What are your favorite animals?
I was raised in a culture that generally adored cats and disliked dogs. But, please don’t contextualise this attitude within a religious framework that some consider insignificant and cruel to the poor creature. ‘Muslims are not allowed to have dogs as a pet.’ How many times have you come across this statement? But believe me, things are totally different.
First, it’s mainly for hygine reasons that we are not supposed to keep dogs indoors. Second, we have lots of beautiful stories in our holy book and tradition about the friendship between humans and dogs. Third, we are not the odd ones out on this issue. It was really so funny when one day my boys told me that some of their English friends are keeping their dogs outdoors for hygiene reasons. Fourth, who said that dogs like to be kept indoors? But since I am not a specialist to provide detailed explanations, I’d advise you to search online if you wish to learn more about this issue.
Now, back to the issue of preference between dogs and cats, I think it’s all culturally based mainly on bad experiences, frightening tales, and ignorance.
When I was a kid, about six or seven years, my aunt, during one of our family gatherings at my grandparents’ country house, narrated how she was bitten by a brutal dog. On another visit, my cousin and I were enjoying our lunch after a long run outdoors, and out of the blue, she told me about a neighbour got bitten by a brutal dog.
Things about dogs were a bit different and less scary in Cairo but unfortunately, the poor creature’s name and his family were mainly used as an unforgivable insult in people’s fightings and disputes.
Given this context, wouldn’t you keep miles away from those barking dogs but adore those warm, soft, furry, and purring creatures named cats?
With all the best wishes,
Nahla
Pure and Simple 