apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Domestic dogs and cats are the suburban sprawl of wildlife.

The hundreds of millions of these pets, have created the demand for a gargantuan poluting agro-pet industry. How many millions of of square miles of forest and prairie, Brazilian rain forest and fishing grounds have been cleared to feed Rover?
How many foxes deer and endangered birds have lost their habitats?
How many monster SUVs are bought - not to transort children to school (what ever happened to walking? another victim of suburban sprawl?) but rather to carry tribes of Labradors in style.

Personally - I find children much more interesting.

Pissy, party of one.

I'm not usually interested in pet photography, but that top shot is wonderful.

Black cats have the same shelter rep. That makes more sense than this dog thing (if you take into consideration people's general stupidity and the association with Halloween). First time I've heard it applied to dogs.

I've seen shelters offer a free black cat with the purchase of a non-black cat.

The first dog my family ever had was a black lab mix/mutt from our local pound. We never hesitated. Never heard of this black dog myth. Craziest thing I have heard today.

I find cats way more interesting than children.

To all Pet Owners

To be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door - nose height.

Dear Dogs and Cats:

The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food.
The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your
food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack.
Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't
help because I fall faster than you can run.


I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this.
Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort.

Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep.

It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent
possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the
other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.
For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom.
If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary
to claw, whine, meow, and try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and
try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have
been using the bathroom for years -- canine or feline attendance is not required.

The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress
this enough!

To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door:

To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Pets:

01. They live here. You don't.
02. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the
furniture. (That's why they call it 'fur'nature.)
03. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
04. To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy,
walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

Remember: In many ways, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

01. Eat less
02. Don't ask for money all the time
03. Are easier to train
04. Normally come when called (well, OK, the cat thinks about it)
05. Never ask to drive the car
06. Don't hang out with drug-using friends
07. Don't smoke or drink
08. Don't have to buy the latest fashions
09. Don't want to wear your clothes
10. Don't need a 'gazillion' dollar for college.

And finally,

1c1. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children.

Nani, we've taken to domesticating animals because children aren't interesting enough. This is an historical fact!

All our cats have been rescued. But allergies can be killers. Malia won't be able to enjoy the dog if it kicks up her allergies. As to those people who are anti-pet, msby.

at least with pets, as opposed to children, you don't risk passing on any negative hereditary traits. pissiness, for example. the moral of the story being: unless you're damn well willing to back up your badly-spelled assertions with a fact or two ("How many monster SUVs are bought - not to transort children to school (what ever happened to walking? another victim of suburban sprawl?) but rather to carry tribes of Labradors in style"--great question . . . how many?), take it easy.

For myself, my cats are my kids. I'd have gladly had children if I was given a choice. Other couples can not afford to have children. Most modern families rely on two incomes. Daycare isn't an option, it's a necessity and while it's hugely expenive, it's just the start. So many have sublimated their yearning for children with adopting pets. Right or wrong, it is what it is.

And if you think owning a pet is wasteful, take a look at the industrial complex thats grown around kids afterschool and play activities.

Aaaawwwww!!! What a sweet puppy! Who could resist that face!

I am a proud owner of a black (now pretty mixed with gray), mixed breed dog I got from the shelter thirteen years ago. It was the best $60 I ever spent (well, that and another $60 a year later for dog #2). They have enriched my life in ways that I never imagined. They have been with me through thick and thin, they show me a world I would never have noticed or understood if I had breezed through life at a normal human pace and they have made me safer for the years I lived in dodgy neighborhoods.

I know I am a better, more understanding, more observant person because of my dogs who taught me lessons that I could not have learned any other way. I don't see dogs or kids as replacements for each other or somehow in competition. Dogs are not humans. My dogs have helped me to understand my humanity from a perspective of a non-human, yet worthy life. I owe them debts greater than the cost of their care.

Lori, KTC: Do your parents have the same opinion as you? About their children being less intersting than some domesticated carnivore?
Apparently so.
Perhaps that is the cause of Aspergers Syndrome being so common... Lots of Autism spectrum people deprived of love, because they aren't completely covered with fur.

Wow...Nani, I'd love to have kids, but the fates deemed otherwise. Luckily, I have enough love, cash, and space in my house to share with my beloved cats.

