Americans own 73 million dogs and 90 million cats. They become best friends, soul mates, family members, and even surrogate children. Relationships with cats and dogs are some of the longest and most intimate of our lives. Why are we so attached? Animal behavior experts, evolutionary biologists, veterinarians, and pet owners share insights and observations about these animals and their impact on us.
Four-time Emmy Award winner, filmmaker and director Ellen Goosenberg Kent kept the 10-month production of NATURE’s Why We Love Cats and Dogs on the right track. Ellen brings a strong visual sense to the art of storytelling and was able to illuminate the dynamic human-pet relationship, revealing how dogs and cats share our emotions in many significant ways.
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This episode originally aired February 15, 2009.
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Good show! It did a great job on touching the emotional impact of cats and dogs
One person mentioned how her dog got her through her divorce. I took care of my parents in their final years and my 2 dogs (Chief & Shiloh) were a vital part of getting me through it. No matter how bad things got with mom and dad, the dogs were always there for me. Happy to see me, unconditional love, companions, and someone I could talk to.
While I was literally watching my parents die, my dogs provided something positive in my life. I truly believe they could read my emotions and knew when I needed a friend. Our 2 daily walks became the most important things in my routine. When I was able to get away, I worried more about who would take care of the dogs than my parents.
I was devastated when I had to put my border collie mix down 3 months after my mother passed, and in many ways, that decision was harder for me than when I agreed with the doctors that it was time to let my mother go. I had to leave the room at the last minute because I needed my final memory of Chief being of him alive, yet I sat with my mom for almost an hour after she passed.
I’ve had dogs in my life for nearly 50 years, and now that I’m starting to face my own mortality, I beginning to feel that I am on my last canine companion. Not that I no longer want them in my life, but what would become of their lives after I’m gone. I think my final years will be lonely indeed.
I loved this program, as did my going-on-20 year old polydactyl with spinal arthritis and his 17 year old Persian brother who’s with us only because my husband handfeeds him twice daily–thank you so much for this heartwarming broadcast and its ongoing availability here!
What an amazing show! I was so touched by the wonderful
animals, people and their relationships.
The folks voting here must be dog or cat owners typical of the humans featured in tonight’s(2/15/09) Nature.
I’m a big fan of Nature but this program marked a sad low in a mostly excellent history of wildlife educational TV.
Most of the “adults” in the program sounded like adolescents auditioning for the next version of Survivor: Dog and Cat Island. Please minimize the use of people whose dialog consists of a noun, a verb and a “like” or a “you know”.
And, what scientific value could possibly be derived from a pet owner’s dopey comments about seeing a psychic? Please recover from this apparent drunken binge with your next series of programs.
This was a BIG WASTE :-(
Great show! Very enjoyable.
Well, this program obviously wasn’t up to the standards of the venerable “Rick Evans” commenter above, but I found it to be a lovely portrait of human relationships to domestic dogs and cats. Thank you, PBS.
to rick, as I have learned over the years, a non pet owner will never understand a pet owners love and companionship connection to their pet. This show had a lot of info, but not a truly in depth review of issues. It was a great show for all pet owners and I have already emailed the link to every per owner in my email list.
To many people in our hurried, frantic society, their relationship with their dog(s), cat(s), or both, may be the deepest, most fulfilling relationship in their lives.
Exploring various aspects of these relationships increases our awareness of both human and animal emotions.
I thoroughly enjoyed the show, and commend you for doing an excellent job with it.
So please, I didn’t miss that great show and bright one. Rick Evans, you should go at once at a SPCA to get you a dog or a cat, who would be generous enough to teach you the basic of love.
Linda
N.B. Sorry for my english, I am french-canadian.
I loved this show. Don’t get me wrong, I love the wildlife episodes of Nature, but sometimes you just want to know more about the wildlife sitting next to you on the couch, you know? On behalf of my 2 cats and 1 dog, thank you for devoting an hour to the pet/human bond and what it means to all of us. :-)
Very well done..an excellent look at the human/animal bond.
As far as “Nature” goes I couldn’t have been happier watching a show that taught me more about my best friends than anything in a long time. Nurturing the bond rather than becoming passive and expecting the bond to remain…a huge lesson for everyone blessed with the gift of a dog or cat.
Wow! What a fabulous show. I’ve emailed many others about this show, encouraging them to watch it on line if they missed it on television. Thanks so much for airing this wonderful show!
I also hope that the Obamas and everyone out there are encouraged to adopt a dog (or cat) from a shelter. That shelter in Boulder, Colorado sure has a great idea going with matching the type of dog and cat to the appropriate new prospective family.
