What have you learned from owning a pet? \ stacker news ~meta

What have you learned from owning a pet?

4923 sats \ 28 comments \ @birdeye21 12 Sep 2023 meta

As I've read from a few here, stackers are no strangers to pets.

I myself have two cats right now, but I've grown with pets since before I could speak.

My cats are menaces.

They love each other and have a lot of fun -- too much fun. It's entertaining, annoying, sweet, sleep-depriving (at times) -- I'm sure some can relate.

At the same time, the (not so) simple act of caring for a life instills a great amount of patience and resilience over time. I put up with bs daily that my former self certainly wouldn't care to tolerate. I can only imagine what kids are like.

And I don't mean to call my cats ill-behaved. On the contrary, I feel like I've done the best I can to tune them into their natural sense of selves. But it's probably a bit too much for my liking...

What have you taken away from your experience with animals? Please share cat tips with me if u have them.

view all related items

2803 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 12 Sep 2023

I have been around animals my whole life. When I was a kid we had lots of pets. I always enjoyed them, but it wasn't until later that I learned their real value to me. In my 20s I was unmarried, with no serious girlfriend, and living in an apartment right near my job. I was a young lawyer with enough money in my pocket to get myself in trouble. I had lots of fun with my buddies, drank way too much, and was staying up late most nights. I started having trouble getting up in time for work. I was losing focus and gradually spiraling downhill. It occurred to me that I needed to be responsible for someone or something other than myself. I decided I needed a pet. I started with a fish tank. That was easy. Just feed them and change the water occasionally. Then I got a dog. That changed everything. She was my responsibility. I had to walk her, feed her, train her, get home early from wherever I was, etc. Her schedule became my schedule. I'm not saying there's a direct connection, but my life got better. My relationships were more stable. I eventually met my wife. We started a family. We have kept many pets together. We're older now. Many people our age don't want pets because it's more difficult to travel. It's true, but we think it's worth the tradeoff.

2005 sats \ 0 replies \ @quark 12 Sep 2023

I've learned from them to accept death with courage when the time comes. And to remember that life is short to enjoy it as much as we can.

1682 sats \ 1 reply \ @DarthCoin 12 Sep 2023

All my life I had pets. Dogs, cats and other domestic animals.

What I learned?

When you are young, kid with pets, is just fun, but also you learn to be responsible for them. Is good that if you want to educate well your kids, give them the responsibility to take care of them. Not just for playing ! Will teach the kids more than you can imagine. Animals are really smart and can relate very well with kids. And they can heal wounds also... not just physical wounds.
As adult, is a very good companion. All the time. I could say that is even better than wife/husband because they cannot talk to you and especially scream to you or molesting you. They just want food from you and give you unconditional love.
In time, you will learn to talk with them. Based on their personality and habits, you will learn how to communicate with them or interpret what they want to say to you. That will create a big bond between you and them. But be careful, this bond have its reverse: the departure from a loved pet will be much painful than you think.
They always came back to you. I had many pets that died. And I am telling sincere with the hand on my heart: they came back to me, in form of another pet. I felt that, not just once but 3 times. Especially cats. That gives you more comfort and peace.
Cats especially, are bad energy eaters and giving back the good energy, re-filling your body. How many times you get home tired after work and just sit and immediately a cat jump on your legs and start snoring and sleeping? That means is detecting the bad energy (tiredness) and the "feed" from it, giving you back that "puurrrr" vibration. That vibration is very important for your blood pressure. Try keeping that cat purring close to your heart. You will see that in few minutes you feel much better. Then they will just leave you when they feel that the bad energy from you is gone.
Play with them all the time! Do not escape any opportunity. Is keeping them healthy and intelligent and also is disconnecting you from any bad thoughts, worries etc.

What should I say more? Who doesn't have a pet, doesn't have a good heart and soul.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Atreus 14 Sep 2023

They always came back to you. I had many pets that died. And I am telling sincere with the hand on my heart: they came back to me, in form of another pet. I felt that, not just once but 3 times. Especially cats. That gives you more comfort and peace.

Honestly Darth this scares me, since I've experienced the exact same thing. We have a dog that my wife has observed, in passing, acts like a cat I had as a kid — but I haven't really articulated it like you did here. Gonna think about this one.

1631 sats \ 3 replies \ @WeAreAllSatoshi 12 Sep 2023

Prepare for medical emergencies. Pets have them, too.

