Cats vs. Dogs

I have noticed the big differences between what dogs actually like & what the 'pop culture' says; it's the same with cats. I cannot find a site that compares the two, so I'll put my view on it here.

THE POPCULTURE VIEW
Dogs love meat, they are very loyal, they can play rough but that doesn't mean they're hostile towards their playmate.

My dog LOVES dairy, SO MUCH that I call her a cat/dog. There IS a commercial where a kid is in a stroller eating ice cream & there's a dog that gives the "sad puppy" face & gets to lick the ice cream-great, but it needs to be mainstreamed. I have always had cats & I researched awhile when choosing a dog breed & yet I NEVER read anywhere about dogs' superior love for all things dairy. Ice cream and white cheeses(Asiago, Monterey Jack, Parmesan) are her favorites.
Loyalty, hhhhhnnnmmmmm...My dog is most loyal to the oldest person in my household and it's not me. I have watched "The Dog Whisperer" & I understand dogs better, pack leader, etc. I'm still not #1.
Puppy-Housing, is what I call it; I notice they regularly check by snuffling/happy sneezing, that they're just playing; they are somewhat like boys in the house, not noticing any objects nearby & knocking things over.

Cats: "love dairy/milk, are not loyal, & are too 'girly' to play rough."

SO NOT TRUE. Exhibit #1 I have only had 1 cat that would drink milk regularly, over several decades & generations of cats. Cheese, again more of a popculture myth; offer cheese to a dog & a cat, it's probably the dog who will gobble it up.
Exhibit #2 I've had 2 cats that ONLY sat in my lap, not anyone elses, just like the popculture describes as a lap dog; both were Siamese, and this breed IS said to be the most dog-like. Also my Mom's cat would insist on eating from her plate, very rarely did she ever do this with anyone else. My sister's cat would eat brocholi off her plate not anyone elses.
Exhibit #3 Night-Crazies, like puppy-housing, the cats would suddenly duck(almost like the puppy bounce)their eyes would look wild, & they'd run full tilt around the place. The hallway is a favorite place to begin, running then jumping off the couch arms, the hall walls; chasing over the couch was not unusual. A few times things were broken by the cats; also they love to grab the other fall to the ground & kick with their hind feet. 'Boxing' is something I've seen, it's when 2 cats are up on their hind legs & the cats start smacking at each other, nails out; quickly & almost like fighting, the giveaway it wasn't fighting-NO PUFFY TAILS. I heard the nails tearing........but it was only in play.

Cats and dogs are opposite in many ways, this can complicate things when in a mixed dog & cat household. It's good to know what to look for: dog is friendly=ears are down. Cat is angry=ears are down. Dog drops to ground=open to playing. Cat drops to ground=cat's going to attack. The proper way to approach a dog=under the chin. Proper way to approach a cat=the top of the head. IF YOU CONFUSE THE TWO, prepare for a hostile dog and cat. A dog actually likes under the chin, even from strangers, top of a dog's head is felt almost like an attack. A cat knows it kills by going for the throat, & thusly reacts if a stranger attempts such a move; on the back of their heads though, is a friendly & relaxing massage.
I've not seen a side-by-side comparison, especially explaining how the two have totally opposite signals. A cat raised as a kitten around dogs won't be alarmed by the difference in signals, neither will a puppy raised around cats; what occurs is the cats become doggified & the dogs get cattified, each taking habits from the other. That can be a cat that sits down head first, like a dog, or a dog that loves to wrestle & kick with the hind legs.

Either way, it's not the end of the world, it's just dogs & cats living together.