I Still Hate Cats

I believe that the idea of having a pet is having something to interact with and essentially socialize with to allow a steady flow of comfort between animals of different species. It is symbiotic, one could say. Dogs qualify automatically for that category. It's ingrained in a domestic dog's DNA to be loyal to a human. To the point where, you almost feel sorry for them since their brains are not very complex (generalization) and focus on just pleasing their human.

A dog is always happy to see you. I have yet to meet a dog that cowers at the sight of a human being. My dog has always been her own character but my shadow, that follows me everywhere grunting at me, which I believe is some form of communication she's trying to develop. She even welcomes me home at 3 AM, with a considerably groggy look on her face. Yes, there are those few that are aggressive but generally it has to do with the nature of the breed. I was mauled by a husky when I was five, I had scratches and scabs all over my face for weeks but ever since that moment, I've wanted a husky more than any other dog. I love dogs. I honestly couldn't imagine a world without them. They truly are the greatest pets. All they ask of you in return for their unconditional devotion is just a pat on the head, a walk, or some quality time. It's so simple and pathetic that you have to love them.

A horse is another animal, believe it or not, that devotes itself to you if you give it all the attention that an amazing creature such as that deserves. I will never forget the horses that I've owned. Comet was my playmate and playground when I was a kid. He was just this little tri-color paint pony with a crazy Mohawk who was fearless and had a hilarious superiority complex. Cisco was probably my favorite though, he had a quirky personality for a horse. He was quite protective of me, and despite his clumsiness in the paddock actually rescued me from being trampled by another horse. When I was sixteen and seventeen, I'd stop by at the barn after a late night or if I was upset about something and just sit in his stall. I would curl up in one corner and he would walk over and put his nose between my face and my legs and sometimes playfully nibble at my nose. I loved him, more than I thought I did. I told myself I wouldn't cry on the day his new owner drove away, but I did. I literally collapsed into tears in the driveway.

My chinchilla, Chavez, and I started out slow, but now we're thick as thieves. He gets into a lot of shenanigans and still has a feeling that I may just be edible one of these times, but I think that's what I like about him. He knows perfectly well when he's misbehaving, he enjoys it, perhaps too much. I love playing with him and the weird sounds he makes at night just add to the mystique. So I've concluded that chinchillas make excellent companions if you have enough energy to play all the time.

Cats. I have two. I'm not particularly a fan of cats. They demand a lot and really don't do much in return. A cat is almost never happy to see you, it's just excited you opened the door so it has a possibility of escaping the place that is sustaining its life. They are moody and lazy. BUT when you need something to cuddle out the pain, even I'll admit that a cat will almost always be there for you. Just don't try to hold them too long. I claim I hate them, but I really do like cats. I like all animals, like people, every single one has something to offer.

Everyone should at some point adopt a pet of some sort. It helps you to rationalize your life. It gives you the excuse that if no human needs you here, at least an animal does. Even the meanest pets have love in them somewhere. At the end of the day, it's feeding an animal that puts everything back into perspective. They literally need you, don't ever abuse that privilege.