I didn't know black dogs were hard to place, but I find it interesting. When I adopted one of my dogs from the shelter, I almost overlooked her because (at first glance) she was too ordinary looking. Something kept bringing me back to her and I finally realized she was about the most wonderful dog I ever could have imagined. While most of the rest of the dogs paced anxiously or hid in the back of their cages, she sat quietly up front and whenever I came to greet her she'd put her paw up on the gate. When I talked to her she looked in my eyes and I saw intelligence and a gentle spirit. I fortunately decided to adopt her and she is one of the great loves of my life.

I think it's a shame that many dog owners tend to go more for looks or for a certain breed, rather than trying to connect with a shelter dog. I looked long and hard for the perfect dog, repeatedly going to two different shelters, and I found a remarkable gem where others would have only seen an ordinary black dog.

I'm sorry if I offended anyone.
I stand by my original statement, that pet owners are not necessarily "nature" or animal lovers, any more than McMansion owners in the 60-mile-commute exurbs are nature lovers.
About for the pets-children tangent: I am blessed to have, and feel empathy for those deeply wanted who missed out on having. I also understand how important hearing another heartbeat, any heartbeat can be when you wake in the morning.

As for those miscreants like Leona Helmsley, who had both, yet can find love only for the furry variety... well I m sure that most of us would agree that owning dogs definitely did not make her more human.

What a weird reaction to an adorable story. It's odd how in comments sections it's often an either/or. I like dogs, cats, kids and people so take that!

Perhaps the prejudice against black dogs is due to shedding? Most homes have white/beige couch or carpet so the black hairs would stand out more.

I think color preference can also be breed specific because my friend who works at an animal shelter tells me that black labs are more popular than yellow labs whereas white poodles are more popular than black poodles.

Nani you seem to view things as black and white surprised you are an artist..and comparing all pet owners to Leona Helmsley is really out of touch at least its no where close to my world.

I love nature and being a pet owner like many people in the world do. I hope you do not pass your judgements and point of views onto your children or at least addressing these issues you have.

I agree with Gigi818 how did such a reaction from this post.

It is true about black dogs being overlocked at the shelters. When I volunteered at the shelter I saw this happen many times. It was heart breaking because some of the black dogs were so loving, well behaved and would make a great family dog. The volunteers would try to point out the best of the black dogs to the folks wanting a easy, loving dog.

Some people here seem to say they prefer pets to humans because they can control pets, not humans.

I agree with Gigi818.

did anyone actually follow the links and read the articles?

I would like to see any evidence backing up the comment that the rain forest is being cut down because i choose to have pets.

Oh and i would wager that one child would produce a much larger carbon footprint than my three pets combined.

Awww what's wrong with Black dog's. We had a gorgeous black lab x something unknown that we called Angus. Lol.

I agree with gigi818 - why does it have to be a choice between kids and pets? Children and pets often love one another very naturally. Also, for everyone who seems to prefer pets over children - your children are only as good as the love, care and intelligent guidance you provide them. My children love our dog and visa-versa.

Nani, if children were completely covered in fur, they would be only marginally more interesting, and that's because they might join the circus, and have that to talk about. I think you are overstating the case where people build their lives around dogs and cats and not their children. Some are prone to do both or either, I wouldn't prioritize people here as you are, but many people treat their children like lords and ladies of the manor when they don't even have a manor. I can hardly believe dogs and cats are taking up more than their fair share of attention at the detriment of our own species. Most people just caretake the animal, as in feed it and give it a home, love and exercise and a chewy or squeaky thing once every so often. I've never heard of anyone normal investing in larger vehicles because their dog told them they wouldn't be seen in a Honda Accord. Very few treat it to a life of royal excess. It seems you wish you'd been born a dog, then you wouldn't be so ... well you would, but it would mean something else.

Ok, does the photo of the cat in the pink wig freak anyone else out?

Not the kids vs. pets debate again! Can there be a post about pets without this coming up, please?

I agree with Honeyhaze, a connection between you and your potential new pet is infinitely more important than the pet's physical appearance.

Personally, I do think it's possible people aren't as attracted to black pets in shelters. I've lived with my beautiful, sweet, and intelligent black dog for 11 years. To me, she looks as friendly as can be, but it's not uncommon for people to cross the street when they see us walking up the sidewalk (ok, she's also big, but big and friendly). And, I can verify that she doesn't photograph well.

I love black dogs and cats. Especially when their coats are so shiny and silky that they get a blue sheen to them. My cat is invisible if she closes her eyes. Ninja cat!

