If you could get one animal trait what would it be?

[Terminal Blue]

Dogs have chew toys, but 99% of cat toys are to sate their need to murder, like, it's not fun if they don't think they're taking a life.

A lot of dog behaviours are also to sate their need for murder.

Both dogs and cats are obligate carnivores. They both have a prey drive, they just express it differently because they evolved to hunt in different ways. Dogs are endurance predators, not ambush predators, so they like to run around and chase things. That's their equivalent of the stalking and pouncing cats do. In terms of a hungry giant cat versus a hungry giant dog, the main difference is that the cat will kill you before eating you and the dog won't.

Most of the behavioural differences between cats and dogs stem from the fact that wolves are apex predators, while the African wildcats who are the ancestors of our domestic cats are predated by other animals. This actually isn't true of big cats, like tigers, so they don't have the same threat response. Regardless, a lot of "violent" cat behaviour is caused by feeling threatened, or feeling that their territory is threatened. The canine dominance hierarchy normally ensures dogs aren't violent to people or other dogs who they know, but when dogs do turn violent it's a lot more serious and can easily result in serious injury or even death. That's why violent dogs have to be euthanized, while violent cats are tolerated because they're mostly harmless.

Cats can be loving and affectionate, and they can develop close bonds with their owners, but unlike dogs which need to be touched and handled all the time, they don't always show it in ways that are easy for a human to interpret. If a cat is scent marking you by rubbing its face on you or booping its head against you, it likes you. It's marking you as a safe part of its environment. Domestic cats, like dogs, are neotenic and bond to their owners the way kittens would to their mother. Behaviours like meowing and solicitation purrs aren't natural to adult cats at all, they're juvenile behaviours which domestic cats retain to communicate with their human 'parents', and they only use them to communicate with humans.

In short, domestic cats are complicated little animals. They all have their own quirks and personalities, but they're perfectly capable of the same range of behaviour as dogs. I don't think it's weird that some people don't like cats, but I do think it's weird how some people seem to really dislike them. I always wonder what causes it.

 

[Xprimentyl]

A lot of dog behaviours are also to sate their need for murder.

Both dogs and cats are obligate carnivores. They both have a prey drive, they just express it differently because they evolved to hunt in different ways. Dogs are endurance predators, not ambush predators, so they like to run around and chase things. That's their equivalent of the stalking and pouncing cats do. In terms of a hungry giant cat versus a hungry giant dog, the main difference is that the cat will kill you before eating you and the dog won't.

Most of the behavioural differences between cats and dogs stem from the fact that wolves are apex predators, while the African wildcats who are the ancestors of our domestic cats are predated by other animals. This actually isn't true of big cats, like tigers, so they don't have the same threat response. Regardless, a lot of "violent" cat behaviour is caused by feeling threatened, or feeling that their territory is threatened. The canine dominance hierarchy normally ensures dogs aren't violent to people or other dogs who they know, but when dogs do turn violent it's a lot more serious and can easily result in serious injury or even death. That's why violent dogs have to be euthanized, while violent cats are tolerated because they're mostly harmless.

But cats can be loving and affectionate, and they can develop close bonds with their owners, but unlike dogs which need to be touched and handled all the time, they don't always show it in ways that are easy for a human to interpret. If a cat is scent marking you by rubbing its face on you or booping its head against you, it likes you. It's marking you as a safe part of its environment. Domestic cats, like dogs, are neotenic and bond to their owners the way kittens would to their mother. Behaviours like meowing and solicitation purrs aren't natural to adult cats at all, they're juvenile behaviours which domestic cats retain to communicate with their human 'parents', and they only use them to communicate with humans.

In short, domestic cats are complicated little animals. They all have their own quirks and personalities, but they're perfectly capable of the same range of behaviour as dogs. I don't think it's weird that some people don't like cats, but I do think it's weird how some people seem to really dislike them. I always wonder what causes it.

That's a lot of words to not change my mind.

More succinctly, I dislike cats because if I'm tasked with caring for an animal, I want it to engage with me in appreciable ways, not on their terms because "oh, that's just how they are;" that's the whole point of a pet *in my humble opinion.* I don't want to spend four paragraphs explaining away their behavior and why they are little more than a lazy roommate that sleeps all day, shits in a box indoors, meows for no reason at 4am, and couldn't care less if I lived or died.

I dislike cats' version of affection and attention; if it has to be explained to me AGAIN, it's not worth the effort, hence my dislike of them. This is like taking someone who doesn't like sushi to every sushi restaurant in town convinced they just don't get it; at some point you gotta realize, maybe said someone just doesn't LIKE it. I don't get a pet to learn to live with them; they have to learn to live with me. How do some people dislike cats? They're little more than a chore that occasionally acknowledges that you exist. Are all cat's terrible? No. Do I want to live with one every again? Hard no.

 

[SilentPony]

Does this include human traits, to get a double dose? Cause being twice as good at something as normal people would cool.



By body weight, horses have smaller penises than humans...I think. Though, the ancient Greeks used to think small penises were more attractive.

