Why do so many avatars show cats?

[keopeli]

I can't help but have noticed over time at DU.


I am a dog person, it's true. But, there seem to be so many?


Hmmm...

[SoCalDem]

1. 'Cause cats are so darned cute

I'll make you a doggie avatar, if you like :)

[keopeli]

2. You're too kind...

...to cats.

Just kidding.

I've already started on the project. Thanks, SoCal.

[Dogmudgeon]

3. Check the user names, too

There must be 500 people here who have user names with "cat" themes.

Cats are major fetish-animals in this society. For good or for bad, many people who like cats spend a lot of time "worshiping" them. You seldom see the same behavior among people who like dogs. And when you do, it's over a cat-like dog, e.g., poodles.

Words pertaining to cats are frequently used to compliment a person; dog-words are almost always deprecatory. Even in children's cartoons, dogs are inevitably shown as being stupid, and cats intelligent -- anthropomorphism played for laughs.

There is a major dog-fetish undercurrent, the Macho Dog syndrome. It usually afflicts adolescent boys who raise dogs to fight. More human nonsense -- dogs in nature become aggressive to survive, not to prove their masculinity. But even among dog-lovers, the macho fetishism is pretty rare.

I, too, like cats, but I never "got" the worship part. It's not a matter of which species is "better" -- neither one is better than the other. The difference is cultural, and culture belongs to human beings. We're the ones who think cats are loving and sexy, that dogs are macho and dominating, and who torture millions of each to death every year.

--bkl

[SoCalDem]

4. Hey... I don't "worship" my kitties, I just love them

and until our dogs went to "doggie heaven" we had both...happily..

We had 3 labradors and a poodle mix.. (and cats)..

We are equal opportunity rescuers.. feline..canine.. whoever needs a meal and a home :)

[Blue-Jay]

5. It's simple.

I did a little poll a few days ago and of the people who responded, 75% owned cats. We like our cats.

maybe I'll get me one 'a them cat-vatars....

[meti57b]

6. I hadn't noticed that.

[glarius]

7. Cat people are more enlightened people....

I guess all you dog people are ready to throw something at me, eh?
:D

[ET Awful]

8. Hmm, I hadn't noticed. . . .

What kind of fool puts a cat in his or her avatar . . . oh wait, what's that thing? How did that get up there. . . GAH, there's more at the bottom, I'm being invaded.

[muchacho]

9. Sloths

more sloths...enough sloth hating!