# What's with writers and readers in general that seems to make them cat people?



## lorezskyline (Apr 19, 2010)

You know how they say your either a dog person or a cat person?  Has anyone else ever noticed that people who write or are avid readers always seem to be cat people?


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

I'm a reader, writer, and dog person.


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

I like cats _and_ dogs. I am weird like that, I suppose.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

I actually like cats too, just from a distance, as I'm allergic to them.


----------



## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

well, having 2 cats and a dog, (and 3 teens  ).. I can tell you, cats are company that don't ALWAYS require your attention. Give them food, water, and a little attention once in a while and they leave you alone..My dog is pretty laid back too.


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

BTackitt said:


> well, having 2 cats and a dog, (and 3 teens  ).. I can tell you, cats are company that don't ALWAYS require your attention. Give them food, water, and a little attention once in a while and they leave you alone..My dog is pretty laid back too.


I wish my cat was like that. She's more needy than my dog. She constantly wants to play fetch, sit on my lap, and be petted. She wakes me up in the morning far too early because she gets bored.  My dog just needs a couple walks/day, then is content to sit next to me and relax.


----------



## Open Books (Sep 3, 2010)

It's the curl and purr effect, and it's nice for both writers and readers in part because it helps keep your lap warm while you're typing or page flipping!


----------



## Tracy Falbe (Jul 4, 2010)

Some people are Dog AND Cat people. I have always enjoyed having both. As I always say: Why have one domesticated predator species in the house when you can have two?

As to your question, perhaps cats prefer to sit with people who are quietly reading or writing as opposed to someone with the TV blaring. The cats choose us.


----------



## kcmay (Jul 14, 2010)

I'm a dog person who also owns a cat (my first ever). Rotties for ever!!


----------



## Danielleqlee (Jun 21, 2010)

Hmmm...this is a tough call, I LOVE kittens, not such a big fan of cats. Though I own one (it's my daughter's), I dislike the cat's "Kiss my butt" expression.


----------



## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

While cats are fine, they do not rate up there with dogs (see avatar). As far as the original assertion that avid readers tend to be cat people, I'd need to see some scientific evidence before I'll accept that as fact. It seems to me that there are a _lot_ of avatars on this forum that feature dogs.


----------



## rla1996 (Oct 28, 2008)

I loved my cat.  -had him for 14 years. He was MY CAT.  However, since he passed I have felt no desire to have another cat.  My cat was a good cat.  He didn't climb on the counters, he didn't mark the house, he didn't scale the Christmas Tree, he didn't demand attention.  He always made sure I was awake in time for school, and then later, work.  He'd always get me up within 5-10 minutes of my usual wake up time, and somehow he knew weekends and wouldn't wake me on them.  I'm not sure how/why he did this, I fed him at night so it wasn't that he was hungry.  Overall he was an awesome cat.  But over the past couple of years I've learned that I like living litter box free.  I like having furniture that isn't scratched.  I like not having to pick up the hair he pulled out if my DH did something to tick him off (knew it was my DH because the cat would pull the hair on DH's side of the bed, but he always slept on mine).  I still enjoy hanging with other people's cats, but I'm also happy to leave them behind when I go home.  Currently I'm a dog person, which is funny because my dog's more neurotic than my cat ever was.


----------



## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Well, just as with almost all things that "they" say, it's probably not true.  


Mike
who likes both dogs and cats, but currently is living under the domination of an Abyssinian over-mistress.


----------



## Jen (Oct 28, 2008)

I like both....but I don't know if I'll ever own a dog.  It's the same thing I say about babies - I like other people's.  I have the best cat.  She doesn't demand attention, climb curtains, OR wake me up.  Ever.  And she doesn't demand to be walked, either.


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm not an animal person at all. . . but I do notice that a lot of the best 'book' sweatshirts and such seem to also have cats on them.  I hate that. . . .why do they have to have cats?  I just want the clever book saying about books. . . . .no cats.


----------



## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

I have a cat, a Puglet and a hamster.  I read, write and don't do much arithmetic. The hamster does it for me.


