Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask why you picked your pet

45 replies

CrazyHippo · 07/06/2018 10:12

Another thread on here got me thinking. A nice light hearted thread about why you picked your particular pet rather than others?

I have a dutch bunny. A friend of a friend breeds rabbits to show (not sure on my views on this but besides the point). She had a litter of 5 dutch buns, 3 blue/white 2 black/white. All 3 blue and 1 black had perfect markings. My buddy has a bit wonky markings and only 3 paws are white so he could never be a show bunny. He would have still been loved and looked after but very left out..almost "second best".. my heart couldnt deal with that so i offered to take him when he could leave mum and hes been my best friend boss of the house ever since. Perfectly impefect

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
ScottishInSwitzerland · 07/06/2018 10:17

I’m sort of similar. Our cat was a stray who adopted us. We took her on rather than send her to a re-homing centre because we felt she wouldn’t find a home. She is not cuddley, or fluffy, or particularly different or cute looking.
So we adopted her due to her banality :-)

Domino211 · 07/06/2018 10:19

Our cat is a rescue - we went to just go and have a look and there were so many kittens and Persians everyone was flocking over. She was cowered in the back of her enclosure, black and white moggy, had been mistreated and we instantly knew she was for us. She needed love and attention and 3 years on is the best cat ever - feisty, adventurous and funny!

Our bunny was also a rescue, she is 9 years old now and her previous owners moved (expats so very transient community) and I just couldn’t say no! We’ve had her over a year now and she happily hops around inside and outside and gets on well with the cat. She was really ill earlier this year and we thought we’d lose her and it surprised me how upset I was! But she’s a tough old girl so here for a while yet I think......

CatLadyToddlerMother · 07/06/2018 10:21

Saw an advert on a local Facebook page for a 4 year old grey cat. Popped over to see her former owners to meet her and took her home there and then. She was living in a house with 6 other cats, 2 dogs and a toddler who hated animals Sad and I just couldn't leave her there.

And she's been here ever since Smile

GummyGoddess · 07/06/2018 10:21

My cat chose me, went to see some kittens and all others ignored me but she climbed into my lap and rolled onto her back. Her sister was playing with DH and he secretly arranged for us to adopt her as well. Found out I was bringing both home on adoption day and I cried! Adoption day was just as good as the days I had our human babies.

Addy2 · 07/06/2018 10:23

Ours was a rescue from the RSPCA. Couldn't possibly pick anyone out, so asked the cat equivalent of a kennel maid who she would choose if she could. She pointed out this tiny black cat, who said she was insane. And she is, but so lovely and I wouldn't swap her. DH could probably be convinced to, though!

MrsPreston11 · 07/06/2018 10:24

Ours have all been a case of we felt it was time for a new (hairy) member of the family and then we went to a rescue (CPL/RSPCA) and they seem to choose you. Always imagine we'll come back with a puppy or kitten, but normally someone older catches my eye - my heart goes out to the ones who I worry will be overlooked. So that's what all of mine were, slightly older/been there a while and they're all such wonderful members of the family.

Firenight · 07/06/2018 10:25

Rescue cat - she was the one they recommended for mousing.

ShotsFired · 07/06/2018 10:28

Mine was a rescue and I specifically asked for the animals that would be difficult to rehome.

Hence I have an "unluckily" coloured, slightly cantankerous, OAP feline now ruling my roost.

vampirethriller · 07/06/2018 10:29

A friend told me that someone she knew was going to have their dog put down because she's deaf (the dog is deaf) unless they could find a home, because they didn't like how needy she is. So I said I'd have her. She's my best buddy nowGrin she is needy but I don't care. I love her.

elQuintoConyo · 07/06/2018 10:29

Her sad little face on FB meant we had to adopt her. We were looking for a dog and went on a foster charity's FB page.

First weeks were tough (i had a thread on here about her) but she has flourished. Her and DS are thick as theives!

This is her after she'd been digging with her nose Grin

To ask why you picked your pet
litereally · 07/06/2018 10:31

Rescue cats, was vetted by the lady from the cat charity who took one look at my cat tattoo and approved me. She recommended two 12 year old brothers who I was a bit unsure about, but who are the light of my life now. Have had them 2 years now and you'd never guess they were old men cats.

Dobbythesockelf · 07/06/2018 10:31

I love cats so when we got our own place I wanted a cat. Went to a rescue to look at kittens, massive male cat comes over and plonks himself down at the side of me. Seemingly he was really shy with other people. He still follows me everywhere 6 years later.

2nd cat was found outside my husbands work as a very tiny kitten all flea bitten etc. We took her in for one night and shes still here 4 years later. I am just soft.

My dh wanted a rabbit so we got a rabbit. Problem is the rabbit hates men for some reason so I've ended up looking after it.

adaline · 07/06/2018 10:32

The kitten: we drove past a farm and there was a sign saying there where kittens available. I got DP to pull in and the lady showed us this tiny little black thing that fitted in the palm of my hand. She didn't want any money for her so we took her - we've had her two years now.

The older cat we rescued from an unpleasant home situation. He wasn't being treated very well and was really aggressive and angry with the world. We've had him eighteen months and he's currently sprawled next to me on the sofa purring his head off.

