apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

The biggest adjustment I had to make was not killing the old roommates cat when he SHREDDED the arm of my Neo couch from DWR. In the new house the bf and I have no pets. We clean once a week. Its great.

It really is such an odd phenomenon to have pets. Here's this weird, furry (unless you're the creepy 'snake guy' type) living thing running rampant in your home. I mean, isn't that why we built homes in the first place? To keep the jungle out?

I don't dislike pets, I'm just amazed at the amount of effort folks will go through for them. I grew up on a farm..the animals were animals and when things died...they died. It was a little sad, but part of the big circle of life. We never got attached to them the way I see some people attached to their pets.

Modfan . . . you have my deepest sympathy. There is NOTHING better than sharing your life with a loving cat or dog. It's the only love money can buy.

Modfan,
That's really sad.

Connecting with a non-human being is quite special and meaningful. You seem t suggest that people who love their pets don't experience the "circle of life". What rot. When a pet dies the c.o.l. is very apprent and strongly sensed. I think you are missing out on something that might just make you a happier more loving person.

(And we built homes to keep each other out, nasty murdering, stealing humans - not so much friendly animals)

My dog has totally changed my routine. Happy hour with co-workers now need to be planned around bars near my house, so I can go home and let the pup out before having a drink with friends. I have to build in the price of kenneling into my vacation budgets. We spend many a Friday night a home with a rented movie and take out instead of going out to a restaurant. But it's all totally worth it! After I got my dog 2 years ago, I couldn't believe I had gone so long with out one in my life! He's a constant source of entertainment.

I totally agree that one of the perks is that we run are much more social with our neighbors than we were in pre-dog years. People like to come up and talk to you when you have a dog. In LA, no one would ever just stop you to talk while you were walking around your neighborhood. But with a dog, tons of people want to coo over him and ask tons of questions.

williamsweyr -- or, if you have friends who are stray-pet magnets, you needn't even buy that love! (Though a stray piece of tuna will cement that love forever for my two little fur balls. :) )

I find that I keep surfaces a lot cleaner. My cats love to sleep on the chairs in my house and so, because they have me wrapped around their little paws, I try to keep them free of stuff (bags, clothes, etc) so that they can sleep most comfortably.

I also have to put clothes away as soon as I come back from the laundromat, because my cats are drawn to clean clothes like a magnet and on those odd occasions where I haven't put the clothes away immediately I've discovered both of them burrowed down deep into the hamper, happily sleeping whilst also getting lots of fur all over my newly cleaned clothes.

My dog has chewed up 12 pairs of shoes, my bedroom window sill and my office window sill, a book my husband bought which was going to help us begin to think more positive thoughts, and now that it has been ripped into a thousand pieces, I may be doomed. She is a complete and total monster.

positive "effect" not "affect".

That said, after getting our two dogs I have often wondered how we managed for so long without them. They are a constant source of entertainment and worth any extra effort they require.

I sort of adopted my cat on an impulse, and when I brought her home, I was racked with buyer's remorse of sorts, thinking about all the responsibility and changes this would cause. Now when I think about that, I want to kick myself. Thank goodness I did keep her! And the little one that came along a few years later...I got her for a few bowls of kibble.

Cats are hardly any work at all! I like to joke that a cat is like a goldfish. Yes, I have to clean up after her and I really should vacuum more, and if I go away for 3 days, I need to find someone to check on her, but that's about it.

I imagine having a dog is a lot more work, but I'm sure it's worth it!

I feel bad for people like Modfan who care more about their stuff than other living things. I like my stuff, too, and my cat scratches up my sofa, but what am I going to do - get rid of my cat to save my stupid sofa? Hell no!

I have a reason to come home after work. Two fluffy little faces in the window waiting for me. I wake up to these little fluff balls cuddling with me. My husband and I have to plan more with vacations as to who will pet sit. We have to be aware of how long we have been out of the house and when we need to get home. I am very picky about a clean house and have to work hard to keep ours clean. I must lint brush my whole outfit before walking out of the house. I have fallen on a few toys walking to the bathroom in the dark. I would not trade one moment of it. They are my joy and bring such a sense of unconditional love to my life. My house is not a home without them.

3 days

Weird, comments won't take a plus sign. 3 plus days...there, I'm done.

@OliviaV--there is a reason she is doing all of that chewing. You need to speak with a behavioralist and find out the source of the issue.

@Modfan--what's wrong with snakes? and why stereotype a snake owner with being the "creepy snake guy"??

I got my first dog in January. She has completely changed my life. All I had before were cats and now having 2 dogs (got her a playmate) makes me have to reconsider a lot of things. What do I do when I need to visit my family? Drive 15 hours with them or board them in a kennel and fly? There is a lot one can't do with a dog, but I absolutely love my girls to pieces and they bring a lot of joy and sillyness to my life. I'm UBERparanoid about the food they eat so their food is all organic with no animal byproducts; they also have pet insurance in case of an emergency or illness. They have cost a heck of a lot more than my cats. But they are so worth it. :)

My cats are my very bestest friends! I don't think I could make it through this big bad world (of humans) without them.

