Dog Vs. Cat on the farm

Man's Best Friend. Belle turned 2 this past December. She is a mix of Labrador and something else. What else is left to be seen. But is she better than a cat on the farm? 

According to Mark Driscoll, all theology is Dog or Cat Theology and is stated as follows: lets say that the cat and dog both have amazing, loving owners, the dog thinks, "I am so blessed to have such an  amazing and valuable master." 
The cat however thinks, "I must be an amazing, valuable cat."

This is displayed so clearly here at Parson's Manor. Belle treats our presence as though her dreams just came true. You walk out the door and she bounds up to you, ready to accompany you to the furtherest reaches of the property and beyond. 

Though she eats an occasional duck, digs a ditch similar in scope to the Mariana Trench, and chews up various objects with the finality of a chainsaw in the hands of an angry lumberjack, she still has her positive points. 

• She is a great guard dog. No one comes on the property without hearing a solid warning to approach with caution. 
  
• Hawks beware! She keeps an eye to the sky and follows a flying hawk from one end of the property to the other until it has left her territory. 
• Coyotes, raccoons and  Opossums are less likely to sample our chickens with her having free range of the barnyard. 
• She does dig ditches, but, in the process she drags moles out of their covert hiding spots.
• She is a comfort, very loving, and gives every member of this family a brighter outlook by just being around her. 
• She loves to ride in the paddle boat and swim in the pond, adding further enjoyment to her just being here. 

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If a dog is man's best friend, a cat is the cat's best friend. 
Squanto just turned 1 this past Thanksgiving and yet acts as old and grave as a professor of History at the university. He considers us as a necessary nuisance. 

 Dr. Louis J. Calmuti states, "When a cat is outside, he wants to be in and when in, desires to be outside, and at times wants both, simultaneously." 

Alfred Whitehead said, "If a dog jumps into your lap, it is because he likes you. If a cat does, it is because your lap is warm." 

These descriptions of the cat are quiet accurate. The bird feeder out front is nothing but a buffet for Squanto. No matter how beautiful the Indigo Bunting is, or how bright the American Goldfinch, they are all easy targets for this rocket on 4 legs. 

What ever has been planted in our raised bed garden gets "rolled on" several times. Apparently Asparagus cologne is in vogue for male cats. 

So, what is the advantage of a farm cat? 

• The mouse population in our barn has dwindled significantly without the uses of poisons. 
• Squanto is actually a better mole hunter than Belle.
• Voles likewise are history.
• Amazingly, Spiders don't fare well either. 
• As far as entertainment? It never stops. From stalking grasshoppers and chasing his shadow, to begging at the table for food it is a constant circus. 
  

So who wins? Honestly, it's kind of a toss up for our family. We don't think we could do without either one. There are many advantages to owning a cat and a dog if you have a little land. Why don't you comment on which one wins in your mind and why. It will be fun to see what everyone thinks about their animals validity to be part of the family! 

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