What's the difference between cats and dogs as pets?
My family wants a pet but we can't decide between a cat and a dog. I work full time and don't have a big yard. How much time do dogs vs cats need? Are cats really as independent as people say? I'm allergic to some animals — are certain breeds hypoallergenic? What are the annual costs for each?
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4 Answers
I used to have a strong opinion on this and then I lived in another part of the country for a few years and completely changed my mind. Travel does that. What seems obvious where you grew up isn't obvious everywhere.
The cultural context matters a lot here. What's considered normal or acceptable varies enormously between different regions, generations, and social groups. There's no universal standard on this.
I think the real issue here is that society is changing faster than most people can keep up with. What was normal 20 years ago might be considered outdated now, and what we think is normal today will probably seem old-fashioned in 20 years.
My grandmother always said the more things change, the more they stay the same. Every generation thinks the one after it is going to ruin everything, and somehow the world keeps turning. I try to keep that perspective.
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