Dog people vs. cat people

I live two blocks from the biggest city park in my town. The park has the city zoo, a running track, golf course, tennis and basketball courts. Everyone in my neighborhood seems to have a dog. Everyone. In fact, I think I know more of the dog names than their owners.

Because of my proximity to the park, there is a constant flow of dog walkers to and from the park. So, I am totally in a 'dog people' area.

I grew up with dogs, or one in particular. We got Doc when I was six years old and we definitely had the boy and his dog thing going. He was around until my second year in college, when I returned home. My parents divorced when I was a junior in high school and when I returned home my second semester, the family home was sold and I went to visit my mom in her new apartment. No Doc. When I asked my mom she actually said 'We thought you wouldn't notice'.

She had put him down over the winter, never told me. Un-freakin'-believable, she said he was sick, but I wonder if the new apartment just didn't accept pets. Obviously, my mom and I have issues. (Re-reading this I realize what a horrible story this is - man, oh man)

Since my wife and I have been together we've had cats. We've had some wonderful pets, so I guess I'm a confirmed cat person now. My daughter (#3) is away at graduate school (Pharmacy major) and has her cat 'Belle' and they both came home over the Thanksgiving break. It was great to see my daughter, but having Belle back in the house was a bonus. She's goofy and affectionate, and loves to be around her people. I caught myself a few times yesterday looking for Belle after my daughter went back 'home' to her apartment.

Of course, cats are superior house mates. You don't have to walk them, and they always do their business in the same place. Not as pliant as a dog, but I think cats are just as smart, just a lot more independent. And more than once I've seen my neighbors in the worst of weather out there walking their dogs. I just look out the window, and sip my coffee and think how much that must suck. I guess it would be different if I could just let the dog out in the yard, but we're in the city, just not do-able. And even if we had the yard fixed up for that the clean up would be a real drag.

We took daughter #3 to Wal-Mart (God, I hate that store) to pick up Christmas decorations for her apartment, and there were dozens of Christmas outfits there for dogs. My wife commented that there weren't any for cats.

That's because they'd have to come with a first aid kit. No way would any self-respecting cat sit still for that shit...
m.