An Author's Adventure

My Musings: Pets

     I admit this is a really random topic, kind of a "shower thoughts" type deal, but whatever. Let's talk about animals.

    I will be the first to admit that I am a huge dog lover (Except for Sandcat- 's Sulinnadar from Iron God). I've met lots of different dogs with varying personalities, from curly old codgers whose favorite pastime is laying under the kitchen table to hyper short-haired puppies who won't hesitate to use you as a human chew toy. I've also personally experienced the unconditional love a dog can give you, and it never fails to put a smile on my face or even make me cry. I even cried tears of joy when I got home from a trip to Disney World because I missed the family dog so much. Yes, that's right. I love dogs more than Disney World. Those are my priorities.
     I know there's always a huge debate on shelters v.s. pet stores v.s. breeders, but my only opinion is that all pups and pets are precious and deserve a safe and happy home. I'm also of the opinion that having a dog or even another pet is super therapeutic as will definitely change your life for the better.

    Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. I'm super allergic to cats. I can walk into a room that a cat has inhabited and start feeling sick in a minute, tops—headache, runny/stuffy nose, sore throat, itchy/watery eyes and sometimes even my face, too—the works. It's not life-threatening or anything, but it sure is inconvenient for hangouts or shopping at pet stores or trying to bond with cute kitties. I know petting them will make my symptoms worse, but I just can't resist...!
    Just like dogs, I've met different cats, too. I've met super sweet and docile ones, but also ones that hunt wild animals outside and frequently get into fights and have a personality that's honestly kind of intimidating. Maybe it's just me, but I feel slightly wary of cats, especially ones like that, probably because of the aforementioned allergy.
     It may also be because, at least in my personal experience, cats are unpredictable. It's pretty easy to tell when a dog wants to be your friend or not. It seems like they convey their emotions in a more straightforward way. But cats? They pretty much just do whatever they want. Unless they're purring or something, I have no idea what's going on inside their heads. Do they like me? Do they wanna be my friend? Do they want nothing to do with me? I can never tell! Even when I'm introducing myself to a cat or giving it attention, it's still largely a mystery. I'm trying to make friends with you, kitty! Please acknowledge me! I need your cute, fluffy validation, okay?!

     I'm personally a huge snuggler pet-wise, so fish aren't really an option for me, but hey, I'm not allergic to them, either! Thanks to Sandcat- 's blog, fish have become a lot more interesting to me. I know now that, just like any other pet, they have personalities and feelings and unlike quirks—you just have to know them really well. So now whenever I see fish, I think of Sandcat- , haha. Or Nemo, depending on the fish.

    I've only known hamsters and guinea pigs as school classroom pets, but I've heard stores of hamsters escaping or guinea pigs being stressed out and depressed because they're alone, and I imagine that I'd always be super concerned for their well-being if I owned one. That's probably true for any rodent or rabbit-like pet, really—though, judging from my experience in any kind of petting zoo, I may be allergic to all those, too.

     I've always wanted to hold a bird and pet it. I bet they have really soft heads. Though I'm not sure I'd want one as a pet. They can live long and require lots of care, and while I'm sure I'd love any animal that came into my life, I personally prefer my pets to be...huggable. Or even able to curl up with me and take a nap. As for birds, though, befriending one would definitely make me feel like a Disney Princess. Ooh, what if I met a bird that was trained to sing?! That would be magical. I always like to say hi to the little parakeets at pet stores, though. And that reminds me—I once met a blind cockatoo as a child. A school employee brought her in, and we all sat quietly in a circle as she spun around on the rug trying to get her bearings. She didn't seem too stressed, though, and it was pretty cute.

   Basically, any non-snuggly pet doesn't really interest me. I do think turtles are cute, though, but I'm not sure how I would be able to read a reptile or amphibian's emotions. Plus, real-life snakes kinda freak me out. As for large pets like horses, that's not really feasible (and again, I'm probably allergic), but I've ridden and pet a horse before. I remember being super enthralled with them as a child, but then again, what little girl isn't?

    I think I've pretty much covered all my thoughts on the subject of pets—unless you count the time I nearly screamed out loud in public when I turned around to a tarantula terrarium in my face, or the validity of pet rocks, which is a rather strange idea, yet from what I've heard was a somewhat lucrative fad. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed my ramblings. Thanks for reading, and see you next time!