Dogs obey and cats do not. It is not a myth, it is a reality. All dog lovers who have ever owned a dog know very well that their faithful four-legged friend is usually an obedient companion. And cat lovers often show their passion for these creatures precisely because they neither obey nor offer surrender to their owners, but rather the opposite.
There are exceptions in both cases, of course. But the general rule is that cats are more independent animals and only obey when they know for sure that they are going to get something in return (and they feel like it). But have you ever wondered why dogs obey and cats don’t? The reasons and explanation for this, we tell you in this post…
Natural behavior and domestic behavior
In order to understand this, we must take into account that the natural habitat of dogs and cats is not our homes. Before being domesticated, they inhabited wild environments where conditions were very different and, therefore, their behavior was also different.
And this is where the big difference between dogs and cats starts… And the fact is that many of the behaviors acquired in that wild environment from which they come are present, sometimes to a greater and sometimes to a lesser extent, but they are there.
Dogs and cats in a wild environment
Dogs are social animals that live in packs and cooperate to obtain food. And this, undoubtedly, marks the personality of domestic dogs that assume that they must have a social hierarchy in which their owners will be.
Surely you have seen in some training program that when educating a dog it is important to make clear what is the role of the owner and the dog within the hierarchy.
Once the dog knows its role in the hierarchy, it behaves in a cooperative, loyal and affectionate manner with its owners, as if it were a member of the pack.
A very different situation in a wild environment is that of cats, which like many felines, are solitary animals that do not necessarily need other cats to get food, hunt or live.
So much so that on many occasions they make sure to eat their prey when there are no other animals present so as not to share it.
In summary, dogs are characterized because their strength lies in the pack; while cats are solitary and survive thanks to their knowledge of the environment and their skill as hunters.
This is why cats are more reluctant to obey orders, while dogs obey easily if it is made clear to them where they stand in the hierarchy.
Of course, there are exceptions in both cases, but we will talk about that in another post. We hope you found this one interesting and that it will help you to better understand your pets.