We got our puppy from a breeder. We didn't want an older dog because of the cats and we didn't know how they'd be with him. He's fourteen weeks old and the cutest thing ever. A real handful at times but worth every second!

honeybeeq · 07/06/2018 10:32

He was the last one. We'd seen an advert in Tesco about a litter of puppies (very accidental pregnancy), we got there just to see and he was the only one left and described as 'the funny looking one with the dumpy legs' they told us they'd be drowning him later that day as they didn't want him as he looked funny so I gave £20 and took him there and then. Wouldn't recommend doing that to anyone else but it worked for that dog ❤️ he was always going to look funny though as he had a Mum who was a border terrier x labrador and a dad who was a corgi x border terrier

He's the best thing ever in my life, he'll be 9 tomorrow

To ask why you picked your pet
Littledidsheknow · 07/06/2018 10:33

We had researched for some time the best breed of dog for our family. Dog was really for DD who'd been ill for some time. We'd settled on a schnauzer, but then I met one and found it a bit barky! DD then had a dream about a golden retriever and said that's what we should get, and name it the name the dog in her dream had. So we did!

Our GR is the most stunningly beautiful, clever, soppy, calm affectionate creature ever. Can't imagine appreciating any other creature as much!

ApolloandDaphne · 07/06/2018 10:35

We got our lab puppy from a breeder as we knew that is the breed we wanted. My DD1 (who was 19 at the time not a child) chose our dog. We wanted a female and we had three to choose from. Our one wasn't the timid one and wasn't the bold one but was the lively friendly one. She is perfect for us.

TimeIhadaNameChange · 07/06/2018 10:45

The rabbit I had as a teen came from the visitor farm where I worked. I fell for her first for her colour (blue, like aa Russian Blue cat, but bluer), but then, the next week I saw her, she was the only one of all the rabbits in the rabbitry that stayed put when myself and my colleague walked in. Despite being only a few weeks old she not only stayed in the inside part whilst the others had bolted outside, she stood up on her hind legs to see what we were up to. I knew then this inquisitive lass was for me, and she ruled the house for 5 years.

Then next rabbit to invade my home, about ten years later, came from the SSPCA. Her description on their website sounded just like my previous lass, and this was confirmed when I spoke to them. They told me they'd had her a year, but when I met her the info on her cage said three months. I queried this, and was told she had been adopted three months earlier but her new humans brought her back within days as she was too feisty for them. She was most definitely not happy meeting most people's expectations of what a rabbit is, ie boring!

They put her on the floor so I could meet her, and she came onto my lap. That was it, she was mine! Only problem was that her hutch wasn't ready so I couldn't take her for a week, and they had told me they didn't reserve animals, so I'd have to take the risk that someone would adopt her in the meantime. However, when I went back to the office with the staff members who'd introduced me to her and they told the rest of the team that I wanted her a cheer went up and they promised they'd not let anyone else take her. They were so relieved that someone had seen her for the darling she was.

She ruled the roost for three years. We reckon she'd been abused in the past and was probably deaf, but she soon had not-an-animal-person DP wrapped firmly around her paws and was spoilt rotten by the pair of us.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 07/06/2018 10:46

We saw our lovely bunny in a pen at Pets at Home, all alone and looking sad. Her bio said she was aggressive and unsociable, turns out she was given back to the shop after 4 days because she was bought for a small child who promptly ignored her, so she was neglected the whole time she was there and not fed. We thought she was so sweet, and DS was 14 and had wanted a pet for a long time, so he adopted her. He has toilet trained her, familiarised her with the garden while on a lead to start with, and now 4 years later she comes running back to her sleeping and eating quarters if you go out with any food, but otherwise plays happily in the garden. She nuzzles up to us and licks our hand and has never once been aggressive.

Celebelly · 07/06/2018 10:48

Our dog was the last of the litter and her wee face kept appearing online and in the paper. OH said if it appeared once more we could go get her. And it appeared that day!

The second we arrived she hurled herself at us, peed with excitement, and ran in rings around our feet. There was no way we were leaving without her! And so glad we didn't as she's the gentlest, silliest, prettiest, most loving dog I could ever hope for. We really lucked out.

Celebelly · 07/06/2018 10:49

Forgot obligatory pic of said girl!

To ask why you picked your pet
Celebelly · 07/06/2018 10:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

birdsdestiny · 07/06/2018 10:53

He was the least cute rabbit at Pets at Home. Ds decided we had to have him as he was a rescue rabbit as his owners didn't want him. I was very shallow and said are you sure you don't want that one, pointing out other more 'attractive' rabbits Grin. It was the right decision, his utterly bonkers character makes up for his rather unkempt appearance. We love him.

StillNoClue · 07/06/2018 10:57

We got our old dog from dogs trust. Originally wanted a younger smallish dog. Ended up with an 8 year old middle/large sized dog with a dodgy leg and who was in the behavioural wing because he hated the kennel.

We had him for 8 years and he was a lovely dog. He died about 2 years ago and we miss him lots. He was such a placid and laid back pet. We saw him and fell in love 😍

Lana1234 · 07/06/2018 11:05

One cat who was a stray in an awful state. Tried looking for an owner for weeks but nothing so he stayed with me. 3 years later and I’m so thankful he did, he’s an absolute character and I love him!
Second cat from the rescue who had been returned twice from adoptive homes. I’ve no idea why he is quite possibly the sweetest little cat ever. Had him two years now and he’s the perfect addition to our home Grin

SolemnlySwear2010 · 07/06/2018 11:07

Went to local Cats Protection to look at kittens for our daughter.

Instead this massive cat comes straight over and climbs all over DH and starts purring like a motorbike.

Apparently he didnt show affection to anyone in the shelter so we decided there and then to take him home.

He is a 1 year old Maine Coon and he and my daughter adore each other Smile and he is the most friendly cat ever now.
Constant cuddles for everyone and is able to tolerate our hyper 3 year old DD better than anyone