As for cats, I have never heard of domestic cats hurting anyone. I have had cats all my life and I have never had any of them do any damage to cars, boats, or anything else like that. So what if there are some paw prints on the hood of your car and windshield. Dogs on the other hand are much more destructive.
I guess you have never had a cats jump and slide off your car with dirty feet or claws out? Or had one pee and or give birth to kittens in your carpeted boat floor over the winter? Use your child's sandbox as a littler box?
Unless it attacks, an unleashed dog is far less destructive as I have seen one do any of the above.