I love dogs, but can't have any at my condo. I have heard Greyhounds are wonderful pets. Many blessings to you and your new friend.

:)

Having a dog has completely changed my life as well. I got up earlier (WAYYYYYYYYYYY earlier) and as a result stopped partying as hard as I used to. 7 a.m. dog walks while hung over are NOT fun! ha ha eventually realized I was wasting a lot of time, energy, and money at bars, saved it up and now own my house. This is just one major example but I can't imagine my life without her. Sappy but true!

Just to throw it out there -- the piling of "Shame on you for not loving living things and only caring about material possessions you heartless philistine!" comments on Modfan is a bit much. Pets are not for everyone. My family never had a pet growing up -- parents didn't want animals in the house, period. Too much mess.

I, however, always wanted a dog. Then I walked dogs for a while and realized that I wanted a pet, but not a dog. Dogs are too dependent for me. So I got a cat, and I've become (rather ironically) a bit dependent on him!

Bruno has changed my home life in one very big way; I've always been creeped out by the idea of living alone, and have put up with the necessary inconvenience (if not evil, hah) of roommates. But thanks to Bruno and the month-early departure by my previous roomie, I've got a taste for living alone, and am taking the plunge, moving into my first solo studio apartment in a few weeks.

Bruno is just enough company for me. People need/want pets for different reasons. Some people don't need or want them at all. Their life is no less full than yours; they just have different priorities.

That being said -- if this wasn't already clear, I friggin' adore my cat and I don't regret adopting him for a second.

Oh Gosh....I couldn't imagine my life without my two furballs. They can be brats, they have damaged furniture, and my boy cat has inspired male competition from my boyfriends (which is REALLY weird that a human male would be jeolous of a male cat), but they make me laugh many times a day, they give me a reason to look forward to going home, they surprise me every day with their intelligence, and their love is unconditional. Having a connection with an animal is special and it's worth having to chase fur tumbleweeds across my wood floor, making sure I always have a lint roller on hand, and cleaning stinky litterboxes. Sure, if I hadn't adopted my two cats I'd have a couch that wasn't shredded to pieces and always sporting puffs of fur, I wouldn't step on sharp little pieces of escaped kitty litter, and occasionally step in a fresh hairball...but I also wouldn't have the two little faces waiting in the window for me to come home, I wouldn't laugh as much as I do, and I wouldn't get the kitty kisses and hugs. Sooooo worth it all. Modfan, your inability to connect with an animal is an issue I would worry about...their love is unconditional, but it is earned...and if you can't earn it from even one...that's a concern.

Oh, and that picture of the kitten is too precious!!! What a cutie! Oh, there is something so wrong with people who can't love an animal.

"I don't dislike pets, I'm just amazed at the amount of effort folks will go through for them."

I'm with Modfan - it took my Sis and her husband 3 Whole Years of their dog eating/digging/burying/chewing/destroying nearly everything in their house before she calmed down.

When you're late for work because the dog buried the car keys in the back yard, or Xmas is ruined because the dog ate the gifts under the tree, or the sofa is destroyed because the animal went on a rampage - I think enough is enough.

My husband and I have had a dog now for 4 months...we feel more of a sense of family, like we are all "in it together." Our pup definitely adds a lot of LIFE to our home! Luckily, he loves to sleep in (in fact, we have to get him out of bed).

I live alone and I work from home. After three weeks with my two kittens, I can say I'm much happier than before they came into my life.

I'm getting up earlier, cleaning more often, am more active during the day when I take a few minutes from work to play with them (bored kittens are dangerous creatures), and am more organized. The girls don't get a chance to take my keys/watch/glasses/hair clips/loaves of bread (yes, loaves of bread, happened once) because those items have been assigned homes out of their reach.

@bepsf, pets are animals, and we have to treat them as such. Given the opportunity, they'll act like...animals! It's up to us as their owners to anticipate their behavior and do what we can to make sure it's not destructive. I love the show on Animal Planet "It's me or the Dog" because it shows simple training methods that vastly improve the lives of the owners and their pets.

As much as I love animals, I wouldn't argue with someone that they're missing out by not having any. To me, it's the same as people telling me that I'm missing out by not having kids - pets aren't for everyone - nor are children.

But for me, life wouldn't be worth living without my wonderful ladies (cats). =)

Christ, people.

I love my kittylumpen, but I'm with confusednazgul. What is with the need of 99% of people in this thread to tell someone who doesn't want pets that you know what's good for them better than they do? You may as well go picket the gay pride parade.

bncrain, congrats! you will LOVE living on your own with your kitty. that's what i do.

and i agree, modfan is getting bullied here.

it is certainly responsibility and sometimes sacrifice. it has limited my vacations and spontaneous adventures that's for sure. but it's worth it. every day when i walk in the door my boys are beside themselves with joy at my arrival. i'm the light of their furry lives, and it gives me the warmest feeling. i can't imagine my life without them.

heheh... we're constantly adjusting. Normally things are pretty normal, but every now and then they'll do something kinda nutty and we'll have to think of a remedy for that issue. We let our parrots out of their cages when either one of us are home and they have free reign, with supervision, of course:)

We've been so used to making adjustments for the last couple of years, nothing really surprises us anymore!