See I would be more worried about finding a woman who can take a horse dick. I can't imagine it would be comfortable for anyone involved, when the phrase "just the tip" is literally as deep as you can go.

 

[Xprimentyl]

See I would be more worried about finding a woman who can take a horse dick. I can't imagine it would be comfortable for anyone involved, when the phrase "just the tip" is literally as deep as you can go.

Several years ago, I went to see Joe Rogan's standup show. He ended his set recalling a video he'd seen called "two guys, one horse." Yeah. I'm not morbidly curious enough to seek it out myself, but apparently, it's two guys and a horse (duh,) and one of them is, well, y'know, "taking it" from the horse, and at some point, the horse anchors itself and gives the unfortunate gentleman a proper thrust of horse ding-a-ling, and Rogan describe the guy's sounds as "blood-curdling." The other guy responded with a coy "too much?" There's so much wrong going on there that my brain has been unable to forget it. I can't tell you a single other joke from the rest of the show, but that sticks with me in nightmarish fashion.

 

[Worgen]

That's a lot of words to not change my mind.

More succinctly, I dislike cats because if I'm tasked with caring for an animal, I want it to engage with me in appreciable ways, not on their terms because "oh, that's just how they are;" that's the whole point of a pet *in my humble opinion.* I don't want to spend four paragraphs explaining away their behavior and why they are little more than a lazy roommate that sleeps all day, shits in a box indoors, meows for no reason at 4am, and couldn't care less if I lived or died.

I dislike cats' version of affection and attention; if it has to be explained to me AGAIN, it's not worth the effort, hence my dislike of them. This is like taking someone who doesn't like sushi to every sushi restaurant in town convinced they just don't get it; at some point you gotta realize, maybe said someone just doesn't LIKE it. I don't get a pet to learn to live with them; they have to learn to live with me. How do some people dislike cats? They're little more than a chore that occasionally acknowledges that you exist. Are all cat's terrible? No. Do I want to live with one every again? Hard no.

Kinda sounds like you want a slave that will pee itself in excitement at seeing you.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Kinda sounds like you want a slave that will pee itself in excitement at seeing you.

Yep. If I'm paying the bills, feeding it and cleaning the shit? Yep. You know there's no need to rabidly defend cats because I don't like them, don't you? I guarantee the only beings that give less fucks ARE cats, so I have that in common with them.

EDIT: Where did you get "slave" in my casual musing about my preference in a pet? Sounds like a dig to vilify a preference that differs from yours. I love dogs, and yes, their overt excitement when I come home after a long day is endearing. There's no servitude involved; they "engage with me in appreciable ways," which are my exact words which don't infer any level of servitude.

 

[Worgen]

Yep. If I'm paying the bills, feeding it and cleaning the shit? Yep. You know there's no need to rabidly defend cats because I don't like them, don't you? I guarantee the only beings that give less fucks ARE cats, so I have that in common with them.

Scratch my earlier point. You should absolutely avoid getting a cat, really you should avoid any animals or children, but you could probably find a nice subserviently dog. You should avoid cats though since I have a feeling you would be a really bad cat caretaker.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Scratch my earlier point. You should absolutely avoid getting a cat, really you should avoid any animals or children, but you could probably find a nice subserviently dog. You should avoid cats though since I have a feeling you would be a really bad cat caretaker.

At what point did I suggest I wanted another cat? My disliking them has no bearing on my ability to show love and compassion for other creatures let alone a human fucking child, so your calling my ability to do so into question highlights what I'll deem to be your unhealthy affection for cats. Is that fair?

Now, putting my cards on the table, I don't ACTIVELY dislike cats. Were I to come to your home and engage with yours, I wouldn't shoo it away or show disdain; I just don't LIKE them. If that's not okay by you... well, that's a "you" problem, and any further assessment of me by you is unwarranted (as is ANY assessment of me by you.)

 

[SilentPony]

Several years ago, I went to see Joe Rogan's standup show. He ended his set recalling a video he'd seen called "two guys, one horse." Yeah. I'm not morbidly curious enough to seek it out myself, but apparently, it's two guys and a horse (duh,) and one of them is, well, y'know, "taking it" from the horse, and at some point, the horse anchors itself and gives the unfortunate gentleman a proper thrust of horse ding-a-ling, and Rogan describe the guy's sounds as "blood-curdling." The other guy responded with a coy "too much?" There's so much wrong going on there that my brain has been unable to forget it. I can't tell you a single other joke from the rest of the show, but that sticks with me in nightmarish fashion.

If I remember correctly, I think the dude died. Or at least a similar video of a dude taking it up the backdoor from a horse ended up like rupturing his guts and he bled to death.

 

[Xprimentyl]

If I remember correctly, I think the dude died. Or at least a similar video of a dude taking it up the backdoor from a horse ended up like rupturing his guts and he bled to death.

I say this with no malice or ill-will, but I hope his parents were both dead. I couldn't imagine raising a child, feeding him, clothing him, sheltering him, etc., only to have to tell people he died willingly taking it from a horse.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

...only to have to tell people he died willingly taking it from a horse.

(Sorry. It's been a rough week and my humor's a bit on the morbid side.)

