"Live like a cat and a dog" is a well-known expression. This is what they say about people who constantly quarrel about and without. The idea of enmity between cats and dogs is so common that people often do not even think about why this is happening.
In science …
Historically, cats have never been the prey of dogs. Therefore, it is impossible to draw parallels here with a cat and a mouse. Nevertheless, for some reason, since time immemorial, these animals cannot make friends in any way.
Scientists have several versions on this score. Basically, they are built on the difference in "languages", characters, types of behavior of these animals. These differences are noticeable even in the obvious: the cat wags its tail when it is angry, and the dog when it is happy.
Both cats and dogs are hunters by nature. But they hunt in completely different ways. Dogs are hardy and used to drive their prey, running great distances. Cats, on the other hand, do not know how to move so quickly and are not at all hardy, but they can quietly sneak up on the victim. Therefore, cats do not have a specific smell, and dogs have a pronounced smell of dog.
Another version of scientists is the genetic competition of species. It is possible that the ancestors of cats were saber-toothed tigers who were able to offend the ancestors of domestic dogs. Scientists believe that the current dislike of cats for cats is due to a genetic desire to take revenge on the descendants of their enemies.
Another argument is that cats and dogs are simply not used to each other. Not all, but for the most part people are clearly divided into "dog lovers" and "cat lovers". Those few who decide to have both a cat and a dog are often perplexed - why are they considered enemies? After all, a kitten and a puppy, living side by side from early childhood, almost always become best friends. But the fact is that these animals get used to each other. And a dog that is not accustomed to a cat has an irresistible desire to chase after this noisy fluffy lump, while the cat is afraid of an attack, begins to defend itself and run away.
In addition, the cat's own territory is important. That is why cats often mark places that they consider to be their own. Any intrusion of another animal, including a dog, into this place is perceived as a signal for action. The dog responds to any attack. Since the dog often wins over the cat in terms of speed and strength, for the latter it in most cases ends in failure.
… and rumored
Of course, over the years, the enmity between a dog and a cat has overgrown with many legends and beliefs. Perhaps the most beautiful legend is about the poor man and the magic ring.
A very poor person did not succeed - there was no harvest, no fish was caught in the river, everything fell out of hand. But one day he found an ordinary ring in the forest - and life improved after that. The cat thought that this ring was magic, and it was thanks to him that things went uphill.
The cat let it slip to the rich man, who came to the house and took the ring from the poor man. Wanting to help the owner, the cat and the dog stole the ring from the rich man. But on the way home the dog fell asleep. The cat returned the ring to the owner, saying that she got it herself, and the dog told the rich man about the ring. Then the owner drove the dog out into the yard and began to feed it with scraps, and left the cat in the house and fed it from a bowl. The dog did not forgive the cat for such a betrayal.
