Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

Whats the point of pets?

53 replies

Mirage · 24/01/2006 21:41

I was pondering this question today.I grew up with loads of animals,farm & domestic,but on thinking about it,I can't see the point of having pets.I can understand keeping chickens or goats or something,but dogs,cats,guinea pigs?

I asked DH what he thought & asked him to tell me something that you can get from a pet but not from anywhere else.The only thing he could come up with was that eventually you get to bury a pet in the garden!

Is it just us?Do we both lack the pet keeping gene?

OP posts:
GDG · 24/01/2006 21:41

Good question. I personally see NO point, but then I didn't grow up with them. My grandparents had a dog and I loved it and all that, but no way would i have a dog or cat in my house!

Lacrimosa · 24/01/2006 21:43

Its a bit selfish I suppose! I think we have them because we want them! none of our pets were for our kids they were for dp and me. hope that helps x

Feistybird · 24/01/2006 21:46

Ahhhhhh I love our dog, not in a hugging, sleeping on bed, licking face way, you understand, but a walking, sleeping on my feet, putting up with DDs making his ears in ponytails before I can rescue him sort of way...

Carmenere · 24/01/2006 21:47

I think you may well be missing that gene .
Children get a lot from pets, they get friendship, joy, exercise and a sense of responsibility and hopefully they get an understanding of kindness to another living thing.
We don't have any pets as we live in a flat. My dd is just 23 months old and has very few words as yet. But she is obsessed with dogs and has managed to communicate that she would like one. And I will get her one as soon as she is old enough to understand a little about taking care of it. I really benefitted from pets as a child and would like her to have that experience too. hth

Original poster
Mirage · 24/01/2006 22:06

Hmmm,but can't children get friendship,joy,responsibility ect from friends & members of their family?

As for responsibilty,my friend has loads of pets 'for her children',but not one of her children seems to take any interest in them at all.They certainly don't do anything to help care for them.They have a rabbit that is too nasty to be handled FGS!

Actually,I have thought of something that you can get from pets,but from no where else-fleas .

Carmenere,you may be right,we must be missing that gene.I only hope that the dd's are missing it too,otherwise I'll be doomed to looking after gerbils ect.

OP posts:
charliecat · 24/01/2006 22:12

I have a cat as he found us and adopted us and he lives here now The house seems empty when hes out..even though theres 2 kids and 2 adults here, the house isnt full till I know where the cat is...filling a hole in my life maybe?
I have 2 gerbils and 2 rats, think live TV in a tank. I like to watch them and enjoy changing thier cages about, and they snuggle up on the sofa and watch tv with me when the cats elsewhere.
Couldnt NOT have pets.

nooka · 24/01/2006 23:29

Good for your mental health too.

serenity · 24/01/2006 23:32

In our house? To learn about death and the great cycle of life........not a great track record with hamsters and fish or cats (although DCs came in at the end with them really)

handlemecarefully · 24/01/2006 23:34

Because they can be fun!!!!

bubblerock · 24/01/2006 23:54

Well, I was going to say they are affectionate and don't answer you back, but mine does! lol

I love having pets and it has helped my DS's to learn to be gentle and see that animals need to be cared for and are vulnerable. I love the way they bring noise and liveliness to the house they have little personalities. When I am rich I'll have lots of animals

hunkermunker · 24/01/2006 23:56

Saw someone walking to enormous dogs the other day and my first thought was "How can you be arsed?!"

handlemecarefully · 24/01/2006 23:58

That's one of the good things about dogs - they force you to take exercise

Miaou · 24/01/2006 23:59

lol hunker!

We have two cats, one which we love, one which we tolerate, and dh is desperate for a dog, but I'm not very good with dogs (wimpy emoticon), plus we have too many children and not enough house

Surfermum · 24/01/2006 23:59

I agree with HMC - they can be fun. We got a rescue cat from the RSPCA and he's hilarious. I would never have believed that cats had personalities until I got one. Our woosy pussy we call him. We spent 3 weeks keeping him in and another 3 persuading him to go out. I think it's good for dsd to learn about looking after him as well and that that entails feeding him and stroking him, not jumping on his tail and getting him in a headlock.

moondog · 25/01/2006 00:00

Oh yes hm!!
My thoughts entirely.
Big stinky animals breathing dog breath in your face to boot and messing up the furniture.
When we lived in Russia (where everyone lives in tiny flats) I was always amazed at the Great Danes and Rottweilers owned by the people in our building.
Our house has a cat flap (courtesy of animal loon former owner) and I bloody hate it-and cats.

hunkermunker · 25/01/2006 00:02

I don't need any more poo in my life than I have with a 21mo and a newborn!

moondog · 25/01/2006 00:03

And the three most boring things in the world are.....

People banging on about star signs

People describing their cats' cute ways in mind numbing detail (and worse still,showing you pictures of them on their bed,all red eyed and freaked out by the flash)

People describing their dreams

ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

handlemecarefully · 25/01/2006 00:03

"Big stinky animals breathing dog breath in your face to boot and messing up the furniture"

Yes but that statement could equally well apply to many of our husbands....

bubblerock · 25/01/2006 00:04

PMSL

moondog · 25/01/2006 00:04

Not mine though (or I'd be a divorcee)

hunkermunker · 25/01/2006 00:04

MD, my cat's a Cancerian and is SO typical, crabby as anything till she gets to know you, then turns over and lets you tickle her belly while waving her front paws, soooo sweet! I dreamt the other day that she could read and she was miaowing a lovely story to DS1!

moondog · 25/01/2006 00:06

Wha-???

Who said my name???

Aloha · 25/01/2006 00:07

Very useful in times of famine.

hunkermunker · 25/01/2006 00:08

A dog's not just for Christmas. With some thought and careful meal planning, you can make one last right through to New Year.

Surfermum · 25/01/2006 00:13

I thought next doors hamster was pretty pointless. He didn't do anything but sleep and make the place stink. I didn't even get a box of "Thank you for looking after the Hamster" fudge for my trouble.