Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Writer's Need Cats. . .Or is it Dogs?



The eternal question : Do cats rule and dogs drool or is it the other way around? When it comes to writers, it seems the question is even more pertinent. Within my own writing group there was a three day eamil debate over whether or not having a cat was necessary to not only being a writer, but in particular, a good one. The question never was answered so I'm going to pose it here.

The qualities of a cat lend themselves to us habitually loner types. Cats are more independent, less needy, self entertaining and yet they still are a form of company that is less intrusive than a person asking what’s for dinner every freaking night.

Dogs tend to be just a tad bit needier, they have to be fed on schedule, walked on schedule and they can almost be as demanding as a two year old child in their wants. This can be counter-productive to keeping on your writing schedule or just plain breaking up a great flow you’ve got going on.

I have some of each, my indoor cat Falene is my writing buddy, my little grey and white tuxedo. She sits on my lap while I type and settles in quite happily for the duration, no matter how long it is (In fact, she's sitting on my lap as I type this.) Our two boxer’s are another matter altogether. While they aren’t particularly demanding, I feel bad if I don’t spend time with them or take them out for multiple walks when I’m home and I squirm under their sad eyed scrutiny if I’ve sat for too long. That is the factor that gets me every time. The guilt factor. As a writer I can immerses myself in my stories for hours on end and the cat doesn’t care. The dogs not so much, they want attention, need it and demand it. And I give it to them because I’m a conscientious dog owner.

In all honesty, no matter how I try to deny it, I do prefer cats (though I would never give up the boxer girls for anything). I like the air of mystery about them, something that even a house cat never truly loses.

Which is it for you? Do you prefer a cat, dog, or some other critter that soothes the lonely hours of writing yet doesn’t disturb your creativity?

4 comments:

Shanona Ryder said...

I love cats, but I only have dogs at the moment. I'm sure if I had a cat, he/she would be my writing buddy. =)
For now, my lap is occupied by my little chihuahua girl. She is so sweet and calming it's nice to have her around when I'm writing.
I guess my vote is (little) dogs. ;o)

Shannon said...

My boxers think they are lap dogs, 60 and 70 lbs of dog is too much to write around though :)I think every writer has a pet of some sort, they are calming and help us not lose our minds!

Lise said...

I've never been a cat person, although I have owned at least a dozen. To me, cats treat humans like servants. But I can't live without the company of dogs. It's not good for a human being to sit still for hours on end. For the good of our bodies, we need to get up, stretch our muscles, and re-fill the tea pot once in a while. Having dogs reminds me to do that, and ensures that I get out of my chair 5-8 times a day and take them for a little walk. And on those days when I need some inspiration, it's fabulous to take my little girls out for a nice, long walk while I have a think. When we get back, they're tired, but always grateful. I've never seen the kind of loyalty from cats that I've always seen in my dogs.

Kathryn Rose said...

Cats, ftw! But we have both. :)