----------



## LCEvans (Mar 29, 2009)

I am a dog and cat person, though I like dogs better. Our old cat left us earlier this year and I'm not ready to consider another kitty. One thing I like is an animal curled up in my lap. Cats work great for this, especially when they purr. As for dogs, mine are Chihuahuas and I can't sit without them piling in my lap. That's why I write in a separate room from them--no room for 4 pups and my laptop.

Linda


----------



## jbh13md (Aug 1, 2010)

I know I'm a cat person because I have an awesome cat, but I don't really like cats in general. Just mine. I like dogs in general, but I don't own one. I think I'm in denial about my pet person identity crisis.


----------



## caseyf6 (Mar 28, 2010)

I started reading this with a cat on my lap.  lol


----------



## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)




----------



## terryr (Apr 24, 2010)

I like all animals, but haven't had an indoor cat since 1992. I tried having a horse as an indoor pet once, but that didn't quite work, and probably why I still have a hoof shaped indentation in my head...damn horse kept hogging the blankets.

Birdie companions since 2002... no pet deposit/fees at the apartment, they go to sleep as soon as the sun hits the horizon (most of the time), and Apple never fails to greet me with a cheery "Good Morning" and sweet kisses and a ridiculously sweet "Nite nite" sometimes followed by "I love you" when I cover his cage.


----------



## loonlover (Jul 4, 2009)

We currently have 3 dogs and 2 cats; had to have a 3rd cat put to sleep earlier in the year.  I haven't been without at least one cat in the household since 1982.  If I could only have one or the other I would choose to have a cat as they require less attention than the dogs.  However, I do enjoy my canine friends and they bring a lot of joy and laughter into our lives.


----------



## Rye (Nov 18, 2008)

I'm a dog person. Have 3 of them. Cats....not so much. Don't dislike them and don't have any problem being around them. Just like the closer connection I feel with dogs.


----------



## ClickNextPage (Oct 15, 2009)

I'm a critter person.  Anything but reptiles.


----------



## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Tracy Falbe said:


> As to your question, perhaps cats prefer to sit with people who are quietly reading or writing as opposed to someone with the TV blaring. The cats choose us.


Or calmer, quieter households prefer cats, maybe? Can't say for myself, I've never had a dog but I do like them (not sure whether my three cats would, though). Never had any birds, fish, rodents, rabbits, or turtles, either, just a python once for about two years.


----------



## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

"Intelligence, perhaps," he says, with the cat looking on approvingly.


----------



## Pawz4me (Feb 14, 2009)

My avatar is a cat, but I have two dogs and two cats right now, and for most of my life have had both.  I've promised DH we'll work our way down to one pet eventually.  Whether it will be a dog or a cat . . . I don't know.  Each has their pros and cons.

I have noticed that it seems more members here have cats as pets than dogs.  I've assumed, perhaps wrongly, that it's because (1) many serious readers tend to be on the quiet side and (2) writers and readers value long stretches of uninterrupted time.  Cats in general tend to fit in with that lifestyle better than dogs.


----------



## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

I'd say that applies to me.  I have 6 cats, although we adopted a dog last summer a miniature poodle and I'm really enjoying having a dog now.  I might be switching over... 

Dawn


----------



## J.M Pierce (May 13, 2010)

I am both! Here are some of our furry children.

This is Clark









Maggie and Patches









Zeke and Delilah


----------



## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

lorezskyline said:


> You know how they say your either a dog person or a cat person? Has anyone else ever noticed that people who write or are avid readers always seem to be cat people?


Nope. I'm a dog person. You know where you are with a dog... cats are _schneaky_


----------



## Maria Romana (Jun 7, 2010)

williemeikle said:


> Nope. I'm a dog person. You know where you are with a dog... cats are _schneaky_


Seconded. I'm a dog lover and cat...well, strong disliker. My dog lives to please and is filled with joy every time she sees me. What's not to like?


