Most people like babies. They are little and cute, and make adorable noises. The majority of the population would be glad to hold a baby and play with it... for a while. The downside to babies is that they scream when they want something, they make very stinky diapers, and anywhere you go you have to haul around a bunch of stuff for them to eat, sleep on, or poop on. I am happy to take my baby and show her off to people who don’t have one so that she can be adequately adored. The ones adoring her are also probably pretty happy that I’m taking her home with me when they’re finished tickling her toes. It’s nice to see something cute and cuddly like that occasionally, and enjoy it while it’s there, but it’s also nice that it doesn’t come home with you afterwards.
This is how I feel about animals.
My sister-in-law has a tiny cat. It is fun to watch it chase insects around and perch on windowsills, and amusing to see how it reacts to my daughter stealing and hoarding all of its toys. No matter how cute it is, I’m never sorry that it stays there when we go home.
My brother and sister-in-law have two dogs, a fluffy Sheltie and a leaping Jack Russell Terrier. I love them. They are cute and fuzzy and I like to pet them and watch how delighted my daughter is when she gets to pet them. But the thing I like most is that they stay at my brother’s house when we go home.
Pets are wonderful things. They are always excited to see us when we come home (even if it’s just a feline glance which means “where have you been all day? oh well, who cares; feed me”). They cuddle in our laps and provide companionship. And they’re usually pretty cute, too. The downside to pets is that you have to clean up after them, you have to buy food to feed them, and they generally shed their fur on anything they sit or sleep on (especially in the summertime).
People who don’t have children don’t usually understand why those who do would want to have them. It’s a love thing. It doesn’t matter how many loads of laundry I have to wash, how many times I have to mop the floor, or how late I have to stay up trying to rock someone to sleep. I love my children enough to endure all of that.
I can imagine that this is how pet owners feel. They love their fuzzy cuddly animal enough that they don’t mind cleaning up after it. And that’s okay. I love your pets too, other people.
I’m just glad they live with you.
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