Have a pet or pets, and how do they help ?.

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Well I like animals, so I have a dog, called Karl Marx, a turtle, a bird and twelve gerbils (mice). I can´t have more because it´s a very small place, but if I move to a house I want to have more dogs. I don't like people.

I have another of of a long series of shelter cats. This one is Shang Hai, and somehow I knew him when I saw him at the animal shelter. He might not have felt the same about me, though. He used to have the bad habit of gnawing my knuckles to wake me up in the morning and I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, as he was an old man's cat that was found by their son after the old man had passed away. He had been in there with the old man for several days.

He is OK, now. . and doesn't gnaw any more. He hangs out on my lap when I am on the computer or lays in the window in the sun. He is a lot of company and gives me someone to think about besides me. He wakes me up on the morning by running over my stomach. I am always amazed that each front foot is followed in the exact same spot by his back foot. Someone wanted to know what kind of alarm clock woke them. HA! Just as long as I want to get up when he wants to get me up! And as I said, he has a trauma about his 'people' not getting up, but at least he doesn't chew my knuckles any more. And late into the night he starts to cry and meow for me to bring in the scooter. Then he sleeps on the seat until he whines and cries for me to go to bed. I think it is cute in the cat... however I would really have a problem with it if he was my husband!

and when it is his time to pass, there are always more and more cats down at the shelter. I would take them all if I could.

Merle

Grew up with cat or two around, and have felt as if something important were missing when I didn't have a cat in my life, such as years away at college in dorms.
My cat is crucial component of my life, year after year and day after day. She provides me a living creature with whom to interact on regular basis-sadly, this isn't available from human beings.

Too bad there isn't way for cat folks in local area to hang out & share common interest/obsession, the way that dog folks may do because they have to walk the dogs daily & will cross paths with other dog owners. I'm misanthropic (dislike most folks), but social with those few people I do like a lot-not so different from my cat, despite dissimilarity of species, our personalities or temperament are quite alike.

People have commented to me that I seem a bit "cat-like" (not in appearance, but in behavior & reactions to things), and I don't think my personality/temperament is as compatible with "dog people". Wish I could find more "cat people" (not in "furry" identity way, but in a "which do animal you prefer to be around ?" kind of way-because "dog people" seem less likely to enjoy how I am & vice versa.

My cat is more accepting & tolerant of (and affectionate towards) me than any human could ever be. Sigh. She gives me positive/pleasant experiences: is fun to watch & it's nice to pet her coat. Distracts me when I need it-and I just like how she looks, too...

Beautiful pets everyone!

I have a dog and nine cats (four housecats, five ferals).

My dog is a pit/Lab mix. He is the greatest dog.

My cats are:

Peter (tabby and white)
Paul (gray tabby)
Prince (Lynx point Siamese)
C.C. (Calico)
Zwenner and Drenner (black and orange tortoiseshells)
Itty (orange and white)
Unker (orange and white)
Faber (Snowshoe Siamese)

We recently lost a kitty, Puffy, the mother of Peter, Paul, and Prince. She was a beautiful cat, and I miss her.

I have 3 dogs and 2 cats- and a box turtle.
Without them I would be lonely. I spend more time with them on my days off than people.

I have a med. sized 40 lb. b&w beagle-english pointer mix named Hamish. He's 6, I've had him since 18 months of age.He's smart and sweet and sensitive. A hound mix. so a little stubborn and wilfull.

I kinda fell apart a couple years ago after I got laid off (long story) after 11+ years and was living in a coop with people who had terrible communication skills. A year ago Hamish and I ended up moving back in with my mom and severely autistic brother - it was this or the streets. If not for Haim, I would've chosen the latter, frankly. Our parent is abusive to me (not physically or sexually) and Hamish has been my lifeline to continued sanity.


I'm in a fairly deep depression and have just recently been diagnosed with ADD and Aspergers. I've ceased to function on the very high level I used to for so very long. I'm trying to have him become a psychiatric service dog for me and have gotten my PCP to write a letter for saying that I need to have him stay with me.so that in housing situations I can say he isnt a pet, but an assistive animal.

