Myth About Cat Ownership: Cats are better apartment pets than dogs

My goal is not to say that cats are not good apartment pets. Cats are very versatile

with which types of home environments they can live in. For example: We are soon going to be RVing full-time with 1 human child, 2 large dogs, and a cat. It is possible to own any type of pet responsibly in whatever your living space is like. I am more wanting to point out how apartment cats are often more neglected than apartment dogs.

In my experience, dogs who live in apartments often get more walks and more one-on-one time with their pet parents than dogs with yards. The fact is that these owners don't have a choice. They have to walk them so they can go to the bathroom. They have to physically take them out for any sort of exercise, because letting them loose into a yard isn't an option. These situations are often flipped for cats.

Cats in single-family homes have multiple perks: more windows, more space, more things to interact with. An owner who does not really want to put effort into their pets will have a slightly happier cat in a single-family-home than in an apartment simply because of the way cats interact with their home around them. But, I also say happier lightly because cats deserve more than to be dropped in our living space to be cute and have nothing positive added back into their lives.

For both cats and dogs I think the space that they live in is only a small portion of what we have to provide to them. A yard is not an excuse to not exercise your dog. A house is not an excuse to not provide any stimulation to your cat. I stand by the fact that cats are detrimental to our environment when allowed outdoors, but this does not mean you should lock your cat in the tiny box that is your home and expect them to be happy with that as their life. And then, in turn, cats are blamed when behavioral issues arise.

Get to know your pet. Believe it or not: every animal is an individual with their own personality, enjoyment, and boundaries. Does your cat like to burrow in boxes and blankets? Or do they like to get as high as they can to look down on the peasants of the household? Does your dog actually like the dog park, or are you just forcing your idea of dog ownership on them? The truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all to what creates the perfect life for your pets. It takes time, effort, and love to create the universe your pet lives in. You are the only one they have to do it for them.