The Domestication of Dogs and Cats: The History and Legacy of People's Favorite Pets

As the oft-repeated and invariably accurate pearl of wisdom goes, a dog truly is man's best friend. For a long time, people have almost universally loved dogs, and it seems to have been that way for at least tens of thousands of years. When affection is abundantly and consistently expressed, this pure, unspoken, wholesome love is one that is very much requited, and then some. This bond can be demonstrated by the mere existence of pet keepers who unironically refer to themselves as "dog parents," not merely "dog owners." Of course, this camaraderie between man and dog did not materialize overnight. Quite the contrary, the relationship between people and dogs gradually evolved and steadily strengthened over several millennia, following a premise best summed up by the dog's metamorphosis from a predator to a lifelong companion. Apart from friendship and companionship, dogs may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and they have been trained to provide loyal and competent service in a variety of fields, ranging from seeing-eye dogs to vest-wearing police partners, among other lines of work. People's obsession with felines is an enigma in and of itself. Unlike dogs, famously known as man's most excitable, trustworthy, and loyal friend, cats are oftentimes indifferent, guarded, and yet finicky little furry creatures who only yearn for attention and affection when one is neck-deep in work or otherwise preoccupied. And still, people adore them all the same. In a recent poll that surveyed 600 American college students, 60 percent of the participants identified themselves as "dog lovers," whereas only 11 percent pledged their love for cats. The remaining 29 percent regarded themselves as fans of both critters or fans of neither. Be that as it may, there is said to be anywhere between a staggering 88-94 million pet cats in the United States alone, which eclipses the roughly 84-90 million pet dogs in the country.