Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION The Anywhere Machine Pets

I had a discussion with a friend of mine recently.

I simply do not understand why adults seem to want pets. I view them as something kids want. My family had dogs as a kid. I used to love having a dog when I was a kid, but about the time I reached puberty, I lost all interest in having a pet.

Yet, some adults seem to want pets. I understand having a dog for security, or a cat for rodent control, or a pet just because your kid wants one. But I don't understand why an adult would want a pet just to have a pet.

Am I alone in this?

For my parents, I think the dogs we have are sort of meant to replace us adult kids. Instead of getting grandkids, they can get cuddly little dogs who don't talk back...

As an unmarried person, I like the uncomplicated emotional support of a dog (or some cats, others, not so supportive...).

There are lots of concessions I would have to make to share my house with another human being at this stage, and with a pet, not so much.

That said, I bond well with dogs and cats (and various other mammals, growing up on a farm), but cannot understand wanting fish, in particular, but also bugs like tarantulas or scorpions. Turtles, birds, snakes, etc. seem to be able to be remotely emotive pets, but fish? Not for me.

Some of my vet friends can tell you a pet can make all the difference in the world. Others who suffer from depression can also benefit from a pet. They convey love and devotion time and time again. I was allergic to cats as a child and we had six, yes six, English mastiffs. As a child who had asthma and could not play with other children in many games that required a lot of physical activity (and most kid games do) the family dogs would be my playmates or just company while I under went treatments. In my twenties I switched allergies and dogs were off but I was now fine with cats. During my bout with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, I found my cats were supportive when friends and family stopped coming by or talking to me (I wasn't supposed to live more then two months when diagnosed). They are not for everyone and that's ok, but those that have them will tell you they can mean the world to them. Pets don't judge you for your physical limitations and except you as you are. They provide companionship to those who are lonely. Studies prove this. Seniors do better with a pet when they are isolated from family and friends after their partner's death or as they become limited in ability to interact with others. People recovering from serious injuries tend to do better when they have a pet to go home to. They have been proven to lower blood pressure. There are many benefits to a pet. But like I said there are those who don't want one and that is ok too.

I've not specifically wanted a cat as a grown up. But a cat has always been with me, regardless.

As JPops mentions, pets can make a huge amount of difference in someone's life. The reasons, needs and level of bond varies with everyone, as it does for anything else.

I've certainly learned never to underestimate the level of emotional attachment involved. Relationships have blossomed and burned, life presents its challenges and family members died or gone. But I've never been as upset in my life, as when Eva cat died a few years ago. It's not something I would have thought of myself in that, or any other, situation.

During my late teens and young adulthood our family pets became much less important to me. When my dog died while I lived interstate it was a little sad but I was too busy with my own life to get too upset.

While my kids have been growing up we have had (and lost) a rabbit and two cockatiels (a bit like a miniature cockatoo/parrot a bit bigger than a budgie) and while the rabbit never endeared itself to me, both of the birds had surprisingly deep personalities such as expressing huge happiness when we would return from being out, or wanting to join in when we were playing boardgames by flying down to steal a piece.

Six years ago we got a dog, and he was mine as a gift from the rest of the family. My kids are now adults and are sometimes not here but Robbie is dear to them still. He can be a real pain in the butt, being of a nervous disposition and barking at anyone who goes past. Nevertheless he can be a lot of fun, be very affectionate, is important to all of us and I do not look forward to the day when I have to say goodbye.

I guess some would say that they are a substitute for missing human companionship and to an extent that can be true, but they also can be affectionate and express devotion to their owners in a way that would be uncomfortable from another person.

I totally understand people who do not like pets and totally understand people who do. Like having a family it places some unwelcome demands upon you but also comes with significant rewards.

We just have the one cat: El Sid. This house is small and we're not made of money, but I simply can't imagine life without a cat here. Especially given that at present, the damn virus would make going to the cat cafe' for a "fix" impossible.

I've never really thought about it much. We just always had some kind of pet when I was growing up. In my college student years when I couldn't keep pets, I was delighted to be in the park or in line at the movies and make friends with a dog or cat. (With the permission of their people, of course.)

If we were loaded and had a huge house, I'd think nothing of becoming one of those YouTube personalities who fills their house with pets and cares for them via video for the entertainment of the masses. I'd call it, "Cleome's Magical 24-Hr. Cat Ranch" or something equally dignified and understated.

I'd want to visit Cleome's cathouse...

I guess I wasn't clear. I love animals. I don't dislike them at all.

I just don't understand why any adult finds it desirable to have a pet. We have a cat now, but that's just because my daughter is very persistent.

I love being around animals, but when I'm home, I want it to be just mine, I guess.

I also lean on that side of the fence. My current boyfie and I, we love dogs, but we don't want to have one - because then we would have to plan our days around it, and we could not be very flexible if we wanted to take off on an impromptu day trip or something

They do add limitations to your lifestyle for sure. It's one of those things where it is up to the individual if the pluses outweigh the minuses.

IB, you nailed one of my rational objections to having a dog. If I want to take off and go somewhere else for a few days, I can. With a dog, you can't do that.

it's also one of the reasons my man and I don't want to have children.

[snip]






I'm sorry, Sir. But we don't offer treatment for that manner of [ahem] "cat scratch fever." I do think the fellows on reddit were deliberately confusing you.

Ha ha!

I didn't know if anyone would get my little joke or not. I doubt if the younger generation would get it...

Your profile says Vanity, OR. If there is such a town in Oregon, Google doesn't know about it. I guess I'll never visit your cat-house for some catharsis...

There was a fictional Oregon town in one of the Vertigo books (?) called "Vanity." Forgive me for not remembering which one. I thought that was funny, so I borrowed it.

Only distantly related, but there was an old hippie cartoonist named Paul Ollswang who did a comic called "Doofer" in honor of a real town here. (Though it's actually spelled "Dufur" in real life.) Paul was a dedicated dog guy, and threatened to draw a comic where all the dogs in town chased all the cats in town up the town's lone tree... as a way at getting back at all his cat-favoring friends. But we forgave him.

Sadly, he passed on many years ago. (In fact, he was younger when he went than I am now, which doesn't seem fair.)

Yeah, life doesn't seem fair sometimes.

I'll turn 56 in May. I went to college with a guy named Ron. He was a computer science major. Ron also had a very outgoing personality, and was immensely likable. I hadn't thought about him in years, but he has an uncommon last name, so he was easy to look up. I figured he was a tech bazillionaire now. I found out he was awarded his degree posthumously. (No cause of death was listed.)

Very unfair indeed.