For ages, there has been a battle of epic proportions among humans everywhere. As pet owners, everybody defends the animal they own. Although plenty of people love horses, fish, and gerbils, the biggest controversy lies in the deadlock between cats and dogs.

            Cats were first domesticated as early as 10,000 years ago. In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped and often mummified with their owners. Everywhere, nations believed that cats were close companions for witches and people with a second sight.

            12,000 years ago dogs were domesticated in Iraq, where archaeologists found a jawbone within a cave. In ancient Rome, mosaics showed that many different breeds of dogs lived with humans during this time period.

            According to the American Pet Products Association, more cats are owned in the world than dogs. About 86.4 million cats are owned in the U.S. and one out of three households own at least one cat. Half of these cat owners tend to own more than one cat.

            Today, there are 78.2 million dogs owned in the United States and one out of four households possesses a dog. The majority of dog owners only own one dog.

            Here at Holy Family, the debate as to whether cats or dogs are the superior pet remains strong. Students and teachers alike own cats, dogs, or both of the animals.

            “I own one Labrador dog, one Collie, and two cats named Pringles and Ruffles and I like both species because they each have their own personalities,” said math teacher Ron Rossi.

            Likewise, senior Alex Toderica owns both species. “I own a dog and a cat, but I like my cat better. Her name is Kitty, she’s adorable and a very common breed. She is a Blue Russian I believe. I like cats more because I believe they have more personality than dogs,” said Toderica.

            “I own three cats named Rambo Love, Kona Maru, and Ebony Love. I like cats better than dogs because they are cuddly,” said math teacher and director of curriculum and staff development Dolores Dean.

            “I own a dog named Chelsey who is a 15 year old wiener Dachshund. I also own a 100 pound yellow Labrador named Lily,” said senior Kayla Carlson.

            “I have two cats, a striped black Tabby named Zeke, and a solid gray Tabby named Zoe. Both felines have the desired white paws, commonly referred to as mittens. Cats are clearly the superior species. Both cats purr as loud as a chainsaw and have distinct meows. To put Zeke's strength into perspective, he could beat a Pitbull in a fight 11 out of 10 times,” said junior Nicola Lonardo.

            Some people do not even own pets, but still prefer one species over the other.

            “I do not own a dog or a cat, but I like dogs better than cats because dogs don’t purr. I hate purring because the noise reminds me of a traumatic experience with some neighborhood cats as a child. Also cats don’t give me the respect I deserve,” said vice principal Mike Gabriel.

             As one can see, most people tend to like cats better than dogs or vice versa because of the animal’s personality. However, one must wonder, how does an animal have a personality?

            According to Carlson, dogs generally tend be happy all the time and cats generally tend to have temperamental personalities with changing moods. Each pet owner claims their pet has a unique personality.

            “I can always make out what my cat wants, and with dogs it's either they want outside, to be petted, or food. Basically my cat has the most personality and fits into my family more than my dog,” said Toderica.

            “Zeke is very outgoing and pursues an outdoor life as well as an indoor one. Zoe is much more timid but is the cutest creature I have ever seen. Zeke always protects Zoe and looks out for her as his big brother. If I could compare Zeke to any human it would be Bear Grylls. Zeke is an avid survivalist and prides himself on exploring blizzards. Zoe is shy, but loves being petted on the tummy,” said Lonardo.

            Interestingly, it is often said that cat owners and dog owners have their own distinct personalities that cause them to gravitate towards one particular species. In fact, according to a recent study conducted by a psychologist from the University of Texas at Austin, dog lovers tend to be more social, easygoing and diligent. However, cat lovers are often more nervous and honest than their counterparts. 

            Cats and dogs both require special attention and care that can cost owners time and money. This helps play a role in people’s opinions regarding cats and dogs.

            Both Lonardo and Dean agree that having a pet that uses a bathroom indoors and does not require to be let out to use the facilities at all hours is very desirable.

