cats rule, dogs drool

English

Etymology

Chosen for the rhyme. First use appears c. 1993 in the film Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, although the exact date of its first appearance is uncertain.

Proverb

cats rule, dogs drool

1. (humorous, somewhat childish) A cat will always be superior or preferable to a dog.
   • 1993 August 12, Louise Sutter, “"Homeward Bound" chuckle”, in rec.pets.cats‎^[1] (Usenet):

     While listening to the TV news this morning, I heard a commercial for "Homeward Bound", an animal movie by Disney (?), now out on video, with human voice-overs. The quote from the cat made me chuckle. She said: "Cats rule, Dogs drool!"

   • 1993 September 23, Anthony Wallis, “Training a cat”, in sci.psychology‎^[2] (Usenet):

     A species which resists training and in many cases succeeds in turning the tables and training its "owner"! A carnivore with enough innate knowledge of psychology to control large-brained tool-using primates! Sounds pretty smart to me. Cats rule, dogs drool.

   • 1993, The University of Michigan (editors), Film Review, Issues 4-5, page 20:

     The shared flight of the pets breaks down the "cats rule, dogs drool" bristliness that exists between them.

   • 2004, Ian Black, Leslie Black, Cats Vs Dogs and Dogs Vs Cats, page 21:

     27 REASONS TO OWN A CAT AND NOT A DOG 1. Cats rule. Dogs drool.

   • 2004, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Maggie Shayne, Man of My Dreams:

     It had a fat cartoon cat on the front, with the caption Cats Rule. Dogs Drool.

   • 2007 January 4, I was the cat, “The "new" kitchen (link to pics)”, in alt.recovery.clutter‎^[3] (Usenet):

     In my experience--it's not up to you. The cat picks you--you don't pick a cat or decide to not pick a cat...but then you already know that from yourexperience. :) A cat told me once: "Cats rule. Dogs drool."

   • 2008, Staci Wilson, Animal Movies Guide, page 260:

     Unlike the original, the cat and dogs aren't very good friends ("Cats rule, dogs drool" snaps Tiki the Himalayan cat, voiced by Sally Field ... )

   • 2010, Karen Vaughan, Dead Comic Standing, page 68:

     There are two separate camps there---either cats rule, dogs drool or cats are snots, dogs are not.

   • 2011, Deborah Raney, Forever After, A Hanover Falls Novel, page 66:

     "Really? I wouldn't have guessed that." "Fraid so. Cats rule, dogs, drool."

   • 2013, Lofdoc, Lofdoc's Stories: Short and Sweet, page 53:

     The new movie "Cats & Dogs" is stirring up the rivalry between lovers of the nation's two most popular pets--as if the flames of that long running feud needed fanning -- "Cats rule, dogs drool" -- "Cats hang out with witches" -- "Feline fans and canine champions chose sides long ago."

   • 2014, Vicki W. Fowler, DVM, Mouse Tales and Other Assorted Stories, page 51:

     He never put his claws out and never drew blood or left scratch marks. It was a "cats rule; dogs drool" sort of statement.

   • 2015, Nancy Kuykendall, Ordinary Wonders:

     There is the saying, cats rule; dogs drool. My long-time experience of living with both cats and dogs tells me this saying is true.

   • 2018, Kristy Robinett, Tails from the Afterlife - Stories of Signs, Messages & Inspiration from Your Animal Companions:

     Cats rule, dogs drool, Shelby would joke that Penny was telling them this with her squinty eyes.

   • 2020, Amy Newmark, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Cats, page 194:

     I imagined her saying, "Humph, that'll teach you to mess with me!" After all, cats rule, dogs drool.

   • 2023, Darcey Bell, Woman of the Year, page 149:

     I have never been interested in the competition between dog people and cat people. Cats rule, dogs drool. That sort of thing.

   • 2024, Clare Chu, Why Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You, A Paranoid Pet Owner’s Manual:

     This has been quite the adventure, my friends-thanks for embarking on it with me! And remember -- cats rule, dogs drool! Just kidding. Mostly.

See also

• dogs have masters, cats have staff