----------



## Ali Cooper (May 1, 2010)

I know quite a few writers who are also dog people. I have 2 cats and would be tempted to have a dog too but I live on my own and don't have any close friends or relatives nearby so having a dog would get complicated if I wanted to stay out a few hours extra etc.

But I think there must be a tendency towards home being important more than going away (except for travel writers) that fits with having pets.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

More than anything, I'm a houseplant person.  I have two.  Those are the best kind of "pets".


----------



## JoeMitchell (Jun 6, 2010)

I've always had cats, and I'm the type who takes in strays, but I try to follow a hard rule of 'one cat each' for me and my wife, to keep it from getting out of hand.  We had our two cats, then took in a stray kitten, then another, so we were two over the limit for awhile, then the oldest cat died of old age (he was over 15 years old), and we got a dog from the shelter.  I was reluctant, because dogs are so high maintenance compared to cats, but we picked a great dog and saved her from death row.  She's the best dog ever.  The other old cat eventually died of old age, I think she was 17, and we're back to two cats and a dog now.

The two younger, former strays hate each other and hiss at each other when they walk by, buy one of them completely adores the dog.  It was love at first sight with them as the cat immediately accepted the dog as some kind of super pack leader or something.  The dog almost completely ignores this, barely acknowledging the cat's rubbing on her.  The other stray had just tried to stay out of the dog's way for the past 8 years, but has recently been getting friendly with the dog.  The dog ignores this.  She's nervous about the cats because they can punish her at any moment, and she considers them to be above her somehow, even though we give her lots of attention, the cats, to her, are in charge.

Sometimes if I'm petting the cat, the one who really loves the dog, the dog will get jealous and push her nose between us to snuggle.  Sometimes the cat gets annoyed by this, and will gently nip the dog's ankle with her teeth, then go back to rubbing on me and the dog.

I keep seeing signs that say "Free kittens" and it's getting harder to resist.  I want puppies too, but not until I can stop renting and buy my own house.  Then we might (will) raise our self-imposed pet limits.


----------



## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

JoeMitchell said:


> the cats, to her, are in charge.


Is there ever any doubt about this??


----------



## TWErvin2 (Aug 7, 2010)

I don't care much for cats (although my daughters do, and we have two of them). I'm more of a dog person (we have three dogs). 

But I guess even more unusual would be that for my pets I have turtles: 4 red-eared sliders, 1 yellow-bellied slider, and 3 eastern box turtles. They're happily being rasied in the basement.


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

JoeMitchell said:


> The two younger, former strays hate each other and hiss at each other when they walk by, buy one of them completely adores the dog. It was love at first sight with them as the cat immediately accepted the dog as some kind of super pack leader or something. The dog almost completely ignores this, barely acknowledging the cat's rubbing on her. The other stray had just tried to stay out of the dog's way for the past 8 years, but has recently been getting friendly with the dog. The dog ignores this. She's nervous about the cats because they can punish her at any moment, and she considers them to be above her somehow, even though we give her lots of attention, the cats, to her, are in charge.


That's exactly how it is with my dog and cat as well. The cat brings her things to throw for her (my cat plays fetch and doesn't quite understand that the dog can't throw things like we can), runs up to play with her, wants to lie right next to her, etc. The dog is just confused by the attention and gets nervous because she's afraid of getting scratched (probably because my cat hissed and swatted at her the first time they met). It took many months before the dog could even make eye contact with the cat. I also don't think she likes how the cat is always lurking above somewhere, up on the cabinets or bookshelves.


----------



## Addie (Jun 10, 2009)

I'm a dog person. I'm too allergic to cats. Plus, I'm not a big fan of the shedding and smelly litter boxes.
Addie (my yorkie) will lie next to me when I'm reading. If I'm reading a magazine or newspaper, she'll actually lie down on it so I can't read. So I guess that means she's also a Kindle pup.


----------



## lorezskyline (Apr 19, 2010)

Loved all the replies on this, personally I like dogs but I'm a cat person however I have long ago learned the house belongs to my cat and she just lets me dwell here!


