Mr. Rawles,
Alex’s post on dogs in a post-SHTF world was very informative but I think he dismissed cats far too easily. I’ve been both a dog and cat owner my entire life and though my dogs throughout my lifetime have been wonderful hunters, protectors, and companions none have been quite as useful as my cats in keeping the mouse, squirrel, and roach (especially important having a retreat property in the deep south) population down to a minimum. Not to mention cats have a far lower daily consumption of food and water and take up less room in a bug out vehicle.
Sincerely, – A Southern Prepper
Mr. Rawles:
While I appreciate Alex C.’s recommendations for dogs in his “Surviving with Pets,” submission, I’d like to respectfully add some insight for him and others who may think like him. He wrote, “…it’s hard to see the value of a cat in a post apocalyptic world other than as a companion animal…and to alert to possible unseen threats….” Here are 15 reasons why cats (and I am referring to domesticated cats) will be valuable in a post-apocalyptic world. And while I sometimes contrast cats to dogs in my analysis, I am in no way trying to diminish a dog’s value after TSHTF, in my opinion both cats and dogs are always important assets.
1. The number 1 pragmatic, post-apocalyptic value to cats is their ability to control the rodent population (which is why barns always come with a barn cat or two). During times when access to modern rodent control methods may be in short supply, keeping one’s living space, food storage and harvest preserved from rodent infestation and diseases will be critical to survival. Furthermore, even pre-TEOTWAWKI, I don’t believe any modern rodent control method has yet managed to supersede the ability of a cat. While there are some dog breeds which are useful for killing rodents, I daresay none come as naturally equipped as the cat. This reason alone justifies keeping them around after TSHTF, but for those of you unconvinced, I continue.
2. Cats do not require much food, water or space–a good return on investment when everything is in short supply.
3. Though not as hygienic as owner-provided food, cats can manage to supply their own food–see above “rodent control.” Self-sustaining is always a good thing, right?
4. Cats are low maintenance which frees the owner for all those other needful TEOTWAWKI tasks. Cats need less (if any at all) training, attention, supervision, caution around strangers, exercise, bathing, grooming, medical care, “chewing management,” poop clean-up, kennel clean-up, and yard restoration (for diggers) than dogs.
5. While many dogs, by nature, foolishly rush in where angels fear to tread, getting into significant trouble at the wrong time (remember “I Am Legend?”), cats by nature are extremely cautious and stealthy. They would wisely rather let you go first and check it out. This trait unburdens owners from pet-created snafus.
6. Cats are safe companions. They do not attack unless provoked and cornered. Even in circumstances where they do attack a human, they are not a fatal threat to a human’s life. Neither do they form packs which threaten a human’s life. A cat may hiss, strike out and bite a person because they feel threatened (which, I admit, for some injured or ill cats may just mean coming within striking distance of them), but after making a brief show, even feral cats will always choose to flee and hide rather than to persist in subduing, maiming or consuming a human. This predictable, evasive behavior is an asset under TEOTWAWKI circumstances–in other words, you can trust your cat to remain a “safe” companion. A dog can unpredictably “go bad” and pose a threat, even to its own familiar human community. Now all of us intend to train our dogs so well that “this could never happen to us,” but the truth is aging, malnutrition, pre-programmed genetic instinct, lack of exercise, lack of stimulation, illness, stress, the introduction of another dog, etc. can trigger an unforeseen catastrophic attack–the dire impact of which will be multiplied under teotwawki circumstances where medical care is hard to come by.
7. Cats usually manage their own safety and can survive various threats without assistance from their owners. A cat evades threats on its own, which leaves its owner to focus on family safety. Hopefully, the cat will be retrieved once calm has been restored. While cats tend to stay out of the way, dogs, however, in the heat of an untrained-for circumstance, and in their eagerness to add value, can add a complicating, even fatal, factor to the fray. To be fair, I must add that dogs can also be a life-saving asset in such circumstances as well. Alex wisely advises that training is essential to minimize the negative contingency and maximize the positive, but my point is that with cats, one doesn’t need lengthy training because they are naturally evasive and non-confrontational.
8. Critical for OPSEC, unless meowing for food, in a fight, or in heat, cats are the embodiment of quiet, stillness, and “hiding in plain sight”–especially when they sense danger.
9. Critical for OPSEC, cats do not need to be let outside for bodily functions.
10. Critical for OPSEC, cats do not need to be let outside ever, whereas a dog needs outdoor activity for health and sanity. A dog moving around outside quite easily garners the notice of anyone within sight.
11. With their having perfected the art of relaxation, their lap-sized dimensions, ability to conform to your body, desire to sleep most hours of the day, their charm, beauty, purr, soft fur and warmth, cats have the ability to soothe and relax human companions like no other animal–an extremely valuable commodity under high stress conditions. Doctors have been known to prescribe owning a cat in order to lower blood pressure or reduce other effects of stress. Conversely, playing with a cat can be highly entertaining, eliciting much-needed comic-relief and laughter. Thus, add a cat to your TEOTWAWKI medicine chest.
