Pet Cat: Pros and Cons

We tell you the most important advantages and disadvantages of cats!

The following table will show you the pros and cons of getting a pet cat. Don’t forget that each animal has its own personality, so these points won’t match every animal 100%.

Dogs have masters, cats have staff. It sounds like a joke, but this sentence really does ring true. While dogs will loyally follow their masters anywhere, cats have their own minds and see their humans as equals. Dogs are very patient but cats generally expect their needs (especially food) to be met very quickly.

Maine Coon - Photo: Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Pros

Cats are loyal friends
Cats enjoy being petted
Cats don't need walking
Cats are fine left home alone
Cats love playing
Cats comfort you if you're worried or feel alone

Cons

Cats need time for playing, training, keeping them oocupied
You have to clean the litter box
Costs for food, toys and vet
Cat hair in your home
You have to getting used to dead "presents" (outdoor cats)
Cats scratch furniture

Cat Tricks

Even if cats can’t be trained as much as dogs, you can still teach them a few things. Cats are often happy to have a task other than playing and dozing on the windowsill. They can learn “sit”, “paw”, “beg”, “fetch” and “turn around”. But you need to be a lot more patient to wait for the cat to pick up the trick. Treats help a lot, of course. It’s important not to punish or overwhelm a cat during training. Of course, some cats just don’t want to learn tricks. And this should be respected.