Cats vs. Dogs
Introduction
Cats and dogs both make great pets. They both are immensely popular among humans.
However preferences for cats and dogs vary from person to person. While some people
love dogs, some others are really fond of cats. There are also some people who love both
cats and dogs. Cats and dogs have their own good points and bad points. This paper will
seek to compare and contrast cats and dogs. It will try to find out in which areas these
two creatures differ from one another and in which cases one is loved over another by
humans.
Comparison between cats and dogs
Cats and dogs have some vital differences. These differences are as follows:

The origin of dogs can be found in wolves. Actually, dogs are considered to be
the descendents from wolves. It is widely held that dogs have evolved from the
wolves which had made their entry to the northern hemisphere in search for foods.
Cats, on the other hand, find its origin in the Felidae family. It is believed that cats
have been evolved around 12 millions years ago. (Carney, 2011)

A major physiological difference between cats and dogs is that the sense of
hearing is better among cats compared to dogs. The hearing part of their body has
been created in such a way that they can hear the kittens as well as the rodents’
ultrasonic sounds. (Carney, 2011)

The sense of smell is much better among dogs than cats. Dogs generally have wet
noses which help in dissolving the scent molecules and thus help them in
detecting those smells that can not be perceived by any human being. Hence, dogs
are used to catch criminals by the police forces across the countries. Cats do not
possess such characteristics. (Carney, 2011)

Cats are carnivores, while dogs are omnivores. (Carney, 2011)

Average life of dogs ranges from 12 to14 years, while average life of cats ranges
from 9 to 15 years. (Carney, 2011)

Dogs are considered to be the most loyal creature. Dogs are very faithful to their
masters. Dogs obey their master’s orders instantly. Dogs are also very protective
about their masters. Cats, on the other hand, are regarded as one of the most
independent and distrustful creatures. Although, cats are quite responsive to their
owners than the strangers, but they are not as loyal as dogs to their masters.
(Carney, 2011)

The cat lovers very often argue that dogs are more expensive to maintain than
cats. Dogs need substantial grooming and special types of foods to make them
healthy and look good. Cats, on the other hand, do not need such maintenance
costs. One needs only a little box, some toys and a food bowl for a cat. While
dogs need regular bath, it is not quite necessary for cats to be bathed frequently as
cats are quite efficient in taking care of their personal hygiene. (Carney, 2011)

Dogs are considered to wonderful companion for human being as they form a
habit of adjusting their daily routine with that of their masters. They possess a
spirit of self-sacrifice which makes them the best friends of their owners. On the
other hand, cats are known for their selfishness and notorious activities. (Carney,
2011)
Conclusion
On the basis of the discussion above it can be said cats and dogs have their own good and
bad characteristics. While dogs are highly dependent on their owners and become their
faithful companion, cats do so. But cats should also be respected for their self-dependent
nature. They are not as dependent as dogs on their masters and thus it is not quite
necessary to pay much attention to the maintenance of cats. Similarly while cats have
better sense of hearing, dogs have better send of smell. Thus it would not be right to
choose one as superior over the other.
Reference:
Carney, E. (2011). National Geographic Readers: Cats Vs. Dogs. National Geographic
Society.