12. As Alex mentioned in “Surviving with Pets,” cats are valuable for post-apocalyptic companionship. Like dogs, they are intelligent, affectionate animals which bring happiness and minimize loneliness for adults and children.
13. Also, as Alex mentioned, cats, like dogs, are able to detect unseen threats, but unlike dogs, they usually alert their owner without auditory vocalizations–another OPSEC benefit. Cats instead use an amazingly effective body language to convey alarm and they do it infrequently enough so that whenever an owner sees his cat in an alarmed state, he knows to pay attention. And if a cat’s visual cues to its owner are not enough, the cat will resort to “tactile” alerts in the form of firm, prodding claw pokes to the owner’s skin whenever the cat thinks the circumstance warrants it.
14. While it would be extremely rare for a cat to sacrifice itself for its owner as dogs are known to do, cats, probably due to their instinct for self-preservation, have been known to wake their sleeping owners to house fires or other emergencies–thereby saving the family. Although not guaranteed, one more potential safety factor I don’t mind having around now or then .
15. Survivalists should have some level of respect for the cat as the “ultimate survivor.” Who else gets the reputation for having “nine lives?” Maybe there’s something important we can learn from them.
Sincerely, – L.G.
Mr. Rawles:
I had to comment on Alex’s “Surviving With Pets” article. He was misinformed. I am not an expert, but my significant other and I train hunting dogs to the expectations of the AKC, UKC, NAVHDA, and the breed standard. We also train other various breeds for obedience. We stress to our clients that not every dog is “Hunting Material”. Some dogs just don’t have the instinct or the drive to become a dog you can hunt over. This is going to sound very opinionated, but it would be a ridiculous amount of work, if not impossible to train say a rottweiler to hunt upland game or track a deer you shot that took off. I speak from experience. I had the notion I could train some of our German Shepherds to hunt with our German Shorthaired Pointers and it was like trying to teach a pig to fly. They will hunt, stalk prey, and usually catch it. The problem comes in with trying to get the game from them. Their prey drive kicks in and they try to run off and find a quiet place to tear into it and eat it. They wont bring it back to their master. These are dogs that would retrieve a bumper thrown for them all day long. Something they consider a meal for themselves is a different story. Trying to get it from them is not an easy concept either. Also, Sporting breeds are trained to have a soft mouth. I have dogs that can retrieve an uncooked egg off the floor and fetch to hand without cracking it. the majority of “Non Sporting” Breeds are going to have a hard mouth and bite down with their back molars and crush small game, like rabbits, pheasant, quail, squirrels and you will be picking bones out of breast meat or trying to clean dirty intestinal contents off of what was usable meat.
The letter stated “Almost every breed of dog can be trained to hunt.” I’m sorry but this is very far from right in my opinion. I believe only dogs that fall into the the Sporting, Hound, and Gun dog variety as labeled by the AKC, UKC, CKC, and various other kennel clubs can actually be trained to hunt. Which is why so much research and work went into dividing the various breeds into different groups by these organizations.
I’m assuming the author has never trained a dog to hunt or track. It was kind of obvious they had no knowledge of how much time goes into this training. Most dogs have it breed into them through their pedigree. Into their working bloodlines. I think every sporting dog breed has this controversy between Field Trailers and Show Homes. For example, Shorthairs. We have breeders that breed to show quality. You could go five generations back into their pedigree and have not one hunter. Then attempt to put one of their Show dogs on birds and it has no interest. The instinct has been breed out of them. A lot of Sporting dogs bought in pet shops have this problem also. They were breed by backyard breeders who have no concept of improving and bettering the breed and sold to a pet shop to make some extra cash.
Alot was said in the letter in regards to Dry dog food and how to preserve it and so forth. If you were using your dogs to hunt for food for yourself and your family, why would you not just place it on the raw food diet? Hello? Wolves, coyotes, wild dogs and so forth eat their fresh kill. Most hunters feed their dogs a raw food diet or grind up beaver or venison and feed that cooked with rice to their dogs.
Regarding the discussion of barking dogs, it’s becoming a fairly common practice nowadays that vets are removing the voice boxes on dogs to eliminate barking. It cuts down on the amount of dogs owners have to relinquish due to their neighbors complaining to the homeowners association or police department about the noisy dog dog next door.
This author knew so much about a dogs nose, but nothing about the time and work and expense that goes into training a hunting dog. To take a pup at six months and put it all the way through the various tests and end up with a finished AKC Master Hunter that’s qualified to be a guide dog at a hunt club roughly cost $10,000 which includes your birds, tests, time, and proofing. Do a web search on “Buy a Master Hunter quality dog” to check out the prices a finished dog sells for.
The author also referred the readers to contact their local pet store for classes. Seriously? That is bad advice. Stores like Petco and Petsmart will just refer you to the local humane society. Maybe the readers should refer to their Breed Club, or the local dog Club who usually offer classes taught by qualified instructors who have finished numerous dogs. Another option would be to hire a professional handler. In which case the dog gets sent away for six months to a year and comes back finished. – Christine in Illinois