Dogs— you are the owner and master.
Cats—- you are less than a pet than a servant.
(We have a "community cat" here in city, thank God, mother of about 25 kittens before she was "fixed," whose residence is in apt 2 across the street. But "Loli" does not like to stay indoors 9even in Winter) - nor be handled - so she has adopted us since God feeds her on our front porch, meaning people leave food for her, and she catches mice and rats, and often eats the parts she likes.
She just likes to eat out at "whole foods." Always looking for food (suspect she has worms) and turns up her nose at dry cat food since she discovered she may get wet cat food if she does.
Years ago, another cat adopted us, as her host/servant moved away. She "mittens" climbed up the porch to our 2nd floor apt and came in, and her new host fed him ("Science diet" I think it was called) and that settled it. The sound of the car opener was his joyful sound.
Not wanting a kitty litter box, I made a flap door out of a piece of plywood which went in a side widow a few feet from the porch, and i taught him how to use it (put tuna fish outside). From that point on he had freedom to come and go as he pleased, and brought home presents of mice, birds, and an occasional snake, which she ate. Yes, he was a real predator, and who also did not like being handled. (I hav him a bath one time, and I hardly ever heard such howling sounds.)
He got an abscessed tooth one time, which the vet said needed a $400 surgery. Instead, I held the car firmly, and (as I had done to myself in the past) punctured the abscess, and used H202 as antiseptic. Cat healed fine. Another time we prayed over the cat for another healing, and she recovered. Thank God.
The main local Facebook page (run by liberals, since they typically lust for power) abounds with posts about lost cats, and admonitions to NEVER let your cat outside, as if somehow they cannot survive. They are far more protected than the unborn, which are treated as sewage or cancerous growths by most of the same liberals who treat wildlife (which is to be respected, but controlled in residential areas) as gods. If I posted that on the local FB page it never would be allowed, nor me on it after warning.
We’ve had dogs in the past, but now have two cats. Much lower maintenance than dogs. I just got tired of taking the dog out for a walk in the middle of winter twice a day, dealing with the cold and icy sidewalks.
Hi
The cats never asked for cars and dangerous people and all sorts of hazards of urbanity
A girl down the street had a young female kitty. The kitty started watching for every time we drove by. Next she started waiting for us in front of our place. She eventually decided to have kittens here instead of at her home. All well and good so we boxed the family up and knocked on the door of the owner to return them. No go. Father there threatened to storm the kittens as he had previous kittens. No wonder mama cat decided to have her family with us instead. After advising the man what would befall him if he ever harmed any of the cats, we took them to our (their new) home. It was an amazing joy watching mama cat raise her kitties. She taught them everything. Five kitties. Tons of joy. 🤩