Fifty Plus (50+) - Which makes a better pet for a 50+ cyclist -- cat or dog?

I know it's a pretty silly question, but I'd love to hear about who has cats, who has dogs, who has both, and who has neither, and what relationship any of that has to do with cycling. Don't worry, I'll cross post on pets.com to ask what kind of bike I should buy! :D

Seriously, I'm pretty close to letting myself be adopted by a cat. Now that I'm an empty nester and all, you know. Pretty quiet around here. The complex doesn't permit dogs, so that's out. I'm actually a dog/cat person -- I like 'em both.

So let's swap dog and cat tails...er...tales! :)

A cat would be the better choice. If you're going to be going on any overnight trips just leave out extra food and water and make sure the litter box is clean; a cat will take care of itself.

I agree with aRoudy1: you can leave a cat while you're away for a while but not a dog. They're worse than babies, not that I'd know :) . I mean, grandma will take the kid for a day or two but she won't take your dog unless she's a very special grandma.
I have three cats that keep me laughing, except when they vomit on the carpet.

I was a dog guy for the first half of my life. Even trained 'em for a living in my 20s, but cats, I've learned, are really wonderful. As the other posters say, they're a better bet for someone who is away from home. However, don't be fooled. While they can tend to themselves better than dogs can, cats are extremely social animals. Ideally, you might consider getting two young kittens at the same time. You'll be in for a lot of fun, and they'll keep each other company if and when you travel.

I have both. The dog does not acknowledge the bikes at all. It would appear that he is uninterested in any form of motion that does not invovle putting his leash on.

The cats on the other hand are born mechanics helpers. They will sit for hours and assist in the construction of a bicycle. They find cable installation to be their favorite part of the job.

They will sit for hours and chase the bike when I ride the trainer. :D

I agree with those gentlemen above me. Having a dog is like having a child . . . that never grows up. :eek: They are very needy, very dependent. They are a friggin' chore!

I have 2 Rottweilers. Wonderful dogs and great companions, no doubt. But they must be fed and walked twice a day, which puts a cramp into any wilding or spontaneity you might want to enjoy. And when I go away for a week's vacation it costs an arm and a leg to board them. Major freedom-blockers dogs.

Cats, they'll be just fine if you decide not to come home one evening

We vote dog.

http://i26.tinypic.com/51bi1f.jpg

A feline is the best choice. In addition to their low maintenance, they are much quieter than dogs.

I have 3 dogs and a cat. Dogs require a minimum* of a one hour brisk walk per day, plus lots of mental games to keep them happy, healthy, and non-destructive. Doesn't matter how much you're working, or if you're sick. Beyond that, unless you have a busy, interesting household with lots of people around to interact with the dog, it will all fall on you. A dog isn't going to sleep all day until he gets old.

Cats on the other hand....easy keepers, and don't care if there's not much going on because it gives them time to look out the window in peace.

http://homepage.mac.com/sbacig/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2006-05-11%2014.08.05%20-0700/Image-D55845DDE13111DA.jpg

meow...

http://www.geocities.com/alicestrong@sbcglobal.net/__catlover.jpg

I like dogs and cats equally. Just so long as they're properly cooked.

I have both. The dog does not acknowledge the bikes at all. It would appear that he is uninterested in any form of motion that does not invovle putting his leash on.

The cats on the other hand are born mechanics helpers. They will sit for hours and assist in the construction of a bicycle. They find cable installation to be their favorite part of the job.

They will sit for hours and chase the bike when I ride the trainer. :D

+1 - The only things our dog is interested in are his leash, his food dish and his Milk-Bones. The cats, on the other hand, seem to be eager to interfere - er, assist - in anything, especially if it involves expensive or hard to get parts!

meow...

http://www.geocities.com/alicestrong@sbcglobal.net/__catlover.jpg

Deeg, muh man, I think you've got your answer. Meow indeed.

If you really want cycling freedom, in the largest sense, I would vote "neither."

We've had dogs, and fortunately/unfortunately, I have to agree with all the positive/negative dog notes above. For an active cyclist, not good.

Now we have one or two outside cats (varies throughout the years). They come around for food, like to be petted, then go their own way. They are strays, but we have them fixed (yeah, even if they're not broken) and other than the occasional feeding, no problem at all.

If we're gone for a few days, or a week, they eat mice and small birds (yeah, they leave the feathers on the porch!), just like when they were kittens and hadn't yet found the free food that the humans put out.

Sometimes they never come back, and you wonder what happened to them . . .

