The amount of people I’ve met that will tell me dogs are better than cats is surprising considering how similar the two animals are — and if we’re really being honest, cats might even be better in the long run. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good play date with a dog, but this summer I realized that while dogs make good playmates, cats make perfect soul mates.

One of my neighbors and closest friends from back home has a cat named Pearl, and this summer I got the opportunity to spend a lot of time with her. As weird as it sounds, this cat converted me from being a dog person to a cat person, and actually encouraged me to get a kitten the week I got back to Tucson this semester! Bean is the first cat I’ve ever been around consistently, and with each new day of being a cat owner I keep finding reasons why cats are better than dogs.

1. Cats can fetch!

If you knew this before reading this article then I’d like to take this moment to give you props because almost everyone I’ve told about my cat being able to fetch has looked at me like I was crazy. You may not believe it, but cats are actually incredibly intelligent, and can be trained to do a ton of different things. Teaching my cat to fetch was almost easier than teaching a dog, too, because they’re such persistent animals.

2. Cats are the best cuddlers.

When my cat is in a good mood he slinks up onto my lap and curls into a ball, and if I don’t start stroking his forehead immediately he opens his eyes and proceeds to put a paw on my hand to tell me to. Cats love to be loved, and unlike dogs they aren’t playful 100 percent of the time; they don’t require constant attention but appreciate it when they receive it, which makes them purrrfect.

3. They love to sleep more than they love to play.

Cats sleep about 80 percent of the day and, although they love to roll around and play, they’re usually curled up somewhere sleeping. In reference to the low maintenance aspect of a cat, this shows how great they are for someone who runs a busy life and doesn’t have time to give it attention 24/7.

4. They still love to play though.

Cats will literally do somersaults, swat at and throw toys, run around and play all by themselves for hours until they get their energy out. The best thing about cats is that they can play with or without you for hours and not get bored! With dogs, if you don’t play with them they just go to sleep.

5. Cats are super easy to take care of on a college student's budget!

Living paycheck to paycheck and paying bills is really difficult for any college student, so financially (although having a cat is still more money than not having a cat) there are ways to make owning a kitty really affordable. A lot of my friends and family gave me cat toys, and shopping in the clearance section of pet stores never hurt anyone!

6. Cats can be walked/

One of the best things about cats is that just like dogs they can be trained to be walked! But while all cats can be put on a leash, not all cats enjoy going for walks.