Is it harder or easier for cats and dogs to understand each other?

Let’s talk about understanding YOU loli.

These days, with Doggle- and Cattle* Translate, it is much, much easier.

*Not to be confused with Cattle Translate.

I would guess that dogs and humans understand each other better than either understands cats.

I think that the only time when there is real serious communication between canines and felines is during very heavy rainstorms.

Like when it is raining cats and dogs.

Cats are pretty tight lipped. They seem to enjoy playing a game of “guess what I’m thinking now” and then change their mind and begin licking or scratching.

Dogs don’t beat around the bush. They come out and just say what they mean.

I’m certain my dog was raised by cats. She looooves cats. She licks her front leg and cleans her face like a cat, she folds up her paws like a cat, and plays with her toys like a cat. Sometimes I wonder if she thinks she really is a cat!

The cats on the other hand, don’t seem to understand her or appreciate her intensions.

In order of most easy to least easy:

Dogs understanding dogs.
Cats understanding cats.
Humans understanding dogs.
Cats understanding dogs.
Humans-who-get-cats understanding cats.
Cats understanding humans.
Dogs understanding humans.
Dogs understanding cats.
Humans-who-don’t-get-cats understanding cats.

Dogs and cats understand each other but cats find dogs far too easily fooled and coerced. Therefore, dogs lumber around blissfully unaware. Cats must keep a watchful eye over goings on. When no threats are imminent, cats are deep in thought and considering philosophy.

As compared to what? If a cat and a dog are around each other long enough they will come to understand each other well enough.

Hi! I’m going to give two short real life stories which endeavour to show how like our animal friends are to our human ones. First, in Nova Scotia, we had an older very high- strung terrier mix, when we rescued a grey kitten which was crying just outside our bedroom window. Milly, our dog, never took to this little tyke – always had a growl or a snarl if Lucky came close! But the kitten was persistent& when Milly would fall asleep on the couch, up Lucky would jump, curling down as close as she could be. This lasted til the dog woke up: then growl, snarl & down they came. This was repeated several times every day. Now both pets would sit on the couch with us & the kitten on us. Until the day came when we decided Milly was in too much pain, and it just didn’t seem fair on her (plus a work-related move of over 1800 km was in our immediate future). So I took her for her last trip to the vet – her final testing place would be on the vet’s farm. And then I drive home where the cat immediately started looking for the dog, going to the doors, the windows, different rooms. She was persistent & she never sat on our laps again. Yes, Lucky made the four day move with us, stayed in our motel rooms with us; but she never forgave us for loosing her friend. She also lived a good long life.
Forward several years, I’m a widow & now have a different cat, a handsome 12 y/o black & white semi-long hair, called Sam (after Mark Twain) plus a two-year old yorkie called Susie. And now I live in a tiny cottage in the countryside near Kingston. Sam is a very bossy cat who for a few months while I was getting settled in my new place shared quarters with my friend’s hound/collie mix. Of course Susie stayed there, too. Sam was the elder AND the boss. Oh, yes he was the smallest; but let me assure you that Sam put both dogs in their place. Sam did not growl, no he hissed, drew out his claws & woe be the dog that didn’t do exactly what it had been told, fast enough to suit him. At one point while brushing Susie, I plucked a cats claw out of the fur on her head… When the move to my cottage was complete, I left Bessie behind & brought Sam & Susie out to their new home. Typical of cats, Sam went into hiding while Susie enjoyed the run of the yard & made friends with the neighbours. As did Sam, once he got over the move bit. Both beasts slept on my bed – one at my head & the other by my feet & would sit on my lap or legs as I watched TV from my lazyboy. Several more years pass, & I notice Sam having difficulty jumping up on the counter where I keep his food. Off to the vet, some blood work & Sam doesn’t have arthritis; but some degenerative nerve disease! I kept Sam,at home with meds until it became apparent that this was not in Sam’s best interests. So he took the final trip to the vet; in this case, I brought him home to bury under the cherry tree where he loved to lie in all weather except snow & rain. And Susie – she watched it all & never blinked an eye!
So cats and dogs are rather like people, it depends on which cat and what dog.

Welcome to Fluther, @MollyD.

Nice share!