            “I like cats better than dogs because they know how to use a litter box. However, my least favorite part about owning my cats is when I have to clean out their litter box,” said Dean.

            “Unlike dogs, cats manage their own bathroom needs. Cats require much less maintenance and do not require training,” said Lonardo.

            However, dog lovers disagree with these cat owners, believing that training a dog to do tricks is rewarding.

            “Another reason dogs are better than cats is that they can do crazy tricks and herd sheep and have real world uses unlike cats,” said Carlson.

            Regardless of how much an owner enjoys training and caring for their pet, prices for caring for these dogs and cats depend on their size.

            According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, small dogs cost owners $580 a year, medium dogs cost $695 in maintenance, and it costs $875 to care for large dogs. Cats, on the other hand, cost $670 to maintain a year.

            Costs for caring for dogs include purchasing the pooch, which at times can range from $500 to $1000 dollars if bought from a breeder, but dogs can also be adopted from animal shelters for between $50 and $100.

            After the pup has been bought, there are multiple expenses that are required only one time. These expenses include shots and fixing, which usually costs $270, bedding and other accessories which total to about $110. Also, training may be required which can cost hundreds of dollars, but owners often train their dogs.  

            Money that must be continually spent to care for dogs includes food, which can cost up to $235 annually, veterinarian care, which costs up to $260 a year, and grooming, which at the most costs $460 annually.

               Buying a cat can cost $50 to $100 if purchased from a shelter, as Dean did with all three of her cats, and $500 to $1000 if purchased from a breeder. It costs up to $145 to have a cat fixed and an additional $130 must be paid for a cat to receive its initial shots.

    Items that must be bought for long term use for a cat include a litter box, which tends to cost $25 and a scratching post, which costs $15.

        Annually, cat owners tend to spend $115 on food and $160 on veterinarian care.

        Although dogs for the most part cost slightly more than cats to maintain, the price of dog care varies by the size of the dog. Overall, the cost of pet care is about equal between dogs and cats.

            Furthermore, according to all of the pet owners interviewed, they do not prefer cats over dogs or vice versa because they cost less.

            Whether they are dog lovers or cat lovers, each owner has a particular story about their pet that allows them to have their own special affection for their pet.

        “When my son, Mike Jr., (the little scamp) was a child, he had a tendency to fall into wells. Luckily, our faithful pup would always alert me just in time to save the day. For that, I will always have a special place in my heart for our old dog,” said Gabriel.

        “My kitty can open doors and that makes my day every morning. She comes to me to pet her and then runs away so I chase her around the house and when she's tired, she'll hop up on her little house and be cute and cuddly. She's the bee’s knees. And she's so darn cute. No matter what she does, I smile and get all warm inside,” said Toderica.

        “One time, we were planning a big Italian feast. The spaghetti sauce was cooking on the stove in the pot all day. We got home and the dogs tipped the pot over on the floor and ate the entire big pot of sauce. Needless to say, they got really sick and sauce was everywhere,” said Rossi.

        “My cats love to roll around in cat nip. The newest event is that Kona fetches a blue mouse and returns it to me so that I can throw it up in the air for her to catch and then return to me for another fetch,” said Dean.

        “The cutest thing my dog, Chelsey, does is when she burrows in my bed and I can’t find her because she’s just like a bump in the covers. Also, she can’t hear that well anymore, so I like to sneak up on her and she always jumps. It’s hilarious. I also chase her around the house on all fours but she runs a lot faster than me. She wears this little jacket in the winter because she gets cold easily and my dad sometimes picks her up by her jacket just like a momma dog does with the scruff of the necks of her puppies and then he carries her around for a bit. It’s the greatest thing ever,” said Carlson.

        Although the great debate whether dogs or cats are the superior species continues, and may even continue to the end of humanity, the only thing that truly matters is the bond that one has with their pet.

            “I like my dogs more than I like some people in this world, which people make fun of me for but I don’t understand why. Do they like their siblings more than some people? To me, it’s the same situation,” said Carlson.