OP-ED: Cats vs. Dogs – Dogs
OP-ED Debate: Cats vs. Dogs
DOGS
By Pranav Trewn, HUB Staff Writer–His ears perk up at the sound of footsteps approaching the door. Eager with a smile, he chases you down and greets you with a barrage of snuggling and affectionate licking. The one friend who never judges you and always loves you the same way each day no matter how you feel; he is your dog and he will always be there for you.
Senior Jenna Farboud is one of many proud canine owners across America. One of her best friends in the world is Abby, a twelve-year-old Labrador Retriever. Farboud can recall many great afternoons with Abby on the grassy field next to her house where the two of them run around and play – for Farboud, Abby is a part of the family.
“For her birthdays we make her scrambled eggs and give her a slice of vanilla cake,” Farboud said.
Farboud does not share such warm memories of her experience with cats.
“One time when I was five, I tried to put a stray cat down a plastic slide in my backyard. It scratched my entire arm and then ran away,” Farboud said.
Should not the greatest enemy of man’s best friend be man’s enemy as well? Cats have viewed the human experience in complete contempt, yet accomplish so little to justify their attitude of superiority. Has a cat ever swam 9.5 miles or fought in World War II? Nope, but a dog has.
Active, alert and protective, dogs have provided far more services for us humans than cats. They guide the blind, sniff out illegal drugs and hunt down criminals, in addition to their various kind-hearted acts such as fetching the paper and giving us an early warning that someone is at the door. Makes a cat on the Internet playing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” on the piano seem far less impressive now, doesn’t it?
Dogs see the world with a loving curiosity, excited to explore their surroundings. Meanwhile, cats view life as a boring prospect that is not worthy of their time.
Dogs find enjoyment in the little things, such as a soaring ball on a sunny day or a little squirrel buddy hanging around in a tree. Meanwhile, you could juggle flaming torches on a tightrope while singing the entirety of “Abbey Road” in falsetto and your cat would not even spare a glance in your direction.
Now all animals have equal worth, but could cats not lighten up a little and embrace the world in the same way dogs and other animals do? Cats are the wet blankets of the animal world. Dogs not only make better pets than cats, but simply better friends.
When Senior Sean Mishra thinks of his dog Sunny, a Goldendoodle (half Golden Retriever and half Poodle) who has been with him since he was in fifth grade, he thinks of a game they play together called “Slap-Paw.”
“I go back and forth tapping both his paws and he tries to grab my hand. One time I was beating him really badly and he got fed up and hit my face with his paw,” Mishra explains with a laugh.
Meanwhile Mishra does not see what the big deal about cats is. “[Cats] just seem like such loners,” Mishra said.
Even if cats are currently the most popular domestic animal in the world, dogs can always take solace in the fact that Pink Floyd never wrote a seventeen-minute epic titled after felines.