 

[SilentPony]

SNIP

Its very important, critically even, fundamentally, world-stoppingly, for a man to know not to take a horse dick up the ass. You'd think it'd be a no brainer, but...well...

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I say this with no malice or ill-will, but I hope his parents were both dead. I couldn't imagine raising a child, feeding him, clothing him, sheltering him, etc., only to have to tell people he died willingly taking it from a horse.

Why do you think the legal term "Death by Misadventure" exists to jot down on Death Certificates?

 

[Zykon TheLich]

If I remember correctly, I think the dude died. Or at least a similar video of a dude taking it up the backdoor from a horse ended up like rupturing his guts and he bled to death.

I read that on Cracked many years ago, so it must be true. I think they had a photo (a mugshot, not of the actual event). He looked the part.

edit: https://www.cracked.com/blog/the-7-most-agonizing-sex-injuries-record

 

[Catfood220]

Behaviours like meowing and solicitation purrs aren't natural to adult cats at all, they're juvenile behaviours which domestic cats retain to communicate with their human 'parents', and they only use them to communicate with humans.

While domestic cats did start meowing in order to communicate with us. It has been discovered that a cat doesn't only purr when they are happy. They purr when they are scared or nervous to calm themselves down, it even acts as pain relief if the cat is injured. Even big cats purr.

Why Cats Purr

WebMD discusses the reasons why cats purr.

pets.webmd.com

 

[Catfood220]

I'mma hit up dolphins- not for swimming or lung capacity, but for healing ability and insensitivity to pain. Them feckers get bit by sharks and walk swim it off.

Thing is, pain is a good thing...even if it doesn't feel like it when you stub your toe. It is your body telling you there is a problem and stops you potentially doing yourself more harm. There is actually a medical condition in which people can't feel pain and they constantly have to be so careful not to mess themselves up.

Congenital insensitivity to pain - Wikipedia

 

[Drathnoxis]

That's a lot of words to not change my mind.

More succinctly, I dislike cats because if I'm tasked with caring for an animal, I want it to engage with me in appreciable ways, not on their terms because "oh, that's just how they are;" that's the whole point of a pet *in my humble opinion.* I don't want to spend four paragraphs explaining away their behavior and why they are little more than a lazy roommate that sleeps all day, shits in a box indoors, meows for no reason at 4am, and couldn't care less if I lived or died.

I dislike cats' version of affection and attention; if it has to be explained to me AGAIN, it's not worth the effort, hence my dislike of them. This is like taking someone who doesn't like sushi to every sushi restaurant in town convinced they just don't get it; at some point you gotta realize, maybe said someone just doesn't LIKE it. I don't get a pet to learn to live with them; they have to learn to live with me. How do some people dislike cats? They're little more than a chore that occasionally acknowledges that you exist. Are all cat's terrible? No. Do I want to live with one every again? Hard no.

You know, if you don't want people to take issue with your ignorance and try to defend cats to you, maybe don't start talking smack about them in random threads. I really dislike dogs, but I don't just bring it up randomly, because I understand that a lot of people really like them.

And, believe me, nobody who likes cats is trying to convince you to get a cat or even to like them. The last thing anybody wants is for someone to adopt a pet that they actively dislike. It's just that what you've said in this thread is so blatantly wrong people can't help but correct you.

 

[Xprimentyl]

You know, if you don't want people to take issue with your ignorance and try to defend cats to you, maybe don't start talking smack about them in random threads. I really dislike dogs, but I don't just bring it up randomly, because I understand that a lot of people really like them.

And, believe me, nobody who likes cats is trying to convince you to get a cat or even to like them. The last thing anybody wants is for someone to adopt a pet that they actively dislike. It's just that what you've said in this thread is so blatantly wrong people can't help but correct you.

Jesus...

You people are really sensitive about a really dumb non-issue. I didn't make my initial flippant comment expecting an bunch of beta pearl-clutching responses. I wasn't starting a discussion; certain individuals TURNED it into one. I was called "ignorant," and defended myself, and those people want to be offended that I was offended.

Pro tip: if you see a post you don't like, keep scrolling. Don't start shit, won't be no shit. Cats don't give a shit what I think about them, so why do you?

 

[Drathnoxis]

Jesus...

You people are really sensitive about a really dumb non-issue. I didn't make my initial flippant comment expecting an bunch of beta pearl-clutching responses. I wasn't starting a discussion; certain individuals TURNED it into one. I was called "ignorant," and defended myself, and those people want to be offended that I was offended.

If you don't want to be called ignorant, don't make ignorant remarks. It's pretty simple. People have tried to educate you, it hasn't worked.

Pro tip: if you see a post you don't like, keep scrolling. Don't start shit, won't be no shit. Cats don't give a shit what I think about them, so why do you?

You may want a world where you can say whatever uninformed crap you want and get a free pass to do it, but that's not the world we live in and you'd better get used to it.

 

[Thaluikhain]

You may want a world where you can say whatever uninformed crap you want and get a free pass to do it, but that's not the world we live in and you'd better get used to it.

Unless that's an animal trait you can get.