Do you have a pet?
I have a cat. I was married to a "no pets" guy and we resisted the two biggies. We (and by "we", I mean "I") did cave in to guinea pigs once. But they were such a mess and smelly too. So I ended up building them a hutch in the garage. Out of sight was out of mind. No one checked on those poor rodents but me. We finally found them a better home and I was relieved. They were too much work.
I read a book called "Simplify Your Life With Kids" by Elaine St. James. The chapter on pets said something like this:
If you want to simplify your life, don't get a pet. If you must get a pet, don't get a dog. Getting a dog is like having a child permanently trapped at age three.
She went on to explain that cats were the least maintenance of pets. I grew up with cats and didn't remember any problems with peeing on the carpets that I am so familiar with now. Maybe that's because it wasn't my carpet.
After the dad left our home, I decided to allow my children to get kittens. We were all gloomy and who wouldn't be cheered by a kitten? We all went together and picked out two fluffy grays. We named them after cartoon villains: Mojo Jojo, and Rocko Socko. Those two felines were very therapeutic for us.
How has being single affected your relationship with or desire for a pet? Do they play a more important role in your life, or are they a bigger nuisance?
11 comments:
What can I say ---- I'm catatonic!!
I love pets, but I don't own any because of the long and unusual hours that I put in. In all fairness to the animal I would not be inproving their quality of life by being their part time master.
Will save that one till after I retire.
Sorry folks. To avoid comment spam like I just deleted above, I have to turn on the word verifier. Sorry for the hassle.
AM,
I have no problems having to type the captcha before posting a comment. It's part of being in a virtual world.
I love having dogs especially since my break up. I find that they provide fun loving companionship. Having two definitely keeps things lively, and I can attest to the fact that it's like having a couple of 3 years old running around at times!
I wonder sometimes how we'll adapt should I find someone who wants to be a member of our pact someday. Rumor has it that dogs have a great sense of character so we'll have to wait and see!
Even though I'm not single, I can't imagine adding any kind of pet (much less a dog) to my household. And if I were single, I sure wouldn't want the extra responsibility that comes with any pet (however "low maintenance" they may allegedly be).
Not to say that I don't love dogs - I just don't want a permanent toddler in my house.
I am going on 40, have never been married & have no children. I do, though, have a 17 yr old cat. She has been better company to me than any person ever has. Sometimes I think that I would have gone out more, and maybe built stronger relationships with other people, if I wasn't so contented to just stay home with my sweet kitty. When she passes away (which will be sooner, than later) I will be forced to go out more, as the thought of coming home to an empty house is terrifying. I wouldn't trade a tiny second of the time I've been blessed to have her for anything....
The year I moved out, I got a cat (my first ever). It's been a learning experience. For one thing, I have learned that I am extremely allergic to cats. We've become very good friends, and like CF, I would much rather be home with him than out on a not-so-great date. He's been a blessing in my life, a great companion. And fairly low maintenance, if you don't count all the attention he craves. But don't we all. At least he asks for what he needs.
I fought the battle with my daughter for years about getting a pet. We had a fish, a hamster, nothing with much of a brain. She finally caught me at a weak point, and we went and adopted a dog from the shelter. She has been a great companion.. always happy to see us, does great at keeping the solicitors away, adds a level of security to the household, and a layer of fur! ;-) Yes, it can be hard when you want to go away for the weekend, or stay late at work. Would I do it again.. not sure.. but happy she is a part of our lives and my daughter is happy too!
Welcome to the conversation CF.
I was recently presented with the possibility of giving my problem kitty to a new home. I was relieved that is fell through. There is a lot of comfort in a pet, even if there is also a hassle.
Who ever said simple was better?
I am presently without a pet, but have been giving it some thought. In my youth, our family always had dogs, but I had been happily owned by a cat for 15 years :^) until last year. I was skeptical about cats until my then-wife and I adopted. Moxie was a good starter cat for a dog person. And, of course, since I was the dog person, she immediately bonded to me: "Gotta convert this one!" Well, it worked. I've been thinking about getting a dog, but, as has been observed, cats tend to fit into a single lifestyle better.
I think everyone should at least have a Chia Pet, look on the bright side at least you don't have to take these to the Vet.
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