I do not have to fear turning into an old crazy pet lady; I am pretty sure I will not even be owning pets once I move out. 

My family laughs and constantly points out how awkward I can be when I am around animals; ironically, we are the proud and loving owners of three dogs and a few fish. As a dog owner, I am well versed in the argument about which animal holds the title of “best pet:” cats or dogs. 

I adore all three of my dogs, especially our new puppy, Max. He is a corgi and will remain the size of a teddy bear for the remainder of his life; it makes him more adorable. He came to us a month ago, and he cannot get enough of my mom. My fish, on the other hand, are mostly ignored (sorry, Butch and whatever the other one’s name is).

I have had a dog since I was one, her name is Beasley. I do not know what breed she is—I tend to call her my rat dog—and this often amuses people. Santa brought us a second dog; his name was Burton. He, unfortunately, passed away in his sleep at age seven. He was a white lab. After Burton, we got Grizzley who is five, a total sweetheart, and a red lab. 

Each of my pups has a different personality and shows affection in varying ways. Max jumps into my lap, Grizz lays his head next to my hand, and Beasley puts her paw on my leg. They all share a special talent for reading my emotions though. I will say, I might miss the comfort of a puppy when I am overstressed and sobbing, but the mess they make and the smell of their food disgust me enough to keep my desire for a pet-free home. 

However, I will take animals pooping outside over cats who go inside the house. My friend owns three cats, and I am obsessed with them; specifically, I adore Raven, an all-black cat who is gifted with an abundance of my adoration. Raven is not my biggest fan, but she is slowly letting me pet her more. I even got her to let me hold her without much squirming the other week. Cats fit my personality pretty well. Raven, from what I have observed, is independent, bossy, and judgmental. She is pretty much me in cat form. Cats are beneficial when it comes to distracting me from my thoughts while also giving me more space than dogs. Cats are rather low maintenance and do not require going outdoors, which suits me since the outside and I do not always agree. 

I might have pushed for a cat instead of a third, or even a second dog if my dad wasn’t so excessively allergic to them. The upside to dogs is that they force me out of my comfort zone: they make their presence known, force me up from the couch, comfort me, and don’t leave me alone with my emotions. I would not give up my puppies for the world. 

There are mostly pros and a few cons to owning or just being around both cats and dogs. Honestly, I cannot decide for myself which I prefer, but I do know that as of now I will not purchase either of these pets once I am on my own facing the world.