In Defense of Getting a Cat

So right now my wife is out. When she returns, she'll have our very first real pet: a cat.

Before I get pilloried with the opinions of dog-lovers everywhere, let me first state my case.

First, dogs are way, way, way better than cats. When it comes to personality and engagement and what kind of relationship a pet can have with real people, I choose a dog any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

However, cats are way, way, way more lower maintenance than dogs. They don't require walks. They can be left for a day if need be. They tend to run lower on cost (food, vet).

And my kids much prefer cats. The energy and enthusiasm of dogs overwhelms them. They like the smaller package. They like how steady and relaxed and yes even aloof cats are.

We don't really need the extra complexity in our lives. But our kids tend to be pretty emotionally intense. I for one am hoping for some sort of therapeutic benefit for our lives. Should this benefit not materialize, I'll be pretty bummed to be stuck with a cat.

Some day I'm still hoping for a dog. But tonight, a cat is on the way. I've never had one of these--I've hither-to considered them a waste of good pet-space. So if you're one of those cat-lover types (and you know who you are) feel free to offer any helpful tips.