Ideas

[zianuray]

When someone says (or you see) the word "CAT", what picture is first in your mind?  A tabby, a calico, Burmese, what?  Size, color and length of coat too, please!

How about for "DOG"? 

Please comment before reading other answers if you think they might influence your answer -- I really want to know, but have no idea why this suddenly seems important.

And for your viewing pleasure:  Cat Ladders!


ETA:  Is this a fur-friend you've lived with, or a non-specific critter?

Comments

[zianuray.livejournal.com]

For Cat, the picture I get is nearly always a grey tabby tomcat, slightly under average size.

Dog, a medium-sized German Shepherd.

[apocalypticbob.livejournal.com]

When I think CAT, I think of a slender, short haired striped cat, orange and white, with green eyes and very friendly, with long, slim tail that waves around a lot.

When I think DOG, I think of a golden lab, just old enough not to be a puppy anymore, with a big smiling face and a tongue hanging out as he chases a ball. Very playful.

[zianuray.livejournal.com]

Oooh, thanks!

[bleuberi21.livejournal.com]

For both, I see the word itself first.

[zianuray.livejournal.com]

Wow! Do you see conversations while you're having them, or just nouns? That sounds really cool!

[bleuberi21.livejournal.com]

It depends...if a conversation is really slow, I will see the whole sentence, but when I'm having a good, non-stop conversation, it's just a word here and there. Unless something is being described, then that gets pictured.

[brujah.livejournal.com]

Tortoise shell cat, black Labrador dog.

[zianuray.livejournal.com]

Cool, thanks :)

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

I see my babies;

for Cat, I see Mason who was Himalayan/Persian with the best features of both and GORGEOUS. Black, long-haired but with auburn ruff and belly hair; huge gold eyes and a delightfully wicked personality with great manners. He loved to lay on whatever was most expensive in my sewing room; his preference was lace.

for Dog, I see my sweet old Perry dog who was a large, blond Cocker Spaniel, the sort who loved everybody and everything. He smiled on purpose and would take himself to the front door with his leash in his mouth and sit down when he knew we were going for a walk.

[zianuray.livejournal.com]

Uhm...Perry Mason?

(I had a Perry Keet Mason when I was 6-7.)

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

*grin* You got it. I had Perry first and then when we got the kitten, he liked the name Mason (as I said, he had a wicked sense of humor) so when they were both outside, I could go out and yell, "Perry....Mason!"

Then when we lost Perry (and I still miss him) we ended up getting Dixon, whom I also still miss. She was the great Barney-humping dog.

[brotherwilliam.livejournal.com]

cat - shape, almost a silhouette until it is defined more by other words.

dog - shape, almost a silhouette until it is defined more by other words AND a feeling of mild dislike.

You asked for it.

brother william

[zianuray.livejournal.com]

Did indeed. Most dogs scare me.

[softpaw.livejournal.com]

I don't get an image but a sense of...Cattness..or Dogness..until I'm given more to go on.

[cattinsley.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I totally rock! LOL!

[gothicmarybelle.livejournal.com]

as of late, when I hear either word, multiple images go through my mind. Cat starts with Cat Tinsley, then goes through all the cats I've had/known growing up starting with most recent & moving back, with Dog I get the thought of "I want one" picturing the kinds I want, then doing the same as the cats & goes through all the dogs I'd had/known, recent-back

[cattinsley.livejournal.com]

For cats- Black Cat (Ebenezer, my first cat as an adult)
For dogs- Beagle (Cooper, not my very first dog as an adult...but the first one I kept)

[bessofhardwick.livejournal.com]

Sorry, but when I hear Cat, I think of our lovely Esmerelda, and her hatpin.

When I hear dog, my first thought is of my beloved Sahara. Can't help it.

[wren08.livejournal.com]

A tiger striped tabby because I've had so many of them.

[miintikwa.livejournal.com]

Cat: tortie or tabby. Tabby color changes, depending on my mood (happy-- orange, sad-- grey)

Dog: German Shepherd

Non specific critter, btw

[marence.livejournal.com]

Cat: Big black cat with green eyes. Specifically, our Malachi. I would link to a picture, but he's seriously camera shy. I pull out my little tiny camera, gives me a wild stare ("you will NOT steal my soul!!!!!") and he's off like a shot under the bed or behind the couch.
Dog: hm. The first thing that popped into my head was Rocky the pit bull I saw the other day. Big & mostly white, with spotted ears.
But that's just the recency factor. When I think of "dog", I think of something big, brown/black, sort of wolfhound/rott/dobie/shepherd shaped. If that makes any sense. A big dog, anyway. I think my picture comes from a combination of dog sillouttes from early childhood books, puzzles, and illustrations, and dogs I've known and loved.

[ktpinto.livejournal.com]

CAT = white bengal tiger

DOG = *points to icon* Dawg