----------



## farrellclaire (Mar 5, 2010)

I've come across a lot of cat-lovers online this year.  I love to read and write but prefer to have a dog lying on my feet than a cat trying to lay on my face.  My cat has retained some bad kitten habits that just don't work as well anymore.    The peace and quiet thing doesn't apply for us because the cat is noisier than both dogs combined.  Plus, I've five kids, three are under the age of two, so I'm used to noise.

I've always been a dog lover but I love my cat too.  I never thought I'd like having a cat so much.  Although mine thinks he's a dog.  My girls treat him like the leader of the pack, it's cute.  I like how independent he is although I despise litter trays.  I would love another cat but I don't think he'd respond well to another cat - we've babysat my brother's female cat (triple his size) and he was really mean to her.


----------



## tecwritr (Oct 28, 2008)

Cat people!  Cat people!! Are you nuts?  Basset Hounds forever!


----------



## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

AddieLove said:


> Plus, I'm not a big fan of the shedding and smelly litter boxes.


There's that. And the bits of litter tracked around, which, combined with the shedding, means you have to vacuum every day or two.  But with dogs, you get muddy paws, wet-dog smell, and maybe fleas, and some of them drool on your shoes. I guess it just depends what kind of inconvenience seems more tolerable to us. And if nothing else, it probably shows that all these reading and writing pet-people have better things to do than worry about spotless houses!


----------



## Addie (Jun 10, 2009)

Susan in VA said:


> There's that. And the bits of litter tracked around, which, combined with the shedding, means you have to vacuum every day or two.  But with dogs, you get muddy paws, wet-dog smell, and maybe fleas, and some of them drool on your shoes. I guess it just depends what kind of inconvenience seems more tolerable to us. And if nothing else, it probably shows that all these reading and writing pet-people have better things to do than worry about spotless houses!


Oh, goodness. And when Addie gets poop stuck to her butt? Makes me so sad. Luckily, I'm able to keep Addie flea free. *knock on wood* Mainly it's the allergies that keep me away from cats. When I was younger, the house I lived in had a cat that would hang out outside and wait for us to come home. If you held her, she would give you a hug by wrapping her paws around your neck. That or she was trying to strangle me. I'm going to go with hug. Either way, after the hug, my life was ruined for the rest of the day with allergies. But that never stopped me from getting cat hugs.


----------



## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

When I returned from living in the arctic for several years, I was quite allergic to my father's cat. Then, I had to take over care of her. A year later, my allergic reaction had disappeared.



AddieLove said:


> If you held her, she would give you a hug by wrapping her paws around your neck. That or she was trying to strangle me. I'm going to go with hug.


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

My cat went through an awful few months of constant fleas. It was _horrible._ We moved into a super cheap, run-down apartment in an alleyway which turned out to be full of fleas. We were only there for a couple months, but it was a constant battle of combing off the fleas, giving her treatment, giving her pills to get rid of the worms she would invariably get from the fleas, then starting all over again. I tried treating the place for fleas, spraying EVERYTHING, but they still persisted. Eventually I gave up, and just combed her every night to get the worst of them off. That apartment was just awful. We didn't even have deadbolts on the doors and there were always creepy people lurking in the alley.

My favorite thing she does is wake me up by tapping my cheek with her paw. Like, "Excuse me, but it's time to wake up and pet me."


----------



## Maria Romana (Jun 7, 2010)

Jessica Billings said:


> That apartment was just awful. We didn't even have deadbolts on the doors and there were always creepy people lurking in the alley.


Yipes, girl, glad you got out of there. I wouldn't have been able to sleep at night. That's when you really want a great big noisy barking DOG living with you.

--Maria


----------



## Addie (Jun 10, 2009)

D.A. Boulter said:


> When I returned from living in the arctic for several years, I was quite allergic to my father's cat. Then, I had to take over care of her. A year later, my allergic reaction had disappeared.


----------



## Aravis60 (Feb 18, 2009)

I'm probably more of a dog person. I have a dog. I do like cats and would probably have one if I wasn't allergic. I also used to raise rabbits.  I read, but I only write in private.


----------

