Cats or Dogs: Which is the Better Movie Animal?

Cats and dogs are endearing animals that we hold to us most dear. It’s no wonder they are two of the most common household pets on the planet.

However, both can be successful movie animals as well. Both cats and dogs have made the incredible leap to the big screen, entertaining audiences for generations. But which one is the better movie animal?

The argument can be made in this fashion: dogs are better movie animals, but cats are better for internet videos.

Why is this? Well, to start, dogs are simply man’s best friend to begin with. They represent better obedience and loyalty than your average household cat. A dog has an undying love and affection for their owners, whereas a cat does not share the same type of loyalty.

If you jumped off the Grand Canyon, the dog would most likely follow, especially if you are carrying the canine’s favorite treats.

A cat, on the other hand, would not jump off the cliff with its owner, and only look down on his/her impending doom thinking, “What a moron.”

The point being made here is that a dog’s love and obedience attract audiences to more “dog movies” than “cat movies.” Cats simply do not portray the same affection.

Lassie is known for having to rescue Timmy from that doggone (dog pun!) well on occasion, willing to go out of its way to save the little boy. A cat would probably leave the boy in the well (maybe for the better).

A cat would also be horrible as a... big red cat. Clifford works better as a dog than a cat because if a GIANT RED CAT were roaming about, it would just bat people around like a new favorite toy. "CLIFFORD THE BIG RED CAT" would be more of a horror-thriller than something for kids.

If Toto were a cat instead of a dog, then Dorothy would never find her way to Emerald City on the Yellow Brick Road. Toto simply would not care, and probably find time for a catnap before the journey even begins. Better yet, at the sight of those annoying flying monkeys, it would just leave. Toto the cat... no thanks, dog preferable.

Additionally, how many movie/TV dogs can you name off the top of your head? Lassie, Dug, Cujo, Benji, Beethoven, Hooch, Marley, Pluto, Toto, Slinky Dog, Clifford, Scooby-Doo, Wishbone, Rin Tin Tin, etc.

Now name one movie cat... and no, Garfield does not count. He came from a comic strip first. And Grumpy Cat came from a meme before a movie was even considered. That is why Snoopy was not even considered among the dogs.

To be fair, some of you would have appropriately guessed Jonesy from "Alien" or Milo from "The Adventures of Milo and Otis," or any of the felines from "The Aristocats," which is fine. But cats simply do not have as much of an enduring presence on the big screen. You would also be surprised how many people forgot Alien had a cat in the first place (it does survive by the way).

Where cats do excel is the small screen, occupying at least half the internet at this point. Cats are GREAT at entertaining people via internet videos.

Cats are very spontaneous creatures, which is great for the internet landscape, where quick fast-paced videos are constantly needed to quickly entertain people for brief periods of time.

How many videos have you alone seen this year where a cat jumps sky-high after another animal sneaks upon it, or where a naughty feline ferociously/hilariously hits a young toddler to death after it gets too close for its liking? Or where a feline climbs a wall to eat that bug it knows it is not supposed to?

Then there are simply kitten videos for people who are in need of an “awe cute” moment in their day. Puppy videos just would not circulate well in that spectrum.

To be fair, dog videos are not completely ignored, they just are not as popular because dogs lack the spontaneity of cat critters. That and dogs serve a bigger and better purpose on the movie screen.

Though, it could be debated endlessly that dogs also serve an important purpose on the internet, and that their lack of inclusion is just part of an “internet bias” (on behalf of cats across the world).

True, but now, as a test, think about the last dog video you saw on the internet compared to the last cat video you witnessed.

The dog video not ringing a bell? Okay, remember your reaction to both videos. What made you laugh the hardest? 99% of the time, it is the cat video you retain more.

It is not biased; it is more of a factor of memory. Cat videos also stick with us more dog videos. It’s the same principle as remembering movie dogs compared to movie cats.

Let's also go back to the list of famous movie dogs from earlier. All those canines (minus Cujo) are wholesome in nature, and as stated before, their obedient behavior has endured with audiences for years. Although a cat would probably try to pick a fight with any of those canines because cats are just dirtbags.

Cujo is the only dog that a cat wouldn’t pick a fight with, probably because the cat would be immediately slaughtered as a result.

Whoever prefers cats or dogs is, of course, a “to each their own” decision. But when it comes down to which is the better animal for movies, audiences already decided that years ago.

For cat lovers, there’s always the internet, where felines will prosper for years to come.

Though, there is a notion of whether mice are better movie creatures than cats, though it is best we do not tell the cats about that right now...

Logan M. Sharp is a fourth-year majoring in film production. To contact him, email lxs5590@psu.edu.