!!!

I adore them both - and all animals, really - and have been blessed to share my adult life with both, but if pressed, I will admit to being just a smidge more of a dog person. But I like having both in our home - they bring such different energies. The dogs are like beloved children, while the cats are more like adult roommates, some of whom are more aloof and independent, while others are close buddies.

@Lookinagain, I agree that one can find a breed that is just "right." For me, that is rough collies. They have the intelligence and the sweeter, gentler qualities of the herding breeds, but have less of the work drive that requires tons of dog sports or a real job that border collies and aussies and Belgian shepherds need (because they were created by crossing the ancestors of border collies with borzois (Russian wolfhounds)). And they're stunningly gorgeous to boot!

My husband is in love with huskies, but even he had to admit that their temperament and needs are totally wrong for us, and that collies are the right fit. Although as we age, we just might have to downsize to shelties......

I don't trust people who don't love animals! Truth. Huskies are beautiful. Our neighbors used to have husky dogs. Regal. I also adore collies. Just beautiful and great personalities too

I'm sorry if I left anyone out who replied. I am in a mad rush this morning but want to thank you for sharing!!!
Animals represent the best of this world IMO. I enjoyed seeing everyone's sweet furry babies. Thank you!

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

These guys are actually Oriental Shorthairs - a more elongated, louder, more extra breed than the comparatively sedate Burmese I grew up with.
They do feel pretty wonderful - Otto (the black one) is a very satisfying pat as he’s a long rangy boy. Min, his grey sister has the softest fur I’ve ever felt over a solidly muscled body.

A Cashmere cat?

 

[Arcadian]

Its more about which one makes me sneeze more....lol Its to this end that I have short haired dogs who twice a year lose so much fur I wonder how they can have any left.

My issue is the dander and saliva (but of course) and its worse with cats. I vac twice a day when they're shedding and its when they get the most baths.

 

[dnfd]

Thank you for finding them homes. Both my dh and I have asthma and it was a long road to coexisting healthfully with the cats. Greg got immunotherapy for a very long time and I am on Dupixent. THat's how much we love cats haha

And totally get the house feels so empty without our furry babies. It doesn't feel like a home without them.

I feel the same! I also have severe asthma and a cat allergy and take Dupixent (and daily Singulair and Pulmicort and Symbicort and Allegra). I grew up with 5 cats and 3 dogs but didn't consider getting a cat once i moved out because of my asthma. I was torn between ferrets and chinchillas but fell in love with pet rats instead.

One day I found a stray cat and brought him home to somehow coexist in my studio apartment with my rats. When my husband first met me, I was living in a 450 square foot apartment with a 6-foot tall rat cage, 2 rats, and a cat! When my third pair of rats passed, I realized I couldn't stand the heartache of their short 2-year life span anymore, and the little boy cat I found became a happy only child. We were lucky enough to have the cat I didn't know I needed for 13 years. The day after we put him to sleep after a long and brave fight with lymphoma, we adopted our little tuxedo girl.

To be fair, we would probably also have a dog, but our building doesn't allow them. We would also probably have more than 1 cat, but our condo is only 700 square feet.

 

[missy]

I feel the same! I also have severe asthma and a cat allergy and take Dupixent (and daily Singulair and Pulmicort and Symbicort and Allegra). I grew up with 5 cats and 3 dogs but didn't consider getting a cat once i moved out because of my asthma. I was torn between ferrets and chinchillas but fell in love with pet rats instead.

One day I found a stray cat and brought him home to somehow coexist in my studio apartment with my rats. When my husband first met me, I was living in a 450 square foot apartment with a 6-foot tall rat cage, 2 rats, and a cat! When my third pair of rats passed, I realized I couldn't stand the heartache of their short 2-year life span anymore, and the little boy cat I found became a happy only child. We were lucky enough to have the cat I didn't know I needed for 13 years. The day after we put him to sleep after a long and brave fight with lymphoma, we adopted our little tuxedo girl.

To be fair, we would probably also have a dog, but our building doesn't allow them. We would also probably have more than 1 cat, but our condo is only 700 square feet.

Yes 100% agree. They are family. My mom and dad got a dog when my mom became pregnant with me. And turns out my dad was allergic (neither had grown up with pets) but it was easily managed with meds. However, when my sister (younger) was born she had severe asthma and was in and out of the hospital because during those days they didn't have the meds they have now. Long story short she still has allergies that flare severely from time to time but she is a veterinarian and has a household full of animals.

