Are Cats Cleaner Than Dogs?

It may well be that we are tied in this match which divides opinion, while everyone has good arguments. We go around the question to disentangle the true from the false!

Potty Training: Draw Between Dogs And Cats

As long as a puppy is left with its mother and a kitten with its own, the progress in terms of cleanliness is similar. Around the age of three weeks, these two pets defecate outside the place where they sleep.

At the beginning, there can of course be accidents, but they are found in both species. It is by imitation, and by dint of seeing the example of their parental model, that they acquire cleanliness.

Thus, the kitten will imitate its mother and begin to visit its litter box regularly and cover its excrement. For his part, the puppy does the same and waits to be outside, on the condition of not making him wait too long of course.

Note that dog breeders have a disadvantage, because the dog does not fit in a litter box, but outside. However, puppies often stay in their boxes until they are two months old. It is therefore possible that when adopting a puppy, he does not know how to wait and does some damage, but it is generally a matter of a few days or a few weeks at most.

Grooming: Advantage To The Cat

The cat spends a lot of time cleaning itself to rid its coat of impurities. He has a major asset, a raspy tongue perfectly suited for self-grooming. Unlike the dog, the cat has no need to take a bath and be “shampooed” by his human, except accident.

On the contrary, the dog does not have this self-grooming behavior. But that’s simply because his tongue isn’t equipped for it. In nature, he finds water points to wash, bathe and get rid of parasites, like his cousin the wolf.

It is therefore true that a dog must be washed regularly, using specific shampoos and lotions specially adapted for him. As far as possible, and unless a dog is soiled during a walk, or following digestive problems, it should not be washed more than once a month. It is also possible to take it to the groomer, some offering annual subscriptions.

Conclusion: If The Cat Is Cleaner Than The Dog, It Is Above All For Reasons Of Autonomy

In the end, it is important to understand that the dog does not particularly appreciate being dirty, it is clean by nature. But in our interiors, we are used to saying that the cat is cleaner, essentially because it is autonomous.

Indeed, you can go away for a day, he will do in his fund. However, your dog will wait for your return to relieve himself, if your absence is of a reasonable duration. Leave a cat alone for several days, he will stay out of his litter box because it is dirty.

Finally, it is true that you will need to groom your dog, especially if you take walks by the sea or in the forest for example, where he will have plenty of time to get dirty. But, it is not for lack of cleanliness.