Rick / OCRR

I have both. My dog is a bit unusual in that I could leave him a weeks worth of food and he won't gorge himself. Actually, the first day he or two he wouldn't eat. He likes company when he eats. Then he eats moderately after he gets hungry enough. He loves to run on the leash with me on the bike. I don't have to worry about anyone coming in the yard or the house while I'm gone. When I do come home the dog is there to greet me all excited. I like the cat, but the dog is my buddy.

I have two cats and two dogs. Cats are easier but unless you plan on bike touring or are gone for more than 8-9 hours a day - no reason not to get a dog if that is the type of animal you really like. My dogs get two walks a day and are fine being left with each other and the cats during the day. Puppies are a lot more work than kittens. My real suggestion is to get one of each. I was always more of a cat person until I got my own dog - now I would not live without both.

I vote Dog!

Me and my Golden, Cody, have traveled miles and miles. He is also a great chick magnet - Hear that DG!

Chick magnet or not, I can't have a dog where I presently live.

I'm going to be looking at these two cats tomorrow. Something is in the cards; after making arrangements to see them I popped on Craigslist and found someone who was selling a cat carrier, litter box, food bowls, etc. for $15 because their cat had passed away. I called and will be picking that up first. (I have none of these things presently and had planned to hit the pet store before checking out the cats.)

The Siamese showed up at his current owner's doorstep a couple or three weeks ago, but doesn't get along at all with her other cats or dog, for that matter. When he's by himself, which he would be with me, he's apparently quite sweet. I had Siamese as a kid and know their personalities and how they like to "talk" a lot!

The other is a member of a military family; the wife just got pregnant and her doc doesn't want her to deal with kitty litter and her husband is in Iraq.

It's going to be a hard decision!

Just a warning for you regarding the cat that showed up on the doorstep - both of our cats were strays that showed up on my mother-in-law's doorstep; the cheaper of the two only ran up $150 in vet bills, plus another $75 to get the dog treated for the worms & fleas the cat brought with him. The other one racked up almost $250, plus $50 for the dog and $25 for the other cat (he also brought along a bonus of ringworm!). Then there was the wonderful time of finding a time to treat the entire house for fleas, when we could have all three animals and all of the family members out for a couple of hours while the nasty chemicals killed off the fleas...
Two of the most financially damaging things to recently enter my house have been "free kittens"! On the other hand, it's not at all a bad thing to fall asleep listening to two cats purring next to your pillow...
- Bob

Cats and Dogs.... meh!

Get Canaries. They sing beautifully they're beautiful to look at, they don't take up much space. And you'd really be amazed at how much is going on in those little heads.

We had a pair in San Diego. His song included fire trucks, car alarms and helicopters. He told me how much he felt one day after his mate died. His song became a single persistant descending note that was the finest blues I have ever heard. Their awareness is amazing.

Ours were Gloster Fancies, that have a cool "Moe" like crest of feathers.

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/birds/canaries/images/GlosterCanaryCoronaWBC_Ap13C.jpg

But don't get them if you have a CAAAAAT.

I apologize publicly for the way this post sounded. I came back and read it and realized it did not sound appropriate. Changes made!

When I moved back from Hong Kong my wife insisted that she get a Maine Coon Cat, which is the only cat native to North America. They can get as large as a medium sized dog. Well, as you would have it there was a cat show in Dallas and she had to go. Of course we found the cat she wanted and she cut a deal with the breeder. So, back to temporary corporate housing with a large cat. A few weeks later we got moved into our house and Christmas was rolling around.

The first indication there was a problem was after we opened gifts and I had received a jacket and tried it on I put it back in the open box under the tree. The cat used it as a litter box and whizzed on it. Man did it smell.

I had a really nice leather and nylon soft brief case. A week later it was open and sitting against the wall in the living room. The cat found it and Yep: Whizzed in my brief case!

I was pretty angry and grabbed the cat and threw him out of the house. It immediately rushed back in the garage and was crying at the door. I picked it up. Put it in a kennel and took it to the vet. I had been raising black labs and had one dog who had gone to Nationals in Hunter Retriever Class and the vet knew the family and pets very well. I walked in the vets with this cat wailing in the carrier. Dr. Thompson came out and asked what the matter was. I told him: Why would this cat whizz on every thing that is "Mine"? He said he didn't know. So, I told him to figure it out by this afternoon and if he didn't come up with a good answer to put it to sleep.

He looked at me and said: "You can't do that it's your wife's cat."