When I met my DH he had never had a pet growing up and we quickly found out he was very allergic. I had three cats. When he proposed he said the cats are family and I will get allergy shots. And so he did for well over a decade. And they worked. Really well. He does take asthma meds too but it is well controlled knock wood.

I didn't develop allergies til I was an adult. And my pulmonologist told me if I got rid of my cats (I had three at the time) my asthma would go away. I said what's my next option (lol) because that was not going to happen. I kicked them out of the bedroom and with meds was OK. For a while. Til last year when my asthma started flaring and became severe. Nothing worked. My allergist put me on Dupixent and voila. It's a miracle med. I just wish it wasn't so expensive because if the insurance company decides they no longer want to cover it I'm going to be in a pickle.

Thank you for sharing your story @dnfd
I love reading about the journeys of fellow animal lovers and their furry babies

And I agree with you. The very worst thing about having furry babies is their lifespan is way too short. Way too short

This was Billy, one of my original furry babies. Hanging out with my DH..look at the love

 

[empliau]

Both but cats have a slight edge as I grew up with Burmese cats. The agents of chaos have definitely converted me to a lifelong oriental shorthair devotee.
Pics of my little loves Otto, Min, Franklin and Barry.

You grew up with Burmese - then you will recognize these:

 

[dnfd]

Yes 100% agree. They are family. My mom and dad got a dog when my mom became pregnant with me. And turns out my dad was allergic (neither had grown up with pets) but it was easily managed with meds. However, when my sister (younger) was born she had severe asthma and was in and out of the hospital because during those days they didn't have the meds they have now. Long story short she still has allergies that flare severely from time to time but she is a veterinarian and has a household full of animals.

When I met my DH he had never had a pet growing up and we quickly found out he was very allergic. I had three cats. When he proposed he said the cats are family and I will get allergy shots. And so he did for well over a decade. And they worked. Really well. He does take asthma meds too but it is well controlled knock wood.

I didn't develop allergies til I was an adult. And my pulmonologist told me if I got rid of my cats (I had three at the time) my asthma would go away. I said what's my next option (lol) because that was not going to happen. I kicked them out of the bedroom and with meds was OK. For a while. Til last year when my asthma started flaring and became severe. Nothing worked. My allergist put me on Dupixent and voila. It's a miracle med. I just wish it wasn't so expensive because if the insurance company decides they no longer want to cover it I'm going to be in a pickle.

Thank you for sharing your story @dnfd
I love reading about the journeys of fellow animal lovers and their furry babies

And I agree with you. The very worst thing about having furry babies is their lifespan is way too short. Way too short

This was Billy, one of my original furry babies. Hanging out with my DH..look at the love

The picture of Billy with your husband is beautiful! I love that your sister became a vet. What a wonderful family of animal lovers you have. What are a few medications compared with the love and companionship of our furry family? At least that's how I was raised Your story has made me so happy Here's to modern medicine!

 

[kenny]

As long as we're posting pics of our fur & feather babies ...
I just stumbled upon this old pic of my previous parrot.
Puppy was a sweet Senegal Parrot.

Like Bibi, Puppy was extremely friendly with strangers new people.
This guy instantly hit it off with puppy, like they were old friends.
Awwww.

 

[missy]

The picture of Billy with your husband is beautiful! I love that your sister became a vet. What a wonderful family of animal lovers you have. What are a few medications compared with the love and companionship of our furry family? At least that's how I was raised Your story has made me so happy Here's to modern medicine!

Aww thank you. I feel the same and we were raised the same way. They are family
And yes, here's to modern medicine!

As long as we're posting pics of our fur & feather babies ...
I just stumbled upon this old pic of my previous parrot.
Puppy was a sweet Senegal Parrot.

Like Bibi, Puppy was extremely friendly with strangers new people.
This guy instantly hit it off with puppy, like they were old friends.
Awwww.

Puppy is beautiful. Thank you for sharing

 

[foxinsox]

You grew up with Burmese - then you will recognize these:

Chocolate and lilac? What are their names?

 

[foxinsox]

A Cashmere cat?

I’ve always said silk velvet but cashmere is a good description too!

 

[empliau]

Chocolate and lilac? What are their names?

The chocolate is Alecto, named after the Fury, and the lilac is Clio, named after the muse of history. They are successors to our beloved Diamond, who died last year at over 19.

I find that life with Burmese is livable, when without one it was not. (Overdramatic but not by much.)

 

[dnfd]

Chocolate and lilac? What are their names?

Loo

You grew up with Burmese - then you will recognize these:

Look at those sweet faces!