Cats: entertaining at a house near you a cat named bucket lives in my house. he is named after the device used to rescue him from a near death encounter with an apartment manager. saved by a painter with a large, empty paint bucket, he came into our home like a marauding invader, taking every heart by storm, battling back our doubts, and snuggling into his bucket for naps during the first week with us. because of his quirky beginnings, he developed personality traits that continue to annoy, charm, and entertain us. he chatters constantly, telling us of his day when we return home. he plays with shadows on the wall. he dashes from one end of the house to another with no apparent target or purpose. watching bucket is better than watching television most nights. bucket's effect on our lives is not unique. it turns out cats profoundly improve their owners' lives. for that reason alone, cats should surely be considered the best pet on earth. first, cat lovers are smarter than ardent fans of dogs. a british study found that people who own cats are more likely to have college degrees. while the study was careful to point out that the cats aren't causing people to be smarter, it does suggest cats are the smart choice for those who want to appear smart. the theory is that because smarter people tend to work longer they may choose cats as pets more often. as cats are known to be more independent, this choice seems wise. second, cats are better for the environment. cats are more likely to eat fish than beef or corn. fish has a lower carbon footprint—or impact on the environment—than beef and corn which dominate a dog's diet. the resources needed to care for cats are much less than those needed for dogs. cats eat less than dogs do, and so are also more economical in terms of costs to their owners. third, cats offer great emotional benefits. they provide companionship, often asking for attention or affection that is then returned to their human. humans tend to respond to a cat's purring with affection, petting, and comforting words. in return, humans feel an increased sense of calm and peacefulness. cats also have been shown to people who have endured a painful loss to feel better sooner. it's thought that having something to talk to that will only listen and not judge people cope with loss. with all these benefits, it's hard to understand the people who report a strong dislike of cats. sure they can be aloof. they do seem to want life on their own terms. but the benefits they provide far outweigh their quirks. bucket, for example, will always be a special, wonderful kitty, despite his tendencies to knock things off of high places, turn over food bowls, and bite the dog's face. cats are simply the best. what is the main point of the second paragraph? cats have abilities to make people smart. cat owners tend to be smarter. some studies have examined cats' intelligence. some people like to appear smart.