Thank you to Nature, all of the people who were involved and to all of you out there who are guardians of creatures…even if you don’t have a pet of your own….we are all guardians of all creatures who need our care and support!!!
I do not watch TV and yet I watched this . . . and loved it. The people with their cats just amazed me and it made me look at my own four cats and rethink our relationship. So much of value here
To: Chris, Wrong! I’ve been a pet “owner” since childhood so I understand loving a pet.
On behalf of me and my husband and our Two CATS who we just would do ANYTHING for (like JERRYS OWNERS) we salute u PBS- this was best show on BOND between us and our Animals i EVEr saw!!Im still thinking of it esapecially JERRY
I enjoyed the show, but the background music was so loud you could not understand the comments from the people featured on the program.
As a cat owner I really enjoyed your program. As a volunteer habitat restorationist I was hoping to get a glimpse into the psychology of the many dog owners in local parks (in Toronto) who refuse (rudely as well) to put their dogs on a leash in clearly marked natural areas.
There is a cult of off-leash around here that makes o large group of dog owners feel that what they perceive as the needs of their dogs to be off leash (everywhere) is more important than what anyone else or any other creatures need. The same may also be said for those who let their cats out to kill millions of birds and other small creatures.
I dearly love my cats (past and present) and the dogs of my youth and understand the love of people for their companions, but I’d really like to find a way to get people to understand the consequences of certain activities on other creatures, especially in public parks. Education and asking do not seem to work. Any suggestions?
GREAT SHOW!!! I was moved – and cried – by Jerry’s story.
I enjoyed this episode very much and saw much of me and my husband in some of the people and their animals who were featured. I was particularly touched by the couple who made a decision to spend quality time with Jerry. Our 15+year old Samoyed passed in November and while we miss her terribly, we are buoyed by memories of having her with us virtually every day, at work and at play. We made the decision early on not to leave yet another dog at home for hours on end by herself. Tishka was “crate-trained” and we bought a large enough SUV (sorry) to give her lots of room. She was an excellent traveller and the first out the door every day. We only vacationed at places we could take her to.
I don’t think we will have another dog for a while, at least until we are both completely retired. We also have 5 wonderful cats who have been a comfort to us after Tishka passed. We are true “dog and cat lovers”. For those who poo-poo such such relationships with animals, give it a try! It opens special places in your heart and soul that other humans cannot.
I loved this show! Nature is the only show I watch on television, and this program was done with the same high standard I’m accustomed to. It was an insightful and fascinating glimpse into many aspects and benefits of the bond many of us have with our dogs and cats.
The experts and the people interviewed all helped shed light on why dogs and cats are cherished in so many homes. They also gave me much to think about as I ponder others who interact with their pets differently than I do. I loved the discussion of the nine types of dog owners and how those personality types are evident in those people’s other relationships as well.
Thank you!
[...] PBS aired this show last night on the bond between people and their animals. Jim, Rene and Jerry were prominently featured in not one, but two segments of the hour long program. Fortunately, you haven’t completely missed it.. it’s available to stream for free at the PBS website. [...]
[...] on Nature’s Why We Love Cats and Dogs yesterday. If you missed it, no worries. You can still watch the full episode online. Or, you can just skip to parts 2 & 5 for our [...]
[...] We can’t thank PBS and WNET enough for sharing Jerry’s story. If you missed it, no worries. You can still watch the full episode online. [...]
Excellent show. I really loved the part about cat agility courses and will need to consider how I can set one up for my current spazzy-slighly nurotic furr-baby.
Ah that part about Jerry made me tear up big time. It makes me miss my fur-son Mittens, who had to be ‘put to sleep’ because the cancerous tumors shut down his digestive tract.
Wonderful show. Thank you, PBS! You made our day – we have a cat and a dog who love to watch TV – this was their kind of show!
If we did a follow up program, which issues would you like to see explored in-depth? Are there questions that the books you have read about dogs or cats haven’t adequately answered? It was interesting to me that most of the research being done with dogs confirms what many canine-lovers know about how excellent they are at “reading us,” our gestures and tone of voice and even when it is important to pay attention to us. Researchers are just beginning to tackle the secondary emotions like jealousy. I’d personally be interested to know if our behavior has measurable effects on our animal’s anxiety levels – and if that anxiety leads to more “aggressive” or problem behavior. Is this why dog bites are at an all-time high? Why more and more household animals are on medication? Love to hear from viewers!