I have a rat terrier named Josie. Her feet smell like popcorn. I like to play with her, but really miss her while I am in school.

I have a beautiful cat called Polly . She is 8 yrs old and very antisocial , a bit like me , but unlike me she used to pee in inappropriate places around the house if she got stressed !

I bought her as a 12 week old kitten and for the first 3 months that she was living with me she was mute and never made a sound . As she learned to trust me she began to "talk." She sounds like an old creaky door when she miaows !

I love her to bits but there has been times when I have been tempted to rehome her when the peeing got me down but as the Cats Protection League told me that no one would want a cat like that and I have kept her and persevered as I do feel ultimately responsible for her. So far she has been dry for 18 months.

Jannih

anaïs and i have been together for 6 years. i don't think i would be able to get through my depression without her.

I love hearing happy pet stories. I work in an animal shelter and too often hear of people wanting to get rid of pet X, Y, or Z. When the adoptions don't work out and the dog (or cat) comes back to the shelter it breaks my heart because they have no idea why they're coming back or what the've 'done wrong'.

On a much happier note:

My cat, Bubblegum, who I adopted when I was in university makes me ridiculously happy. He's traveled across the US with me when we moved home and he'll come with me where ever I go next. I love him so much I have trouble being away from the house because I miss him. He's my perfect opposite. He talks a lot, is social with everyone, enjoys physical contact, and having his picture taken. He has so many qualities that I wish I wish. I idolise him.



Even the kindest people inadvertently hurt my feelings. I think that's why I like working with animals because they do.

I have always had pets, including some exotic ones when i was younger. Now I'm of the opinion that all I should even attempt to take care of is cats and dogs.

I have an 8 1/2 month old british lab pup and 2 cats that have been best buddies for years. The puppy causes a few spazz attacks when she won't listen. I had 1st pick of 4 females and when the breeder pulled them out of the pen 3 just kind of rolled around with eachother and 1 took off on her own little adventure leaving her litter mates behind. I watched the adventurous one for about an hour and never even gave the other 3 a second glance. I knew from past experience that the autism and spazz attacks can be very hard on them so I picked a very bold high spirited dog.

I knew it was going to cause problems but I didn't want to take the chance on my autism "breaking" her. She has to be able to hang in there until she figures out how to deal with the spazz attacks and learn to tell the difference between normal emotions and meltdowns. It's not easy for them but she is doing remarkably well. The only hard part is that she is VERY forward, it takes alot of patience trying to curb the annoying parts of her enthusiasm without curbing her wonderful playfulness and affectionate nature. My older cat has taken on the role of chaperon and kind of helps out when I'm not paying attention.

I think they help me in a couple different ways. The obvious is that they love me even when noone else acknowledges my existence. They can absorb spazz attacks that ruin relationships with people and still love you, that's pretty remarkable.

The other is a little more obscure. I've hated the external world and it has hated me right back. I'd rather not even come out of my inner world to engage in it, but something deep inside me tells me I must. It's more of a sense of need and duty than wanting to. The pets not only make being in this world a little easier, they also keep me engaging in it everyday. If it was just me I had to take care of I probably wouldn't, but having several other lives depending on me activates my sense of duty and keeps me participating in the outside world.

Personally, I know I would not have made it this far without them. The human race would not have made it this far without them. They are the true missing link between the animal and human kingdoms.

Animals have a group soul, humans have an individual soul. By entering this life as a pet, an animal becomes individualized by living among us when they are given names and take on individual personalities separating them from the animal kingdom group soul. It is for the divine gift of an individual soul and the chance to become human in their next reincarnation that they give so much to us. There is no other way to bridge the gap between the animal and human worlds.

If you look deep into ancient legends, you'll see stories of us as a people going thru a period where we were slaves ruled by gods, some of them good and some evil. Well, if you look at things from a pet's point of view, they see themselves as a race of people just as we do, because we control every aspect of their lives and are on the next level of creation to which they aspire, they would see us as gods. Because they have no choice but to do as we say instead of what they want without getting punished, they would see themselves as slaves. Knowing that we had to go thru that to get where we are as humans, you can see where these legends might have come from and why they are placed where they are in human history.

Stuff that makes you go "hmmmm?"

