On the scale of dog people vs. cat people, I'm squarely in the cat camp. I don't mind dogs, but I see the "heroism" in this article as a form of codependence. Dogs are pretty much wired to be human companions; they thrive on human attention and will do almost anything to secure it. Accordingly -- unless you broadcast "I'm a horrid person" vibes in some wavelength they can detect -- a dog will love you almost by default; their love is what you'd expect nearly any dog will do to fulfill its needs.
Cats, by contrast, naturally can take or leave humans. They get some material benefit (ready access to warm dry shelter and effectively endless food) from living with humans, but can fend for themselves pretty well on their own without ever interacting with a human. So when a cat loves you, it means something. It means you've really put work into that relationship and seen it through to the end, and the cat has come to value you as more than a food and shelter provider but a source of emotional stability and comfort. One sign this has happened is when you find yourself unable to walk without nearly tripping over your feline pal, who inserts themself into your path lest you pass without petting or cuddling them.
> It means you've really put work into that relationship and seen it through to the end
Note: if you don't do this for your dog, you will have a terrible dog.
*I was 100% a cat person until I got dogs. Now the relationship I have with my dogs is 5x the relationship I've ever had with one of my cats. They require so much more trust, and return it in turn.
[Considering dogs generally, Ackerley]
"saw how amiable and well-mannered they were, in a way how sad, above all how nervous with their air of surreptitious guilt, and meeting the mild, worried brown eyes that often studied me and my friendly hand with doubt, I realized clearly, perhaps for the first time, what strained and anxious lives dogs must lead, so emotionally involved in the world of men, whose affections they strive endlessly to secure, whose authority they are expected unquestioningly to obey, and whose mind they can never do more than imperfectly reach and comprehend. Stupidly loved, stupidly hated, acquired without thought, reared and ruled without understanding, passed on or “put to sleep” without care, did they, I wondered, these descendants of creatures who, thousands of years ago in the primeval forests, laid siege to the heart of man, took him under their protection, tried to tame him, and failed—did they suffer from headaches?"
This really touched my heart. Disclaimer: dog owner.
Cats, by contrast, naturally can take or leave humans. They get some material benefit (ready access to warm dry shelter and effectively endless food) from living with humans, but can fend for themselves pretty well on their own without ever interacting with a human. So when a cat loves you, it means something. It means you've really put work into that relationship and seen it through to the end, and the cat has come to value you as more than a food and shelter provider but a source of emotional stability and comfort. One sign this has happened is when you find yourself unable to walk without nearly tripping over your feline pal, who inserts themself into your path lest you pass without petting or cuddling them.
I've noticed other cat people have similar views.