Very poor quality control on the audio mix. What happened? Whenever the voices were alone it was intelligible, but whenever there was music, the music far overshadowed the voices. This occurred in the SC Johnson ads and the opening and closing, as well — in fact, I would guess Fisk Johnson is expecting a refund, since he was unintelligible. Please, never let this happen again — this was one of the worst audio productions ever heard on TV. How could this happen?
What a wonderful show! It shows the great love that most people have for their cats and dogs. They are so much a part of our life. I especially enjoyed the story about Jerry. It brought tears to my eyes as we had a very similar experience with our black Lab of nine years named Argus. Out pets give us unconditional love.
I didn’t see it on Sunday,hoping PBS repeats it. Monday morning going into work and through out the day I was asked. Did you see the PBS special on Dogs and Cats? Even non dog and cat lovers enjoyed the show. I have had pets my whole life dog and cat and they are the best to have a round when you go through good and bad times but especially difficult times. They never question you they just stand by you no matter what. I have noticed people who do not care for animals have a very hard time relating to those of us who do. I guess its a disconnect in their brain or maybe they fear them because they give love so unconditionally. Anyway, PBS thank you and let me know when it is on again. Sorry I missed it.
Does anyone know of a way to close caption this? I want to show it to my hard of hearing uncle.
Diane – you don’t have to wait, you can see it online: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/why-we-love-cats-and-dogs/video-full-episode/4673/
Great to hear how widely watched it was – it should be. :)
To Poster #28:
John – we had absolutely no problems with the audio on this show (and it sounds like most other people haven’). Perhaps you should check your set and the audio settings? Or check with your local cable provider or station. A few years ago we were having signla problems and it turns out there was a small issue with the cable coming into our apartment that caused a signal fluctuation.
We loved the episode. We currently share out apartment with four cats, but both of us grew up with dogs (and I also had cats), so it was great to see the bonding between pwners and pets.
And I think Rick needs to relax. Not everyone who is a pet owner is going to be a genius. The show presented a broad range of individuals. Which, I believe, is part of the producers point. Not any one section of people can be considered to be animal lovers. We cover a wide spectrum of age, race, education and social status, etc. It’s a show about the bonding between humans and dogs and cats. It may have been a bit superficial, but not worth the criticizing you’re givign it.
…and Jerry’s story was very touching. Those are owners worthy of their pet.
(The following is painted on the wall of our Vet’s office)
“He is your friend, your defender, your pet.
You are his life, his love, his leader.
He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart.
You owe it to him to be worthy of that his devotion.” – Author Unknown.
To poster number 1… Sanferd Spitzer:
It is probably too late to reach you but… before you decide to forego getting another dog because of your age look for a local program which places senior dogs with seniors. These programs are popping up all over the country. They usually help seniors with financial and care issues too. If you area does not have a program like this you may still be able to foster a dog from a shelter instead of adopting thereby eliminating the worry of who will take care of your dog when you are gone.
With some effort on your part BEFORE you get too old… you won’t have to worry about being lonely in your final years.
Great Show! The story of Jerry brought me to tears. I lost my Dallas to Cancer 8 months ago and my life is not the same without him. Keep up the great work PBS.
i loved this program having eight cats and two dogs a pit and pitbull/rotie i feel the love from my animals has saved my life and has kept me reaching for my goals countless times when i cry they are there they are my medicine. i loved the story of jerry i lost my third dog to cancer we chose to let him live his life to the fullest and a month before he died he swam a half a mile down river to make sure me and my sister was allright i truly learned alot form my cats and dogs thank you
I really enjoy “Nature” however I could only watch about 5 minutes of “Cats and Dogs”. It did not seem like a nature show but a bunch of wierdos and their poor pets who could not escape them.
I enjoy the “Nature” program no matter what the topic may be. The “Cats and Dogs” episode was a nice change of pace from the typical Nature documentaries. As a life-long dog owner, it was nice to see the variety of ways pets enrich our lives. For some of us, pets fill a void; for others they are a means of expressing emotions we’re either incapable or unwilling to share with our two-legged friends and family. Regardless of what the critics on this website say, I’m happy to be one of those “weirdos” and I’m absolutely certain my dog is too.
What a beautiful show many thanks for this program.I am an animal lover and owner of several cats myself. I would love to share my life with a dog but unfortunately, where I live, I am not allowed.Of course I was moved and touched by the show, that wonderful Jerry and his loving parents God bless and my prayers are with the three of you. I cried and was very touched by the love that the three of you share. Anyone who was not emotionally touched and moved by this wonderful program better have their pulse checked…. well better yet, don’t, who needs more cold people in this world.Thank you for giving us something worthwhile to watch.
