Who Do I Love More?

If you know me (or have glanced at previous blog entries), you know that I have a dog and a cat. The dog was my first addition - and the first time I owned a pet all by myself. That's a HUGE step! I mean, I consider pets a part of the family. They're meant to be inside the home, next to you on the sofa or in the bed. They get love when they want it or when you want to give it. I decided to take the cat partially because I thought the dog was lonely and because my friends Bill and Shannon had rescued the little guy and he needed a home. I thought these two could be great friends as every cat and dog I had growing up had been. I was wrong.
That's my dear, sweet Charley. I absolutely love him. He is sweet. He is cuddly. He is funny. And he tolerates me making him wear a Halloween costume each year. Look, this is how pet owners keep the balance - me human/owner, you dog/obeyer. He loves tennis balls, squeaky toys and treats (especially Frosty Paws in the summer).
That's Chaplin. He's sweetest when he's tired or sleepy. Other than that, he's a terrorist. He jumps at me every time I walk past him. He swats at Charley when he passes him (though he doesn't use his claws). He is taller than Charley, so when my sweet wienerdog passes by, Chaplin will straddle him, holding on to Charley's neck until the dog either sits down or rolls on top of him. He has made Charley sleep in the living room on the sofa at night, because it's the only place he can get into a corner to protect himself from a nighttime attack. Not once has he shown Charley his sweet side. I keep telling myself this is a kitten phase. Chaplin will grow out of it and they'll be great friends. However, Chaplin is about a year and half now, so I'm wondering when he'll be that great cat I hoped he'd be.

I love both my pets. I admit, I favor Charley because I've known him longer and he's never been aggressive with me. I sometimes feel a little bad when I leave for work and tell them both to be good boys and say, "Charley, I love you. Chaplin, meh." I like to think those words don't make sense to them. I mean, they just sit/stand there in the hall, staring at me with their heads to the side.

So why am I sharing this with you? Well, because I thought you should know I love my dog more. The reason is simple: dogs are awesome. They have no concept of time, so they get excited to see you if you've been gone for two minutes or two days. Cats don't care how long you've been gone, just that they have food in their bowl - you know, should you happen to die while you're out.

Jerks.