Though I've always loved dogs, lately I've come to realize that I'm more of a cat person and will likely get a cat if I ever own a pet again. Whenever I meet a new cat, it likes me, and the owner is often surprised because the cat usually doesn't like anyone. I bring this up not because it's late and I have nothing better to talk about; the distinction between dog people and cat people is somewhat interesting and worth pausing to observe.
Dogs are wonderful and fun, but far too needy for my taste. Like the cat, I'm the sort of man who does his own thing and doesn't really care what everyone else is up to. I don't play status games or try to prove myself; I don't have to, since I know I'm good at pretty much whatever I do and feel comfortable in my own skin. I am independent and don't yearn for someone else to give me meaning. Some of my greatest challenges in life stem from my expectation that the people around me will be the same, but this is rarely the case. Most people are dog people because they are insecure and crave constant affirmation; having a loving, slavish creature at their side makes them feel safer, less alone, or something.
When I hang out with a cat, it senses our similarities. We don't "need" each other or make incessant demands. For example, when I first meet a cat I don't bother approaching him, but rather I respect his space and let him decide when to approach me. Each of us is a completed being who chooses to share our time with whomever we wish and on our own terms. We are equals who can interact or do our own thing, and it doesn't matter either way. This is not to say there's no affection. To the contrary, there's a great deal of it precisely because it is given out of free will rather than merely through instinct or compulsion.
So while I enjoy playing with dogs, I think I would truly enjoy living with a cat. Someday.
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