That was a great show! I am a cat lover.
[...] a heartwarming story that will touch every dog lover. If you missed it, no worries. You can still watch the full episode online! Or, you can just skip to parts 2 & 5 for our [...]
I was referred to this video by my sister, and it was a great show to watch. I was greatly saddened by the loss of my own cat, Jared, especially since i was not there when he died. However, i do treasure the wonderful memories of him. great show PBS.
Great show! Thank You PBS.
To PBS: I loved the show, thanks for thinking of those of us who can relate to the bond that can occur between humans and animals. I would enjoy seeing similar programs in the future!
To Rick #4:
Domesticated animals are just as much a part of “nature” as wild animals are, “you know”? You make it sound as though the “adults” who understand this are not intelligent people. In addition to intellectual intelligence, there is also something called emotional intelligence. It seems as though this is “like” something you may be lacking.
I am proud to say I can relate to the “folks” voting, as well as the “humans” on the show. And I feel very sorry for the animal that you “own”.
Some advice for you in the future…If you feel as though the program you are watching is not as “educational” as you might like-change the channel and keep your rude comments to yourself!
I am trying to order Why We Love Cats and Dogs,
aired on Austin PBS Feb. 15, 2009–no luck. How can I obtain it? TU
Frances – try this link. It will be available mid-March
http://www.shopthirteen.org/product/show/54267
great show, loved it, want to buy it!!!!! is it available, if so where and how, please advise
thank meg
I could NOT STOP CRYING during Jerry’s story. Such a touching story, plus it reminded me of my 17-year-old Akita/Shepherd that passed away two years ago.
To Proud Animal Lover (#46): LOL Thank You for your diplomatic and constructive feedback to Rick #4 :)
To Everyone Else:
I have had an strong attraction to other species since childhood. I am fascinated by interactions that break through the species barriers. The nonhuman animals, both wild and domestic that I have worked with, cared for and shared my life with have lead me to be a more aware, more compassionate and more open minded individual. I greatly enjoyed this show and appreciated what I learned from it.
What a great show… with no bias!!! I am from a long line of cat lover… but my world was unleashed when I rescued my first dog.
I enjoyed this much. . . I’m a dog lover – Borzoi – as they like me – smart, beautiful, but don’t bark alot, and can entertain themselves. . . love this information and related to it. Thank you.
Liked the show a lot. I’ve always had pets, and as I age my appreciation for them only grows, along with the sense of wonder I feel over how it is that humans and our pets can live in such harmony. If I ever become religious, it will be because I reach the conclusion that pets are a blessing from a loving god, given to us so that we might have a closeup opportunity to marvel at the beauty of creation and cultivate qualities that make us better inhabitants of this planet. What a gift it is that I get to share my life with two creatures (cats) so unlike me, yet so attuned to my habits, moods and needs. And what a gift it is that they have deemed me worthy of their trust and affection. I’m able to observe them so closely and at such length that I almost feel like I’m getting away with something, as though I were allowed to bring home two exotic zoo animals purely for my own pleasure. I believe an earlier NATURE program on cats was called “Caressing the Tiger,” after a Persian saying that “God made the cat so that man should have the pleasure of caressing the tiger.” That’s just what I feel when engaging with my cats: a sense of overwhelming good fortune that I live in a world where such disparate life forms can live together so happily. It’s just remarkable. What I liked about the program was the way it tapped into that bond. I get where that earlier poster, Rick, is coming from, but the value of this show, for me at least, lay not in the information it imparted or the people it featured but in its acknowledgment of how wonderful — I might say “divine” — the human-pet bond is. Let’s look into it, let’s study and discuss it, but most of all let’s just celebrate it because next to our relationships with other people, it’s just about the best thing in the world.
I liked the show although, the dog/cat experience/relationship has been a much less emotional one for me. I have a dog now and have many other pets before and I think they were all great companions. My comment here is one to put down the people who throw it out of proportion, those who are overthrown with emotion because they connect with an animal who can’t speak and just smiles or reacts with a natural compassion, more than they do with humans! The other day some tree hugging, pet crazed vet lady was giving me crap because I left my dog in the car during the middle of the cold season (75degrees)! For 8 minutes! People need to appreciate pets and also put things in perspective!
