I consider cats to be - on the average - dumber than dogs, but more interesting to have around. Too many people have cats when they aren't equipped to accept a cat's idiosyncrasies, and both they and the cat end up in a standoff.
I suspect that cats (and dogs) are probably less neurotic and malevolent than the people they have to deal with. While every cat I have known had what I term "a cat's temper," I've never had a cat come close to doing me actual physical harm for no reason, whereas I can't say that about dogs.
Mr. niteowl77
* Especially orange cats.
When we married, my wife introduced me to her two cats. One was very skittish, anytime anyone came to the house, the cat would hide.
The other cat was the exact opposite. Friendly to a fault. The cat would hang around the dinner table and tap us for handouts during dinner. If we did not listen, she would pop up on a chair and sit there looking at us like a guest would.
At night the cat would sleep on my arm in bed. This cat was so much like a dog should have named it FIDO. I loved that cat and miss it much but we are in no more pets (NMP) mode. Losing them both was a heart break.
I saw a guy running with his dog. The guy jumped off a five foot embankment but the dog couldn't handle that. So the dog stopped, looked around, sniffed a bit, then figured out that the STAIRS, which were behind it, could get him down the stairs...and so the dog back-tracked a bit and followed his master.
The cat would have WAITED until someone rescued him...and maybe howled a bit.
Dogs ARE smarter AND are willing to be guide dogs, helper dogs, rescue dogs. They are a FABULOUS gift from God. (God is dog spelled backwards...OLDIE.)
Those who turn dogs into mean brutes or fighting dogs are, in my opinion, misusing them, horribly.
Off the topic: Some MISERABLE people are vicious and cruel to both cats and dogs. And I SINCERELY hope that there is a VERY hot place for them in eternity, for eternity.