This year, O2 have launched one of their most successful advertising yet, in the form of their ‘Be more Dog’ website and adverts. Without explaining too much, cats just run around like dogs and catch Frisbees and stuff. If you haven’t seen it then it’s best to just watch it:

One of the most noticeable things is that, if you really think about it, there’s little to do with O2s services throughout any of this. So that enables the rest of us to do equally tenuous links to the advert itself. For that reason, we can look at the behavior, psychology, and any other factors to determine just how dog-like cats are.

It may be worth noting that there is no actual science in this. If you require some science then you should probably look elsewhere. Instead we’re going to mark cats out of 10 for how dog they are, e.g. a cat is 7/10 dog.

Behavior

How does a dog behave? Due to their ability to be trained quickly, they often behave how you want them to. Regardless of that though, you’ll get a few servings of unwavering enthusiasm for whatever is in front of them.

Cats on the other hand, can and will not be trained. Their behavior is mainly dictated by their breed, age and how hungry they are. The only variation in this can appear when they’re unhappy, which will often result in a mess being made in your house somewhere, which you can’t train them not to do.

Dog behavior out of 10: 4

Size

For anyone that likes a real-sized dog, and by that we of course mean spaniel and up, a lot of cats just don’t meet the mark. Large dog breeds such as St. Bernard and Neapolitan Mastiffs can weigh anything up to 12 stone, far off that of the biggest common domestic house cat, the Maine Coon, which weigh up to 1.8 stone. That’s only 1/6^th of a dog. 1/6^th of 10 is 1.8, so cats score 1.8 out of 10 for size.

Speed

We spend literally about five minutes searching on the internet for these results and couldn’t find anything conclusive, however, there’s a lot of speculation that cats can generally run faster and longer than dogs. We were unsure about this, but then we remembered that cheetahs are the fastest land animal on earth.

This means that cats not only match dogs on speed, they also overtake the, literally, giving them a speed score of 12 out of 10.

Health

The health of a cat or dog depends on the breed, living conditions and diet. In the UK, the vet bills are pretty equal, and treatment for your cat such as frontline for cats is around the same price as the dog version. For that reason it’s hard to give them anything but 10/10

Summary

Hopefully you’ve found this in-depth and scientifically accurate article very informative, but the conclusive result on how cat a dog is cannot be outlined too easily, but we have deduced that cats are exactly 6 dogs out of 10.

Please get back to us if you want to add any more factors into this careful calculation.

Cats are well known for their independence and ability to look after themselves. So what do you do when your cat seems to need your help more than ever? An ill cat can be distressed or lacking in energy so you need to do your best at keeping your pet calm and happy.

Skin Issues

 For cats with skin complaints caused by common problems such as fleas, bacterial infections and allergies care for them by bathing their sore or itchy patches in cool salt water. Alternatively you can apply an ice pack to relieve any discomfort to your cat’s skin. It is a good idea to also put an Elizabethan collar around your cat’s neck to stop him from licking the affected area. Flea treatment might also be an effective way of eliminating the fleas that still exist within the fur. For skin problems that turn septic or excrete an unpleasant smelling puss, an antibiotic treatment from the vet will likely need to be used.

Vomiting

Cats are more likely to become dehydrated when they are really young or elderly. If your pet has been vomiting for more than 24 hours, it is vital that you seek help from a vet straight away as dehydration can be potentially very dangerous. It is also a good idea to take a look at multi pet insurance when budgeting for those unexpected vet costs.  However if your cat’s vomiting is less serious and occurs much less frequently, you should try not feeding him for at least 12 hours after the vomiting has stopped. After this, you could try feeding your poorly pet a tiny piece of boiled chicken or white fish and offer a slightly larger portion 2 hours later if this is tolerated.

Cat Flu

Mouth ulcers are a common result of cat flu and they make swallowing food uncomfortable and difficult. Ulcers that form on the eyes should be looked at by a vet as they can cause a lot of discharge around the area. Discharge can be wiped away from around the eyes and nose using a solution of warm salt water or Olbas Oil. A bunged up nose caused by this virus may also lead to loss of appetite for your cat as they are not tempted by the smell of the food. You could therefore try stronger smelling foods like pilchards to tempt them. It is also important to encourage them to eat by stroking them or grooming them. Finally, liquidising food will make swallowing easier for your cat in the case of ulcers caused by the virus. Also remember that if your cat has not eaten for more than 24 hours, you must call your vet.