Last week the Daily Minder house got a tiny new addition (pictured above). His name is Cino (pron. Chino) and he is an eight week old Ragdoll kitten with bright blue eyes.
Having him run around my feet while I cook dinner and attack my fingers while I clack away at the keyboard has been a true joy and it got me thinking about the value of having pets in your life.
In this post I want to tell you why I think almost every household should have some kind of pet.
The value of growing up with pets
I have always had pets in my life. Growing up I had an Old English Sheep Dog called Ralph that used to let me ride on his back. I had a fat old cat called Smudge that couldn’t stand to be away from human contact. I had a bunch of fish, a turtle and even some frogs! Now I have a two year old Beagle that has taken me close to the edge of insanity and the brand new Cino who I am just getting to know.
So what is the value of having these little creatures in your life? Do they do anything but add to your grocery bills, tear up your furniture and leave hair all over your carpets?
They sure do.
Company
A pet is a great source of company. If you spend a lot of time by yourself a pet can be a wonderful addition to your home. Most pets will love you unconditionally and it is a great feeling knowing that there is something in your house you can spend time with if you need to.
Compassion
One of the best reasons to have pets in your house is because they teach you compassion. If I ever have children I will always make sure they grow up around animals because they are a fantastic way to help them understand that other beings have feelings that need to be considered and respected.
Responsibility
When you have a pet you can’t just head off for the night or go on a weekend getaway. They need to be fed, given fresh water and so on. Having a pet in your life will teach you responsibility better than almost anything else because it is more than a normal responsibility – it is a living creature.
Laughter
I have done more laughing in this past week than I have done in the whole of last year. The kitten is hilarious – jumping around, climbing on things, sleeping on his head, etc. Laugher is something that shouldn’t be missing from anyone’s life and a loving pet is one of the best ways to get it.
So who shouldn’t have a pet?
In the title of this post I said that ALMOST everyone should have a pet. So who are the people that shouldn’t have a pet? Well, they are the people who aren’t in it for the long term or who are constantly lazy when it comes to others needs. Don’t buy a pet on a whim or as a present for someone. It is the same as buying a house or an investment – you need to carefully consider how you are going to pay for and look after that purchase.
Any of our readers have a pet? Is this a cat or a dog readership?
Originally posted on September 18, 2008 @ 8:51 am
