Ottawa has produced some remarkable academics over the years, but few have tackled a question as universally debated as this one: are cats better than dogs?
Rod Phillips, a professor of history at Carleton University, has done what most of us only dream about — he turned his love of felines into a full-length book. Cats: A History traces the relationship between humans and cats across millennia, and Phillips recently sat down with Ottawa Morning host Rebecca Zandbergen to talk about why he believes cats deserve a closer look — both historically and in your living room.
From Ottawa to Ancient Egypt
Phillips' book isn't just a collection of cute cat facts. It's a serious historical examination of how cats have shaped human civilization and vice versa. From their early domestication in the ancient Near East to their revered status in ancient Egypt, cats have been companions, hunters, and cultural symbols across thousands of years of human history.
For Phillips, the research was deeply personal. As a cat lover himself, he wanted to understand why felines occupy such a unique and sometimes contradictory place in our hearts and homes — adored by millions, yet often misunderstood compared to their more openly affectionate canine counterparts.
The Cats vs. Dogs Question
Of course, no conversation about cats is complete without bringing up dogs. Phillips doesn't shy away from the comparison. While he acknowledges that dogs have their own rich history as human companions — bred over thousands of years for specific tasks — he argues that cats bring something different to the table.
Cats, he suggests, chose us as much as we chose them. Unlike dogs, which were actively domesticated through selective breeding, cats largely domesticated themselves, drawn to early human settlements by the abundance of rodents. That independent streak, he notes, is part of what makes them so fascinating — and for many people, so appealing.
A Local Story with Universal Appeal
That a Carleton University professor has written what might be the definitive popular history of cats feels perfectly Ottawa. This city has long punched above its weight in academic output, and Phillips' book is the kind of work that crosses over from scholarly circles into everyday conversation — exactly the sort of thing you'd find on the nightstand of a cat owner in the Glebe or Westboro.
Cats: A History is available now, and for anyone who has ever wondered why their cat stares at them with that particular blend of affection and mild disdain, Phillips may finally have some answers.
Tune In
Phillips' full interview with Rebecca Zandbergen aired on Ottawa Morning on CBC Radio. If you missed it, the conversation is available to stream on the CBC website. Whether you're a devoted cat person, a dog loyalist, or somewhere in between, it's a genuinely entertaining listen from one of Ottawa's own.
Source: CBC Ottawa Morning
