Monday, November 22, 2010

Cats

Cats are better to own than dogs because cats need less maintenance, they are cheaper care for, and they have longer life expectancies.

Maintenance
THE ULTIMATE CAT BOOK
Taylor, David. The Ultimate Cat Book. 1st ed. 1 vol. Hong Kong: Simon & Schuster Inc., 1989. 14-149. Print.
  • "A complete lack of conventional exercise, combined with gross overfeeding by doting humans eventually produces obesity, but this generally does not bring with it the ill-health and curtailed life one would expect in dogs and their owners" (p. 15)
  • "cats stay in trim without having to spend any time working out in a gymnasium or jogging around the park." (p. 15)
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/06/peteconomics.asp
  •  The APPMA estimates the average cost of surgical care for a pet to be about $574 for a dog and $337 for a cat
http://www.suite101.com/content/cat-statistics-a179052
Copley, Jennifer. "Cat Statistics." Suite101.com. Suite101.com, 11 Dec 2009. Web. 15 Nov 2010. <http://www.suite101.com/content/cat-statistics-a179052>.
  • The average American cat owner has 2.3 cats, compared to 1.7 dogs for dog owners, according to the Humane Society of the United States
  • Many people who find cats and dogs equally appealing may choose cats over dogs simply because they don’t have time to walk a dog every day, can’t afford to pay the higher food and veterinary costs that dogs require, or live in small apartments that are not conducive to dog ownership
  • Some dogs will do fine with a two-block walk, while others can go two miles. A good rule of thumb is that the shorter the dog’s legs, the less distance he can go
  •  "You think, 'of course, agreeableness and extraversion -- dogs are companionable, they hang out, they like to be with you, they like your company, whereas cats like it for as long as they want it, and then they're off."(psychologist Sam Gosling at the University of Texas at Austin )
http://dogs.about.com/od/grooming/tp/5-Basics-of-Dog-Grooming.htm
Stregowski, Jenna. "Top Five Dog Grooming Basics." About.com. The New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://dogs.about.com/od/grooming/tp/5-Basics-of-Dog-Grooming.htm>.
  • Long-haired dogs usually require daily brushing to prevent matting and tangling of hair.
  • Medium-haired dogs may be prone to matting and tangles and should be brushed at least weekly.
  • Short-haired dogs can typically go up to a month in-between brushing
  • Dogs with continuously growing hair, such as the Poodle or Shih Tzu, typically need their hair cut every 2-4 weeks
  • Most dogs should be bathed monthly
THE ULTIMATE CAT BOOK
  • "The feline memory is well developed, and most domestic cats learn such useful knacks as tapping on window panes to gain entrance, opening a door by jumping for the latch, finding their way home or coming to the call of a familiar voice" (p. 24)
  • "Taking cats for walks on leads isn't as easy as taking dogs." (p. 149)
CATS, CAT BREEDS, AND CAT CARE
Edwards, Alan, and Trevor Turner. The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Cats, Cat Breeds, & Cat Care. 5th ed. China: Anness Publishing Ltd, 2004. 19-101. Print.
  • "Unlike dogs, domestic cats do not vary greatly in size"(p. 19)
  • "Living-space restrictions do not generally present a problem as cats are very adaptable."(p. 19)
  • "The cat is well equipped to groom itself: tongue, teeth, paws, and claws are all pressed into service"(p. 72)
Cost
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/06/peteconomics.asp
McWhinney, James. "The Economics of Pet Ownership." Investopedia. Investopedia ULC, 2010. Web. 16 Nov 2010. <http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/06/peteconomics.asp
  • More than half of all Americans are pet owners U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographic Sourcebook.
  • The ten-year average cost for owning a cat is $9,190, and for a dog is $15,710
  • The APPMA(American Pet Products Manufacturers Association) that, in total, Americans spent $43.2 billion on their pets in 2008
  •  Feeding a cat can cost as little as $4 per week, but feeding a large dog can cost upwards of $25 per week
http://www.costhelper.com/cost/pets/buy-cat.html
"Buying a Cat Cost." Cost Helper. CostHelper.com, Oct 2007. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://www.costhelper.com/cost/pets/buy-cat.html>.
  • Adopting a cat can cost between $50-$100
  • Purchasing a pet quality purebred kitten from a breeder usually costs between $300 and $1,200
  • Purchasing a breeding quality kitten from a breeder usually costs between $500 and $1,000 or more,
http://dogs.about.com/cs/rescue/a/aa031503b.htm
Mifflin, Krista. "The Price of a Purebred Puppy." About.com. The New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 17 Nov 2010. <http://dogs.about.com/cs/rescue/a/aa031503b.htm>.

  • The price of a purebread puppy depends on if you are buying a "show or working quality" puppy, or a "companion only" puppy.
  • Puppies sold on a spay/neuter contract usually average around $800.00 in price.
  • Puppies sold for working or competing can be as high priced as $1500.00.
http://www.aspca.org/adoption/pet-care-costs.html
"Pet Care Costs." ASPCA.org. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 2010. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://www.aspca.org/adoption/pet-care-costs.html>.
  • The average annual cost of insurance for a medium dog is $225, while a cat's is $175
Life Expectancy
http://www.petfoodinstitute.org/Index.cfm?Page=USCatandDogPopulation
"Pet Dog and Cat Population." Pet Food Institute. Pet Food Institute, 2009. Web. 17 Nov 2010. <http://www.petfoodinstitute.org/Index.cfm?Page=USCatandDogPopulation>.
  • In 2009, the cat population was estimated to be 82, 455, 000, while that of the dog's was only 64, 687,000
http://www.pethealth101.com/Senior_pets/senior_life_expectancy.shtml
"Dog Life Expectancy & Cat Life Expectancy (Pets)." Pet Health 101. Pet Health 101, n.d. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://www.pethealth101.com/Senior_pets/senior_life_expectancy.shtml>.
  • A cat's life expectancy is from 10-14 years, while a dog's is 10-12
  • The maximum life expectancy for a dog is 24 years, while a cat's is 30+
  •  Cats can continue to breed even in their senior years. Twenty-year old cats have reared kittens.
  • The average domestic cat lives 14 years
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/06/peteconomics.asp
  • More than half of all Americans are pet owners U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographic Sourcebook.
CATS, CAT BREEDS, AND CAT CARE
  • Most cats live for about 14-16 years and a few may reach 20 years.
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