They can be friendly if you treat them right and they’re mostly low commitment.
Dogs need cuddles and pets daily. Cats can take care of themselves on a day-to-day basis.
My cats definitely need cuddles every day, they want to drink from the sink at least once a day, when I’m working at my desk they’ll sleep on my lap or stand in front of my monitors staring at me for attention, they’ll cry at the bedroom door.
Maybe they’re just needy because we’re very affectionate with them, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As I was writing this comment…That is only because the cats sense that you don’t like them. If you actually liked them they behave pretty much as you experience dogs does to you.
I once witnessed our cat take on a dog that was 4x his size to protect our other cat who he didn’t even particularly get along with. Cats can absolutely love and protect.
My cat actually acts a bit like a dog : follows me, wants pets, fiercely protective.
