Consider the Critter

Although it's not unusual for the wealthy to leave millions to their dogs, Leona Helmsley's decision still seems wacky, eh?

Nevertheless, those of us with pets can appreciate the value of a furry friend who never argues, slanders, or likes our stuff better than it likes our selves. What's not to love about that?

Publishers Weekly reports that 71.1 million homes in America have canines and/or felines. (That's 63% of us.) People with dogs number 44.8 million; those with cats, 38.4 million. The cat populace is 88.3 million vs. 74.8 million dogs.

Though cats outnumber dogs, the meowers usually come in stereo, while bow-wowers normally come in mono. And though our country is home to more cats, dog-related books outsell every other category of pet book, PW says. (As if there is this entire genre of pet books? Really? Is there a market for books on how to raise pet iguanas?)

Do you have a pet(s)? Name(s)? Do you consider yourself a cat or a dog person? Or both? Why?

I'm a bi-pet person. We have two cats, Peaches and Jellico. But I'm a dog-lover by birth. Cats are lower maintenance, but I do miss the sloppy greeting at the door.

One of my fave authors, Calvin Miller, once noted that dogs and cats have in common with angels that they generally don't speak audibly. And that silence makes them excellent candidates for ministry (as long as there's not a fire hydrant or newspaper nearby, eh?).