@ Wirebeard: People don't have cats; Cats have people.

As for dogs and other animals: I think animals have emotions and thoughts just like we have, only different (because of different wiring in the brain) and perhaps more limited (less complexity in the brain, less intelligence).

I once saw a documentary on national geographic, where 2 elephants were reunited after having been separated as calves for 20 years or so.
When they saw each other, they ran (sort of) towards each other, and stood there with their trunks intertwined, side to side for the longest time.
when I saw that, I remember thinking 'so who are we to say that animals don't have emotions'

The idea that animals have no soul / emotions / intelligence is something started by people with a superiority complex imo.