The pros and cons of owning both a dog and a cat at the same time.
PRO: Dogs and cats can play well together, often to the extent of cuddling up to watch evening TV.
CON: Cats can tend to need their space at times, which can cause problems with other pets.
PRO: A dog and cat sometimes become inseparable companions - a kind of team.
CON: Dogs can often be tricked by the more devious feline, since they tend to be more trusting.
PRO: A cat and dog combo often provides great entertainment and lightens everyone's mood.
CON: The expression "fight like cats & dogs" has real meaning. Sometimes they just don't get along.
PRO: Both pets can be house trained, restricting most of their bathroom activities to the outdoors.
CON: If you can't get home when expected, this could be a real problem regarding toileting.
PRO: Most dogs and cats exhibit warning signals when they sense a potential intruder.
CON: Sudden loud noises can scare the animals, who will then exhibit signs of trauma.
PRO: Dogs aren't persnickety; in a pinch, they'll share the cat's food if you have nothing else for him.
CON: Most cats won't allow another pet to eat their food - they tend to be very territorial.
PRO: Cats and dogs don't leave electronic toys and tricycles all over the house, as children do.
CON: Cats and dogs can get into lots of mischief if food items are sitting out, unattended.
PRO: Your pets will never bring chicken pox home after playing with a neighborhood friend.
CON: Pets have their own maladies, not the least of which is the possibility of worms.
PRO: Dogs and cats are fairly self-sufficient most of the time; you don't have to entertain them.
CON: The demands of pet care can be very burdensome and your schedule may feel the strain.
PRO: Pets are easily amused - cats enjoy batting objects around and dogs love to chew on them.
CON: Since cats like to bat things about and dogs are natural chewers, small items may be lost.
PRO: Both dogs and cats can be trained and groomed to enter animal shows, and many win ribbons.
CON: Obedience schools are not always successful, depending upon the pet and its circumstances.
PRO: Pets are great to snuggle up with on cold winter nights.
CON: Animals tend to intrude upon your bed space, which can compromise your quality of sleep.
PRO: Most dogs, and many cats, enjoy the opportunity for a ride in the car.
CON: Unless they're properly caged, animals can - and sometimes do - cause accidents.
PRO: Dogs and cats are usually very accepting of others when their master reacts positively to them.
CON: Trips to the vet are necessary, but often traumatic for the animal - and difficult for their owner.
PRO: Cats and dogs are able to sense your mood (unlike your husband) and behave accordingly.
CON: Any disruption in the flavor of the atmosphere can have an ill effect on your pet's well-being.
PRO: Pets make interesting topics of conversation with friends and strangers alike.
CON: The demands of pets can sometimes interfere with other critical areas of your life.
PRO: Cats and dogs are fairly neat creatures and don't usually require much clean up.
CON: Pets are not self-cleaning and do require some hands-on upkeep by the owner.
PRO: Dogs and cats make great playmates for the children in the family.
CON: Depending upon the breed, some animals may have a poor temperament towards children.
While the relationship between a dog and cat will vary, depending upon their personalities and environments, these two pets generally get along quite well - especially if they were raised together from a young age. There are certain breeds of pets that will get along better with other animals, so be sure to research that before deciding to bring a second pet into your home. Once they've been around each other for awhile, most of them will come to accept the other one and live happily ever after. There will be some rough days, though, so put your seat belt on and enjoy the ride!