I said, alright: "Put them both down."

The cat went back to the breeder and the wife decided to leave.

Now they are both gone. My wife never whizzed on anything of mine. Go figure!

Go for the cat DG!

Medium sized dog. Something like a Terrier, a cats urine smell is hard to get rid of!

First you need to move so you can get a dog. I highly recommend a Schipperke. It'll not only be a great companion, it will also serve as a chick magnet. CGallag can attest to that.

If moving's not an option skip the cat and get a chinchilla. They don't bark, bite, scratch or smell, are easy keepers and are the softest things ever.

As far as felines go -- I've been adopted by two cats (before I got dogs again) and they worked out just fine. If they think they're in charge I think they're happier. But I'm not a fan of litterboxes, either.

Once I had a tetra -- now he was fun to watch. But ultimately he was just a fish in a bowl, looking bored and looking for love, and it just seemed mean, so I never got another after he died.

I have had both dogs and cats all my life. Presently my family has 4 cats but no dogs. Dogs are high maintenance pets.

There are several products on the market to remove urine smells. Both cats and dogs have "accidents" and they both smell equally bad. Cats usually have them in the litter box, dogs have them everywhere. When cats use anything but the litter box something is usually wrong. Always provide N+1 litter boxes, 'N' being the Number of cats you have. Keep them clean! Remember you don't like to use a filthy facility either. There are even all kinds of automated litter boxes. Some cats have even been trained to use human type facilities.

Both dogs and cats can be kept outside or inside. Cats usually do best inside. Cats can be left alone inside with someone to check on them every 2-3 days for long periods. Dogs require daily checks even if left outside with adequate food and shelter.

I recommend a pet rock. Never saw anything in them myself but they cause no mess- Don't cost a lot to feed and if you have to go out- you can easily slip them into your pocket and they stay there.

I definitely vote for cats...take care of themselves but still great company....and as you can see just love to be dressed up.....

Regardless of how much trouble they are and how much they tie you down, dogs are my choice. I like dogs just like I like lugged steel frames and friction shifting. Logic has nothing to do with it.

I have always had at least one dog around. See Alicestrong's post to understand why there is now also a cat in the house. ;) (but I still don't like it)

The cats on the other hand are born mechanics helpers. They will sit for hours and assist in the construction of a bicycle. They find cable installation to be their favorite part of the job.


Cats also like shiny objects. My previous cat, DC, would grab any jewelry I foolishly left on my dresser and hide it behind the china hutch. I really wish she would have put it in the jewelry box as moving that hutch was a hassle.

If I was gone for more than a day she would disassemble an artificial vine I have in an antique crock and place the pieces by the back door. I guess this was her way of telling me she didn't like being left alone as she never bothered it when I was home.

Let's not forget chinchillas....

I have had Golden Retrievers for 30 years - usually two at a time. Dogs are great but now that we are retired they do interfere with travel. I think when these two kick the bucket we will see what it is like with no dogs for a while.

Let's not forget chinchillas....

"You must house your chinchilla in a wire cage or it will chew its way out and escape"....:eek:

We might as well recomend a Ferret.

I have both, and have had both for decades.

It depends on how you ride and live. If you do rides under four hours and spend time at home the dog is
OK. They are more interesting, they interact with you more. You do have to walk them and let them outside enough. The dog is probably better to take in the car, or on the bike somehow. They are always more work and need more of your time. But, more fun. A small dog is a lot less work for you.

If you like rides over four hours and stay overnight, the cat is better. But they are not as interesting and do not interact with you as much. If you are going to be away a lot, the cat will be happier with another cat for company. It may be much calmer and less destructive.

I would say two cats for an empty nester who is away a lot. And who likes long rides. Before the dog lived here, I was doing many centuries, and had two cats only. That was a good situation for me and the cats. I would be away 12-14 hours all the time. The cats were happy with each other.

A vote for dogs here. Of course, seeing as how I seem to be allergic to cat dander, it's not a difficult choice for me. We currently have 2 dogs, 2 horses, and 1 lovebird. But I will agree that if you are going to be away from home often, cats are easier. We have had to leave our dogs in a kennel, and they are so attached that they ate very little while we were away. And this was a nice kennel with a great reputation-often referred to as a "doggie country club" by others who use it, so it wasn't caused by neglect. Since cats have never been an option, can't voice a real opinion, but we do love our dogs!!

