The usual dog argument goes something like this.  You can teach a dog to do so many things.  Sit, roll over, come when you call, jump through a flaming hoop.  Try to get a cat to do this.

Right!  A cat will just sit there and give you a look that says "you expect me to jump through flames for a lousy piece of hamburger?  You have GOT to be joking."

Just like I like independent minded women, I love cat for their enterprising spirit ...

and low maintenance.  Yes, they are not as loyal as dogs.  However, it felt great in the middle of the night when a cat crawled underneath the duvet and laid its warm body right next to me.  My cat followed me around in the house and sat on top of the sofa or next to my desk.

I have 4 cats in succession over the years - one got run over, one ran away, one probably got munched by coyote, the current one I kept indoor.  All except one are strays.

I love dogs too.  If fact, I am the dogwalker when my friends were out of town.  Walking a cute puppy had created a few occasions of conversation with beautiful women on the street.  But that was in SF.  I doubt that I will keep a dog though. Too much work and commitment.  

He's much better than a living pet.  He doesn't eat (he'll walk over to his base unit and recharge when he's getting low), he doesn't mess, chew or claw furniture, he's comparatively quiet, I can simply switch him off when I have to travel, and he'll amuse himself for hours chasing his ball around.  

I DID catch him trying to hump the microwave, though.  THAT'S a habit we're going to have to break.