Enjoyed the show immensely! I liked seeing myself in others and it was interesting to hear about the different types of guardians (i.e. master, rescuer, soulmate, etc.). I would like to see more of this type of information…more into the psychology behind the bond and behind the choice of breed – in the case where there is one. I think it’s great when “tough” guys like Mickey Rourke openly display their bond with their pet and I’m even more impressed that his soulmate was a chihuahua.
I have mixed feelings on this particular show. On one hand, I thought it was very touching and poignant, and I think that a show on pets was a great idea. On the other hand, I am disappointed that there wasn’t more scientific information about exactly how humans and pets co-evolved, or how they lower our stress levels, etc. Also, I was a bit peeved that some of the cat lovers portrayed were really kooky… I hardly know any people like that in real life! (example: psychic lady.)
[...] Click here to watch it online. [...]
Deapite a couple of “spoilers” who apparently think that they are aggrandizing themselves by heing tough-minded and negative, I enjoyed this thread as well as the show itself. There is a warmth and spiritual innocence about us animal lovers. We are still kids at heart, who found love for animals in our earliest years. And that love also makes us vulnerable, because nature is indifferently cruel. We try to intervene where we can to buffer that and give our animal (and human) companions an easier time of it, and to fill their lives with acceptance and love. But the cost of being this way is a lot of pain sometimes. I also love all animals, and I even love insects, worms, you name it. They are on this earth, just as we are, and they live the life that their fate decreed, and they all deserve our respect and empathy.
I don’t own pets though I love them… Great shows, I’ve learnt more about pets.:) My GF is a cat lover. :)
wonderful program! i live in boulder & have been a volunteer at the shelter; they really do a great job. of course, jerry’s story hit home; like heidi #50, it also reminded me of my 17 year-old shepherd mix. when you connect with another species, it is in your heart forever.
[...] documentaries and I’m thrilled that they have one about my favorite subject. Here’s a link to the full video. Here’s what they say about [...]
RE: comment #27
I work with Feral and Hard Stray cats doing TNR. Many times we are needed to help “tame” a kitten or young adult. Stress and environmental factors come into play all the time. Cats scratch and bite too, and decide to “pee on the bed from now on”. As for dogs and the increse in dog bites as it is related to human stress, i would also think with our added stress we are more distracted and therefore not as “in control” or observient to our dogs reaction to things…would love to see a show on this subject though subjective and objective
Loved the story, well done! Loved the guy who kissed his dog on the stomache!! Shared that with a few co-workers . .. said they wouldn’t go THAT far. Very heartworming and posted on my FB for animal lovers to see.
beautifully made film!
As a woman who cannot have children I consider my pets my children. My husband and I each had a cat when we married and then 5 years into our marriage we adopted 2 kittens from a litter of 7 that had been abandoned at the doorstep of the animal hospital that he works at. Watching them interact with our first two has been an interesting ride. The older cats hated them at first, but now they routinely nap and play together. I think that it’s true that our pets reconnect us with the natural world that we humans like to pretend that we aren’t a part of. It’s a link that is very important and interesting. Oh, and no, you don’t have to be kooky to be a cat lady.
I think that Mr. Negative Rick needs to explore his connection to the natural world. There is no point in denying our links to the animal world, which is in part what this program was about.
That was the best…
I am homeschooled and i watched it during school,
I was very moved by Jerry’s story… i cried.
Our family’s dog whome we’ve had for almost my whole life, is having problems and that was really a great story for my to watch.
thank you PBS
Not all PBS stories have to be so sanitized. I loved the emotion of this show and cried when Jerry got his diagnoses.
My pets, Shadow, Jack, Belle, and Tiger are probably the best friends I’ve ever had, and will have. I don’t know how I’d live without them. They love, encourage, feel, speak to us. I don’t know what they do, but whatever they do, I hope they keep doing it.
fantastic show!!! I love my pets and i can’t bear to live without them… My pets watched this video with me on the internet!!!
I LOVED this show- am emailing it to friends- THANK YOU!
This show, as with most pbs shows was excellent. I do think there should be a follow up, if only to address some of the more in-depth subjects involved with human/animal interactions. It seems to me that in our relationships with animals, animals often get the short end of the stick. While pet supplies and toys constitute a multi-billion dollar industry, we still euthanize millions of pets every year. It’s refreshing to see a program that highlights those of us with a connection or bond with our animals. Having a deep bond with an animal does not make us goofy or weird, insecure or weak. It gives us a wellspring of strength and resolve, perspective and sensitivity that those without that connection will never comprehend and in many cases don’t deserve. Even so, there are millions of fuzzy critters out there willing to give you a chance.