The cat is less reputable than the other two just named, because she is less wasteful; she may even serve a useful end.

At the same time the cat's temperament does not fit her for the honorific purpose.

She lives with man on terms of equality, knows nothing of that relation of status which is the ancient basis of all distinctions of worth, honor, and repute, and she does not lend herself with facility to an invidious comparison between her owner and his neighbors.

The exception to this last rule occurs in the case of such scarce and fanciful products as the Angora cat, which have some slight honorific value on the ground of expensiveness, and have, therefore, some special claim to beauty on pecuniary grounds.
The dog has advantages in the way of uselessness as well as in special gifts of temperament.

He is often spoken of, in an eminent sense, as the friend of man, and his intelligence and fidelity are praised.