I feel pets were good training towards having a child. Not good enough, but a good first step

21 sats \ 2 replies \ @tnuts420 13 Sep 2023

yeah having multiple giant dogs has definitely taught me that pet insurance is a must

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @WeAreAllSatoshi 13 Sep 2023

I’ve never looked into pet insurance. Any recommendations?

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @tnuts420 13 Sep 2023

the only one i've ever used is nationwide, and that's really just because i get a discount through work. but that being said, i've had no issues with them, and i'm on my second dog covered by them. i want to say it's like a $200 deductible per year, and then they reimburse you 80% of everything after that

1045 sats \ 0 replies \ @Public_N_M_E 13 Sep 2023

I miss my dogs. I grew up with them but now, I don't have a lifestyle that fits having a dog. Can't be out for 10+ hours of the day leaving the dog on its own, it's just not fair on the animal. But I miss that unconditional love and companionship.

You never really understand how much of a part of you they are until they pass. Then you feel the loss of them.

Moral of the story. Enjoy the time you have with your pets. They might only be part of your story, but you are all of theirs.

956 sats \ 0 replies \ @crrdlx 13 Sep 2023

Dogs taught me...sometimes is best to just sit with your friend and keep my mouth shut. Just be with them.

1470 sats \ 4 replies \ @nemo 12 Sep 2023

deleted by author

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @DarthCoin 12 Sep 2023

this is what cats are doing every fucking day without any worries. Fuck'em! I would like to re-incarnate in a cat without any worries.

21 sats \ 2 replies \ @birdeye21 OP 12 Sep 2023

this is unironically how my cat be at 3am

21 sats \ 1 reply \ @DarthCoin 12 Sep 2023

exactly that is their party hour, after sleeping all fuckning day.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @birdeye21 OP 12 Sep 2023

Oh they party during the day too

418 sats \ 1 reply \ @OC 13 Sep 2023

The healing power of their unconditional love. Went through PTSD and my dog was a massive help, didn't ask questions, just wanted to be there all the time. Also how much it hurts when they go. One of the worst days in my life.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @birdeye21 OP 13 Sep 2023

Being able to tap into that static source of pure love from a pet is powerful

71 sats \ 1 reply \ @biggo 12 Sep 2023

So much, cats are so stupid. I go like "cutie putty putty youre a silly little kitty and you silly silly kitty!" (I say it in a very monotone, serious, respectful manner) and they reply by humming and then taking a nap. ???

asked my dog about it but he just said "you don't have a dog"

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @birdeye21 OP 13 Sep 2023

the names i've come up with for my cats are insane

22 sats \ 1 reply \ @k00b 12 Sep 2023

That you have to let beings be. You can't change them. You can't fix them. They just are.
Adding dependents is burdensome.

Before we lost our cat, she influenced a lot of our life decisions. Where we lived (did she have a way to get in/out on her own) and how much we travelled (we owe her attention, are we just going to take that from her randomly).

I'm not sure (1) is only due to having a pet, but it's microcosm of any human relationship. She wanted to be outside even though she'd war with other cats and was hypersensitive to Texas mosquitos to the point where she'd lose all the hair on her nose and around her eyes.

633 sats \ 0 replies \ @birdeye21 OP 13 Sep 2023

certainly is burdensome, but very rewarding at the same time. You make sacrifices but they alter life for the better, at least in my experience

22 sats \ 1 reply \ @Tjacten 12 Sep 2023

They love to wake me up early in the mornings.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Tjacten 12 Sep 2023

Mind has givin me one of the understandings of living long with this routine.

21 sats \ 1 reply \ @anon 12 Sep 2023

What would you like to know mortal @birdeye21 ?

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @birdeye21 OP 12 Sep 2023

oh god the aliens are following me

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @batiscafo 15 Sep 2023

Animals are the best masters, they live in the present moment.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @mrtali 14 Sep 2023

Having a bird that freedom is a must Having a dog that you should be happy as more as you can Having a cat that you shouldn't care what others think about you Having turtles that you should take a shower everyday

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @bitdern 13 Sep 2023

in my experience, a dog tends to take after it's owner in a number of different ways - this is especially true if you raise them from puppies. often time i catch myself making fun of my dog for some weird idiosyncrasy of his and realize... i do something really similar!

he's also teaches me about patience on a daily basis: i have to be very vigilant with him when we're out because he's incredibly sweet to people but extremely cautious around dogs he doesn't know.

acceptance is another learning, and I know that facet will be greatly tested when his time comes. but he is my best buddy and i am incredibly grateful for all the time I have had with him so far (he will be 3 at the end of the month!!)