That is also debatable. There is a reason cats were regarded highly in a number of cultures (particularly agrarian cultures) due to the impact they had on grain and food supplies (rodent control which was important not only because rodents could eat the grains, but just as, if not more importantly, because the rodents would leave droppings in the grains that can cause mass food poisoning). That is one of the main reasons why cats gained prominence in Egypt and got associated with the goddess Bastis. Interestingly, by the way, one of the major theories behind the Bubonic Plague in Europe, which killed a THIRD of Europe (25 million people) in just 3 years, is that the mass killing of cats (by the start of the 14th century the European population of cats was down to few wildcats as most domesticated cats had been killed due to their association with the devil and heresy) had caused the rat population to significantly surge. I doubt killing most domestic dogs in Europe would have led to the death of 25 million people in 36 months.
Technically, even in history at best it is a tie when it comes to dogs vs cats (and considering human civilization started to rise with the agrarian revolution, the impact of cats had an effect that most canines would find it difficult to match).
Just wanted to say I was going to post a similar post, but glad you saved me the typing. Cats digestive and immune systems allow them to kill and eat vermin that would be infectious/indigestible to other animals. Recently some breeds of dogs have been bred as mousers, but cat’s have served in their own way (or I dare say we wouldn’t have domesticated them either).
On an odd note (for anyone and everyone), I felt a funny feeling that I should bring up the point, that in the event of a meltdown, don’t let your dogs run free. They can quickly become a feral pack, as described in the novel “Light’s Out,” and I have heard of that problem in some cities as people let their dogs go when they can’t feed them. We had a dog, with a collar, but very skinny attack some goats out here on our property. I suspect someone turned him/her lose, as we’re a few miles out from the big town, and people are known to do that with their cats. Just a plea!
Good points, but until you get to a sedentary, agrarian society, cats are a liability, and dogs are a great benefit. Without dogs, who knows how many cultures would have even gotten to the agrarian stage?
Also, the benefits that cats provide aren’t exclusive, there are other, fairly simple ways to solve those problems that men have come up with. To illustrate that point, just look at the history of the Americas. There were plenty of agrarian societies that thrived here and never had a single domesticated housecat helping them. They didn’t perish from disease and food poisoning, or starve from the predations of rodents. When they came to the Americas, they made sure to bring dogs with them, but they didn’t bother with the kitties. I think that says a lot.