> I'm more of a cat person, partly because they are usually more picky, which makes the reward of being looked at, even greater.

I find it very difficult to respect dogs because they tend to be so shallow. I don't really want a pet that's hopelessly dependent on me for validation. There's a type of person who enjoys that kind of companion ("man's best friend"), but to me it would be too much of a chore. I would dread having to take one out on walks, take them outside to leave "presents" which I then have to also clean up, etc. It's just too much work for me, and it would be neglectful to the dog for me not to. It's better for me to just not dog.

Cats actually seem to have complex emotion, and for me that makes it a lot more meaningful to take care of them. When my cats come to me for petting or cuddles it's because they actually enjoy being around me, not because the only thing in the world that matters to them is my attention. They feel a lot more like equals than dogs do.

Sometimes my cats aren't as interested in me at the moment because they miss somebody else in the family instead. They have the ability to miss other people and to want to be with that specific other person who they miss! I don't know how to explain it, but I empathize with cats and more like sympathize with dogs. To me, it's like dogs are "dumb animals" whereas cats are practically people.

I don't know, maybe that's being too harsh on dogs. I don't mean to be harsh, they just don't really feel for me at all. I don't want to get a pet just to feel above them. That just doesn't feel like a good reason and it's not something I look for.