We have two dogs and three cats. The cats are much easier to take care of, sure they miss us when we are gone and get a bit moody when we return, but we know they will take care of themselves. We just leave out tons of food and water and a lot more cat boxes then usual. They get the whole bed to themselves and can entertain themselves. The dogs we have to have a pet sitter or board them. We won't leave any of our pets alone for more then a week even though we have someone looking in on them, I miss them to much.

Let's not forget chinchillas....

Great pets -- will tolerate some fawning too --
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w76/cgallagh/chinchxmascard.jpg

We currently have three cats: a petite 12-year-old black shorthaired female, a muscular 10-year old male Siamese mix, and a big fluffy 4-year old black longhaired female. All are affectionate, particularly in cold weather. The Siamese likes to hang out with my son and me when we work on cars or bikes, and our eldest cat jumps onto my lap whenever I sit down at the computer. Our youngest cat follows us around the house and has a near-continuous 120dB purr -- one would never know that she was a feral stray kitten rescued by my wife and my elder son. These are extremely low-maintenance, high-reward pets.

Dog. My son's cat does nothing if a stranger comes around. Strangers don't come around my dog. I sleep very well knowing no strangers are coming into my house unnoticed. ;)

Dog or cat, I don't know. But I can assure you that it turns out that a free male cockatiel is not a good pet. Unless you like lot of loud annoying noise.
As a matter of fact, it's not like having a pet at all. It's like sharing your house with deranged person that you have to feed and clean up after.

That sounds a lot like kids, but at lest they grow up and move out. They may even mow the lawn when they need to borrow the car.
But a cockatiel... worthless. And i didn't even menion bird dander.

I am so bitter.:mad::mad::mad::mad:

We've had cats and dogs for years, and I always seemed to like the cats better. The years went bye and they all died off, we went a couple of years with no animals. When our youngest son started college I got a Jack Russell Terrier puppy. I never thought I would fall in love with an animal like I have with Riley. Yes he does need exercise, I try to walk him an hour a day. He goes to work with me every day, customers love him, most of my co-workers do also, and my wife and sons love him also. He's been a great dog and I would truly miss him if he wasn't in my life. But cats are cool too.:D

Dog or cat, I don't know. But I can assure you that it turns out that a free male cockatiel is not a good pet. Unless you like lot of loud annoying noise.
As a matter of fact, it's not like having a pet at all. It's like sharing your house with deranged person that you have to feed and clean up after.

That sounds a lot like kids, but at lest they grow up and move out. They may even mow the lawn when they need to borrow the car.
But a cockatiel... worthless. And i didn't even menion bird dander.

I am so bitter.:mad::mad::mad::mad:

Yeah, I'm done with birds, too. Dander, seeds, the stupid mating dance.... One of my cockatiels loved the color red. If you were eating something with tomato sauce, he'd jump into your plate and eat some sauce, and then go fly around with his saucy feet and land on things. And he'd run around on the floor after the cat and bite hair out of the cat's rear.

Well, I brought my new boss home a couple of hours ago. Nine months old, neutered, all her shots, etc. She's a little anxious right now, perching herself on a dining room chair and surveying the environment. I've no doubt it won't be long before she lays down all the new rules, and I begin serving her as best I can.

Her only name is "Kitty." I think I'll try for something a little more original than that (not that it will matter to her!).

http://upload.pbase.com/image/92490553.jpg

http://upload.pbase.com/image/92490553.jpg

:love::love::love:

You done good... she is NOT all white!

I think "solveg" would be a lovely name.

I think "solveg" would be a lovely name.

:roflmao:

I would name it "Learn to crap outdoors". ;)

Congrats, DG. I've had both dogs and cats most of my life, and now we are down to one elderly cat. Our dog died before we got our bikes. With both of us working, I know that we would not have been able to enjoy our bikes if we still had the dog. For working folks, dog time and bike time are in direct competition with each other. You did well! I didn't want to say anything earlier, but I would have voted for the kitty you selected. I had a male Siamese years ago, and he was more needy and demanding of attention than any dog I ever had. And noisey, too. This one looks like a female? I've always enjoyed the company of female cats more than male cats for some reason. Not so fussy about the gender of dogs.

I vote for "Fiona" or "Eliza." :)

Tarantulas are very low maintenance.

If you want to own an animal, get a dog. If you want to be owned by an animal, get a cat.

One more pic, and I'll stop. This is where she is choosing to gather her wits about her at the moment, as she tries to figure out what's happened today!

Could be a purrfect match, don't you think? :)

http://upload.pbase.com/image/92499506.jpg