I’ve been a cat person all my life. My fiancé is a dog person. How is our relationship going to survive?
Angela says…
Live on the wild side and get one of each. Just imagine: Fluffy and Rocky cuddling next to you and your spouse on the couch in front of the fire.
But if that’s not an option (or an adventure you’re willing to embark upon), choose one breed of either species that suits both your needs.
Cat lovers tend to like their feline friends for their size, temperament and cleanliness (i.e. litter box instead of poop and scoop).
Dogs tend to get a bad rap as being stinky, jumpy and loud. But there are plenty of dog breeds that are “cat-like” and, on the flip side, there are some cats that think they’re dogs — we have one of those. Best thing to do is check out cats and dogs together to see if you both agree on one — after all, it’s the personality of the animal you’ll end up falling in love with, not necessarily the species.
Derek says…
Clearly there was some sort of glitch in the eHarmony algorithm when it paired you up with your match. Cat and dog people mix like oil and water. But prepare yourselves for countless “this is why dogs/cats are better” conversations in the coming years.
My advice? Draw up a pre-nup outlining litter box cleanup duties for all parties to sign (I know I wish I had). It could mean the difference between marital bliss and a lifetime of resentment and sorrow. And if you’ve never owned a dog before, they can really cramp the style of young urban elites who enjoy soaking up a city’s culture and nightlife – they need constant attention and deserve to be outdoors as much as possible. To be fair to the animal, you need to be home every morning and evening, and take them with you on weekends. Why not save it for when you bring kids into the mix? You’ll be home much of that time anyway.
