PETS

Recently I read an article about people who talk to their pets. Not to call them and tell them there’s food or something like that (as if your cat or dog couldn’t tell by their nose already). No, they tell them stories, their thoughts, what they saw or heard. Their pet is treated like a real member of the family. That group of people I belong to. Suddenly I remembered how upset my mother once was because my cat –still a kitten at that time- seemed to ignore her. 

I came home one afternoon and my mother just woke up from her nap. She called me and I could see she was almost crying when she told me what had happened. Earlier that day our young friend, Thumper, having fun playing, had tipped over a vase that was on the floor in the living room. The vase didn’t survive this brief meeting with Thumper and my mother got angry about it. Raising her voice she started telling Thumper it was a very naughty cat that just ruined her beautiful vase. She had kept on grumbling while cleaning the mess. 

Thumper, of course, was hiding. At the end of this story, I saw some tears coming up and I held my mother’s shoulders, telling her that this was not the end of the world. Thumper more than likely was startled too. Besides, it could be better Thumper who ignored her than me or my father. She got up and I went to the kitchen. Soon we were having some chit-chat over a cup of tea and of course, Thumper, being glad everything seemed to be back to normal, came to get petted and play. 

Thumper a few years later, I had an argument with my dog Tommy. We just fed them something and both were at peace again. Food fraternizes. What my mother had done was absolutely normal in my opinion. Imagine you have a dog or cat and never say a word to it. That would be some unhealthy situation for both, you and your pet. Animals often like our company and actually, not only our pets. Somehow it seems we have a bond with animals. Well most of them. I am definitely not referring to some creepy crawlers here. 

Rocky Bird

From a biological point of view, we might be superior, but we are animals too after all. Of course, most pets are domesticated. They depend on us to get fed. Our cats might catch a bird or mouse every now and then but most of the time that’s only to play with them. Once the poor things are dead our ‘Thumpers’ just leave them. There’s no need to feed on the birds. 

But also animals in the wild look for our company sometimes. In winter thousands of birds come to our cities. And what do people do? They treat these feathered friends as pets too. Pets are more important to us than we might think. Someone I know has asthma and for him, the fur of cats and dogs but also feathers can become quite a problem. 

Still, he has some dogs. Sure enough, they are not allowed inside but that’s no problem in the Tropics. He always told me he doesn’t like cats because of the fur. Whenever he goes somewhere and there’s a cat he is the first one to call it. He then goes on his knees to pet the cat.

Not being a scientist I can’t prove anything but I think it’s true that people need pets. Somehow it seems we need each other. People who don’t have pets themselves seem to always like the pets from their friends. And I think most people will agree when I say that a world without pets would be a dull place to be.


Love the ones you're with (including your pets) and be loved in return.