I just spent the summer away from my fuzzums (yes, revolting, I know) and while I miss him and I'll be delighted to get him back this weekend, I'm actually enjoying NOT having cat hair and kitty ralph everywhere, and NOT being woken up at 5:30 because someone is hungry.

Yes, they're lovely, but they're also work. And my guy is a joy -- he's not destructive and he doesn't have any behaviour issues. But still.

i totally agree with modfan about how its so strange that we have these wild furry creatures running around our homes. i think its funny. i have two cats and they are a constant source of joy. but sometimes i look at them and am startled by the fact that these are creatures with fur, who do not speak english, who tear up the house and poop in front of me with no qualms. too weird.

oh and people get over yourselves. how did you go from 'pets are sort of a strange idea to me' to 'cannot make a connection with other living beings'. JEEEEZUZ. get a grip.

Speaking of the expense of having a dog: when I moved here 3 years ago, I realized during the summer months that my dog Wolsey had stopped drinking water. His bowl always stood there, full. I realized this on a Saturday, intensified my awareness of the situation, and, finally, freaked out. He was going to dehydrate and die! So I took him to the one veterinary hospital in the area that stayed open 24/7.

The vet could find nothing wrong, but hydrated Wolzey for good measure and ran a few tests. My bill, as I left, was pennies shy of $500.

When we got back home, we went to the garden, where I sat by the pond and reflected bitterly upon a bill payment that was going to make life hard for the rest of that month. $500! As I sat there glooming and fuming, Wolsey jumped off the bench, went to the pond, and lapped away happily. It seems pond water is the preferred summer beverage, not tap water. . . .

It must be nice to run a business where you can charge a lot of money for not having the hint of a clue, no? (This vet is locally loathed yet used when there's no other weekend option.)

Living with a dog and cat, I get up much earlier than normally because they are hungry, sometimes for food, most times for affection. I'm also constantly using my swiffer sweeper to pick up hair which accumulates faster than the speed of light. Vet bills can get pricey at times, but since I used to work at an animal hospital, I get an employee discount when I take my pets there. But it's a small price to pay for the love and attention you receive in return. My pets are my buddies and companions and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Mr. J.J. Cat came to live with my son and I 13 years ago when he was barely weened and we were moving 250 miles away. Four months later, my son went back to the small town we'd lived in to spend Christmas break with his father. It was the first time we'd been apart for so long and I was having a bit of a hard time dealing with it. I guessed the cat was having a hard time as well, since he became my shadow as soon as I walked thru the door.

The company I worked for closed early for the few days before Christmas so I was home a bit earlier than the time my son usually came home from school. I watched as the cat became more and more agitated - he'd sit on the arm of the sofa and stare at the front door, then walk across the back of the sofa to stare out the window, then back to the arm, back to the window, then he'd look at me and meow pitifully - that's when I realized that he was upset because my son wasn't coming home like he usually did.

As my son got older and was gone more with his friends, J.J. became more used to it, but he always seemed to know when my son was going to walk thru the door and would be sitting on whatever piece of furniture was nearest the door waiting.

He'd be there waiting for me, too, when I came home from work, follow me around and tell me about his day as Appointed Defender of the House and Offical Bug Spotter while I put away my things and changed clothes, then we'd sit on the sofa and have hugs and cuddles. After that, he'd demand his treats, tell me I was in charge, and go off for his late afternoon nap. (Which, as every cat lover knows, is different from the mid-afternoon nap, or the early evening nap).

For me, so totally worth the extra vacumming, litter box cleaning, and occasionally stepping on a cold hairball at 4am. I have friends who think I'm nuts, but I love them anyway.

I got my cat Mies when he was five weeks old. He acts like baby and is the sweetest thing. He lets us hold him like a human baby and it is his preferred bed. He lets us hold him whenever we like and even cries to us to be picked up. When we make kissing noises or say "Mies kiss" he raises his mouth up at us. When my boyfriend isn't home, he always sticks by me and follows me around everywhere. When I'm cooking in the kitchen he stands on top of the garbage can and watches me. He makes little horse noises and only meows when I'm in the bathroom and don't let him in. He is gorgeous and he has truly changed my life. He is my first pet and is extremely spoiled. When he was five weeks old I would wake up early just to heat up his organic goat's milk and to ensure he would drink and eat.

arstellla -- Horse noises?? Like how? My cat's nickname is Birdcat because he always sounds like a pigeon. But horse noises...that I haven't heard, lol!

Since I own my cat I've discovered that anything not glued to the floor IS a toy (hey, when she was a kitten even courtains qualified as such!). My sofa has cover now that doesn't really deterr her scratching, but I do clean more often and I am home more and clean more sistematically. I put a protective net on the balcony, but it's OK with me because I'm not particularly keen on heights.

What is with the need of 99% of people in this thread to tell someone who doesn't want pets that you know what's good for them better than they do?

~elvedon


Insecurity? Does it drive and deride my appreciation of communion?

But whatever. All I know is that I love my dog and I miss you Rhoda. :)