Merle,

I know how you feel! I couldn't go to the animal shelter because I know I'd have a houseful of cats. (I do already! LOL!)

Is Shang Hai a Siamese?

Chloe was trapped with her kittens in 2002. Chloe was spayed and all were adopted. I interviewed with the adult cats. They wanted me badly and if I turned my head they would bite. Chloe went inside the open cat carrier so I guess she went home.

She does not like car rides, vomits, or otherwise.

She follows me all around the apartment.

I grew up on a farm and have always loved animals. & let me tell you I understand them better usually then I do other people. Presently I have a spaniel mix and a cat and they are better then therapy for me sometimes.

My dog is a big teddy bear and if she senses I have any problem or I even say ouch she will come running to see if I'm ok. My cat is hilarious and usually makes me laugh. She is a lap kitty when the weather gets chilly and I let her sleep at my feet on the bed when she jumps up.

Animals. Highly reccommend um'.

We have...(right now)

deep breath....

Roll Call!

Three Gerbils
-Opal
-Barky
-Scribbles

One albino corn snake
-Kale "the pale".

Four rabbits
-Tuxedo George (black and white dutch buck. Potty trained. Interests are: Hanging out with the peoples and watching T.V. Playing tag on the couch or in the back yard, tossing my keys around with his mouth. (Dunno why. Weird bunny.), being brushed, and compulsively grooming my elbow .)
-Zoie (New Zealand Doe. Very gentle. Likes to be held, but doesn't like to be inside.)
-Tinker bell (red daughter of Zoie and George. My daughters choice for the "keeper", with no discernible personality that I can see so far.)
-White Bunny (son of Zoie and George. His destiny is yet to be determined. He has lots of personality.)

Four cats
-Gypsy (The house cat)
-Sammi (The barn cat and resident matriarch/scourge of rodents. She's crazy. She killed a duck once. She is also convinced she can teach me to hunt if she just brings me enough half dead moles. Sigh...)
-Sly (Son the Gypsy and shaping up to be a size XXXL.)
-Lilo (Daughter of Gypsy and desperate to be the house cat too.)

Three dogs
-Bunny (Ten year old Shi-tzu, and resident Zen Master.)
-Suki (Adopted from the local humane society. She is a Japanese Akita. Diggin' dog cum child herder cum babysitter.)
-Li'l Blue (Blue miniature dachshund and resident booger.)

-Kerioke (A magpie. My daughter named her. I'm not sure how to spell that. Savaged by Suki as a fledgling in June (Bird musta' been talkin' smack). We put her someplace safe and fed her(? him). Her favorite past times are now, watching me pick weeds (in apparent puzzlement), riding Cassidy, teasing the cats, and mimicking the sound of human voices so I will look around to see who is here (that's good for 15 minutes of fun, before I think to look up), and squawking loudly on the front porch at 5:00 a.m. so we will come out and tell her to 'shut up.' It's a game now, see.)

and last but not least...

Four horses.

Bailey-(2 year old, palomino maximal tobiano, filly. Pretty, pretty. The cow-pony in waiting.)
Bree- (2 year old, bay tobiano, filly. My accident prone beauty queen. Equine royalty. My pride. She goes back to Man-O-War thank-you-very-much.)
Valiente/"Val" - (1 year old, brown bay tennessee walker/peruvian cross gelding. My own 'shy-boy'. He is going to be spectacular.)
Cassidy/A.K.A "The Tail-less Wonder"- (3 year old, red dun, American Bashkir Curly gelding. My "red headed step child. " My Anam Cara. The coolest horse ever! (even if he does look like a giant apricot poodle in the winter.) Mr. I-wanna-chase-cows-even-though-I'm-bred-and-built-to-jump-fences. )

That's the roll call. Kids and critters are most of my life right now. I haven't had a clean carpet in 10 years. Sigh... They help me through everything.

I'll try and do pics if anyone wants to see; (and I can remember my photobucket pass word.)

Two cats, a whacky brother and sister. The boy is definitely the more docile and sweet of the two, while the girl tends to be kind of whiny and clumsy. They both like to walk on my head while I'm sleeping, though.