LOL jake. I adore animals of all colors, and now I feel really bad about not adopting Ebony, this gorgeous tomcat. My husband had never had a pet and was a bit intimidated because the cat was humungo. I also had a big crush on one of my grandmother's black cats, Prince. He was so soft you just wanted to wear him, and docile enough that you almost could.

I'm surprised any cat would wear a wig long enough to pose that way, especially since it's so fluffy and floppy and would be wonderful to shred to little bits. (I had seen the picture before because we have a working group at the office that's abbreviated CATRWG, and that's their unofficial mascot.)

Funny, lots of suburbanites I know don't have pets, and they use their SUVs just to "transort" themselves and their lattes to the office, and pesticide their lawns even though no dogs run around them. If we're going to talk about the environmental problems of pets vs. those of children, I'd say pets have a far smaller pawprint... they don't need their own rooms, or clothes, or cell phones, or cars...

Having said that, some of the stuff on this post is just offensively excessive (and yes, I'm sure that was the point). My kitties get a decent food and the best vet care. But beyond that, they get home-grown catnip and plastic milk caps.

I guess back to topic: my cat is kinda ugly. Well, I thought so when I went to the pound 14 years ago. I don't know what I was looking for but my boyfriend had promised me a kitten and they didn't have any left. Some cat had 5 kittens and a woman had been in earlier that day for 3 kittens and decided to just take all 5. Well I hope they made her extremely happy because I looked around at all the cats. It's hard to look at that many cats and figure out what qualities will determine which one you pick. It's very insensitive!

Anyway, my cat pawed at me, and I was, well, you got some weird face markings, I don't like you and I don't think I can see that every day and not wish for a prettier cat. And then I looked at all the other cats, I can't say I took my time about it. I had actually been to a different pound the day before and found nothing to my liking. I had never "gone shopping" for animals before and didn't know how I was supposed to feel in a place like that. Kind of mixed about criteria and the more I thought about it, the harder it was to say "I'll take that one" with any amount of certainty or lack of remorse. Of course, I eventually went back to my cat, the kinda ugly one, and said "I'll take that one, and is there another cat in there with her? What'sa matter with her? She's so sad and scared. I'll take that one too." I don't know how that happens, just knowing it's right.

I am profoundly happy with this split-second decision; had there been any kittens left, I would have just taken whichever one was left. It would have developed some kind of endearing character, then it would be different. My cats (at least the shy one almost positively) would have been deprived of a pretty nice low-key life, as sure as several of the ones I left behind - which is why spaying and neutering is important. I don't like to think of all the cats and dogs that I can't afford to save and how they don't get homes because of other animals having better looks to them, or other positive qualities that are more apparent in the pound. Having two cats was nicer than one, because I got to recognize cat personalities in each of them and appreciate their individual qualities, rather than limit my awareness to "cats are catlike because my cat acts like a cat." I never had a cat before so this experience drew a more vivid picture for me.

The best part about animals is they don't criticize you if you look a mess and don't want to clean up the house or if you lose your job or have to move back in with your parents. They don't judge you on what you do for a living, or how many men you slept with, or dressing kinda Amish, or spending a lot of money on a gym membership and never go. They don't count your beers, they don't care if you still like grunge music, or the lame puns you tell over and over, or if you are eating cereal out of a cool whip container. They still like you, they look forward to seeing you when you come home. Why wouldn't you worship the beast who can do that without even trying?

K T G... Maybe they do, but since they can't talk, you'll never know. :)

I had a wonderful black dog, a pound rescue. Now my son has the same name. The dog died of old age and only overlapped with the baby a short while. Then we got another black lab mix pound rescue dog who lasted another 13 years. Then a brown lab came here and claimed us. I can't imagine not having pets.

All that, PLUS.... pets aren't a bunch of psychos in their comparatively "teen" years.

Pets are wonderful and can't compare them to the brats of these days...ha!

Nani, you're not sorry, or you wouldn't have posted the way you did in the first place. I find the vitriol in your posts interesting. If you don't like or want pets, I wonder why you would bother posting on a pet post. UNLESS of course, you are just looking for attention by hiding behind the tired cliche "for the children". If you want to bask in appreciation for your sentiments, why aren't you taking your halo over to a parenting board?

We have a large black bouvier (a cow-herding dog). He has hair like a poodle's, so he doesn't shed. And while he's entirely gentle, his size and his bark have scared off a would-be robber.

Bouviers are active outdoors, but mostly sleep inside. Highly recommended for apartment dwellers.

Is anyone else TOTALLY creeped out by the cat in the wig?