What joy do your pets bring to your life.?

[whatisforteamum]

I've lost 2 beloved pets this year.My cat we had since the docs were small and was great company when I got home late from work and my family were in bed.She died in april.
Then yesterday one of our pair of rabbits.All summer they had the run of the garden and have us over 6 yrs of happiness.I loved to see them hoping on the grass and eating it too.The female is lost now and my heart breaks for her.😢
This made me wonder what do your pets bring to your life?

So sorry about your losses OP

My own two littermate cats, Holly and Ivy, are just a joy - and being retired now I get to enjoy them even more. I'm completely under their thumbs (just as well they never developed opposable ones!!) but they know I'd do anything because they're beautiful and give endless snuggles

Even though they hog ALL of my bed ...

One of my boys was PTS in March, and it has just about stopped hurting now. My other boy is still going at 17, but has the beginnings of kidney disease. He has slowed up since we moved back to the UK, but still rules the roost here, and has kept me sane during lockdown, as at times he is the only one who has made any sense (despite living with dh and ds!.

Im so sorry 😞

Our cat is 8. She is a grey long haired tabby cross, she just makes life sweeter. She has a routine, likes to bed swap, keeps us company, catches mice, and in summer she will play outdoors with us. I truly think home is complete with a cat.

The talkative nature just kills me. I have a little noise I make, and she will run towards me and make it too. She knows when the slow cooker is on, someone of us will give her a special treat, and often she will sit at the spare seat round our table and hold her paw up! I couldn't be without her ❤

I agree they are a great comfort and constant in our lives.When dd left home our cat attached to me even more then when df died she lay beside me on many afternoon naps.She knew something was wrong and was a great source of comfort.The rabbits gave out home a real country feel.So innocent and cute.💛

Funnily enough I don’t think of him as my ‘pet’ as such, my horse is the most precious thing in my life. Quite simply if it hadn’t been for him I wouldn’t be here. I lost my lovely husband out of the blue two and a half years ago and my horse is the only thing that kept me going; he still needed to be fed and cared for so I had to get up and out otherwise I would have just gone to my bed and stayed there. During lockdown too; he gives me a routine and I fill my otherwise empty days with riding and looking after him (I’m self employed and my line of work is almost non existent at present due to Covid). I won’t get another after him, just as I won’t ever re-marry/ have another relationship; they were/are both irreplaceable, the very best and I’ll never love anyone else like I’ve loved them.

I don't know how people without animals have coped this year. You can tell them how fed up/ worried you are without them trying to fix things or getting upset or annoyed. And you know the are never going to tell when you have been whinging to them about family.

Ah no op I'm sorry you lost your lovely pets. We got our dog at the end of my very long recovery from a horrific illness. For me she marks the beginning of a new life I'm very lucky to have , makes me walk ALOT , so happy to see me all the time( and is 8 months so an absolute asshole atm)

My grey Manx is sitting about 2 inches away from my laptop as I type this, purring her little heart out.

I went out for a ride on my pony this morning. She makes me grin every time. She is a total character too, not remotely normal.

My cat is now elderly and needs more reassurance but the way she comes over for some comfort gives me comfort. She is still super playful and makes me smile when she is chasing a bit of paper or something she has no hope of ever catching.

So sorry for your loss. 💐
I've just recently adopted a cat after a few years of not having one. Just being able to look over and see him sleeping makes me smile every time.

Our Jack Russell is 5kg of love, loyalty and attitude. She’s currently curled up on my lap with her head buried between my arm and my ribs. When I’ve been out she welcomes me home as if I’ve been away for weeks. I adore her and can’t imagine life without her.

My two cats had been the longest residents of the rescue centre, they were overlooked, I think, because they were in a shed with lots of runs full of cute kittens, whereas these two were hissing, spitting, hostile creatures to any visitors and were only interested in climbing up the chicken wire walls to try and escape.

On hearing that they had been overlooked / turned down repeatedly I felt so sorry for them and decided to adopt them and just let them do their own thing but in a home surrounding rather than a rescue.

Within days they were running to the door to greet us when we got home / sleeping cuddled up to us on our beds / sitting on laps and are just the most joyous family members and loved as members of the family, so much more than 'just a pet'

to those who have lost a beloved family member, I still tear up thinking about the naughty cat who adopted us in her senior years and died five years ago.

Sorry for your loss op our pers are a part of the family and I dont think you can love them too much.

Our basset hound makes us laugh every day he is such a character and full of charm and cheekiness. At the moment he is knowing on a treat but i know soon enough he will come over for a snuggle thanking he is a lapdog and I would have him any other way

I am so very sorry for your loss.
My dogs are my world.
4 years back I had a massive breakdown, my dog (I had the one then) kept me above water, she stuck by me and made me go out as she needed walks. I was frightened being on my own in the house, but she soothed me.
I know I would have ended up in hospital if it weren't for her, as it's happened to me before, when I never had dogs.
I love them dearly, even though they moult like hell, one has smelly breath and they love to roll in shite.......

@Enko
I love bassets, yours is gorgeous.

My kitten is the light of our lives truly. He makes us so happy. Even if I sit there and he's sat close by cleaning himself. I just watch with fascination. The way he chases his tail never fails to bring a smile to my face. Im currently pregnant and I hope my DC loves him as much as we do

I didn’t think it was possible to love a non human as much as as I love our dog, he’s funny, daft, annoying and needy but I can’t imagine my life without him ❤️ He’s my kitchen cooking companion & gives the best cuddles. Our daughters miss him more than us now they’ve moved out 😂

My current cat will purr gently whilst letting slip the most deadly of farts... But she is excellent company & always replies when I talk to her which has proved invaluable whilst lockdown-ing alone!
Pets, for me, are incredibly important - a household is empty without an animal be it dog, cat, bird, horse or ferret. They are a great comfort to me.
Yes maybe I do anthropomorphise my pets but they have very distinct & complex characters (particularly the rescue animals) and I firmly believe that there is more than just a relationship of convenience/cupboard love.

I'm so sorry - we had cats and rabbits growing up too, and it's so sad when you lose one :(

I have 3 cats now and they all bring me joy in different ways. One curls up on my feet when they're cold if I 'ask' him to and has approximately 3 brain cells, so he's hilariously stupid but loving.

One is aloof and timid 90% of the time until you get in the bath or bed. If it's the bath, then she loses her mind with excitement and keeps you company, chirruping and purring away while you're in the bathroom - she also likes to be my little spoon when I sleep and I think I've accidentally got used to her purring as a sleep aid haha.

And my third cat is so loving and friendly, and whenever I cry (which is all the time because I'm a crier haha), he SPRINTS over and purrs and headbutts me until I stop.

I love coming home to them at the end of the day (when I went anywhere in the day, anyway!) - all three absolutely leg it to the door to say hi and get their heads kissed. And being at home on the sofa with my three sleepy little nuggets is such a direct route to being calm, no matter what kind of day I've had.

I always feel slightly sad for people who don't have pets (although I'm absolutely sure that they would be horrified at the thought! And it's definitely me being sentimental/assuming everyone feels the same as me haha) because they bring me so much happiness and comfort.

So so much. My children were saved by our beloved friendly cat when their father left. Source of daily joy and calm. Was never bothered and thought pets a lot of hassle but, like kids, totally worth it.