Cat people versus dog people

As long as I can remember, there's been this controversy between cat people and dog people. When I used to show livestock, it was cattle people and sheep people. The people who squeeze the toothpaste from the top and the people who squeeze it from the bottom. Morning people and night people. Country western people and classic rock people. Pepsi people and Coke people. Chocolate people and vanilla people.

As far as research goes, dog people are thought to be more extroverted, more agreeable, and more conscientious than cat people.  On the other hand, cat people are thought to be more neurotic/eccentric, but more open. The research never revealed what a cat and dog person's personality is. Perhaps they would be considered to have a personality disorder? I'm trying to be facetious! There is one thing that I have noticed about dog people: whenever I talk, in general, about having a cat, they openly communicate their dislike for cats, sometimes to the point of saying they hate them. I would never say I don't like dogs to their face, even if I didn't like them. I find that rude!

I've pretty much considered myself to be a cat person, though I had a couple of dogs when I was growing up. My best friend was a little black and white mixed terrier named Sally Jo. We were inseparable. She'd ride in one of my bicycle baskets, the side-by-side kind that are attached over the rear fender. I'd put a fluffy towel in the bottom of the basket so she'd be comfortable. She'd see me walking toward my bike and do a little circle dance wanting to go with me. She was a very smart and sweet dog. Sally lived to be 17 years of age. I also had a dachshund named Gretchen. She was the house dog. I wanted Sally to be a house dog too. I wasn't nearly as attached to Gretchen as I was to Sally, though she was a nice dog.

The cats I had growing up generally and unfortunately met their demise with a car. One cat in particular that I was very fond of disappeared one day. Later the neighbor boy told me that he put my cat in his shed with his pug named Short. Needless to say, I don't have to elaborate on what happened to my cat. I was upset about that for a long time. I've never particularly cared for pugs ever since, or the neighbor boy for that matter. I had my first official "house cat" at 19 years old during my first marriage. I've pretty much enjoyed a house cat...or two or three... ever since. They're wonderful companions and are so funny, loving, entertaining, and give me so much joy.

I've recently thought about getting a dog. But then I come to my senses. I don't want to deal with the chewing, the barking, the numerous trips outside for potty breaks. I can leave my cat for hours and she dutifully uses her litter box. I keep it meticulously clean for her. One thing about a cat is that they are very clean. The five dogs I had on the farm, or rather my ex's dad had, constantly dug up the yard. I could never have any flowers planted. I had my strawberries surrounded by a fence which the dogs eventually destroyed. My sister has a miniature dachshund named Abby that is litter-trained. She never has to go outside for her potty breaks. Now that would be alright. The jury is still out as to the decision to get a dog. It may end up being a hung jury.

To me, as far as the cat people and the dog people controversy goes: there are more important things to ponder.