BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids Pets

I am wondering how many pets people have. I know pets and people with out kids seem to go together. I have three dogs, two pugs and a big mixed breed, and three cats. I would love to have even more. When I buy a house I would like to get one or two more dogs. I am wondering if anyone else is as pet crazy as me

Currently, I have 3 cats. One is quite elderly so I try to keep the stress level to a minimum. Right now, he's trying to deal with a major move and kvetching at me from about 4:00 a.m. until I give him a lot of attention and reassurance. I would love to raise a dog and cat together but the timing never seems to work. A friend of mine has a pug that is absolutely adorable. He loves his little dog to distraction and I can see why. I would love to have a horse, too, and maybe a goat, but I would have to board those.

We have house rabbits. Two of our own - aged 7 and 8 - and one foster bun. We've had rabbits (all spayed/neutered) since before we were married - started with one, got him a buddy, first one died, new friend for buddy, and so on. I can't imagine life without them. At one time, we had 4 of our own (two pairs) and a foster. Last year we lost our oldest pair (10 yrs old) six months apart. It was a rough year. But we love our remaining pair very much, our fosters are always a delight.

We have 2 dogs, Bella and Malika, and 1 cat Derelict; all rescued from doom and gloom.
They are all curled up sleeping with hubby right now...

We have 5 cats, 3 dogs, 3 turtles, a snake and a fish. All, save the snake and one cat, were rescues. We're full up here. If we want anymore we'll have to buy a bigger house. Everyone calls it my zoo and I guess it is, but we love and adore every last one of them to pieces.

I'm so happy I can spend my energy caring for otherwise neglected and abused animals. So many people don't understand that or think I'm compensating in some way for not having kids. Do any of you get that from childed folks?

Once in a while. I think they get that idea because I refer to my cats as my "babies." Sometimes, you have to explain to people that caring for an animal is far different from caring for a child and sometimes you have to explain in detail, including the final remark of liking animals more than children. I say final because that usually changes the direction of the conversation or ends it altogether.

I used to own betta fish (very pretty, very fun to own) but currently own no pets. You know how some of us say kids are too high-maintenance and expensive for us? Well, even a pet would be too high-maintenance and expensive for me at this stage of my life. I am very heavily invested in my career, and hardly ever at home. It would be unfair to a little pet to just leave them at my house.

Now I have a garden...that's more my speed. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I have heard that your compensating thing. My vet said that to me, telling me I really need to have a baby. I think sometimes people are really looking for a pet when they have a baby. They might say they want something little and cute and cuddly to play with and take care off, thats a pet not a baby. If I do have kids they wont be a replacement for my pets. One of the things that puts me of parent hood is the thuoght that I would turn into one of those monsters that gets rid of the pet they have had for years because they have a baby. I know I would never do that thought. Id honestly cut of a limb before I got rid of one of my dogs or cats

Your vet said that to you? I've never, ever heard that from a vet or their staff. Is that fairly common? In fact, I don't recall anyone saying anything about compensating, just that they thought I would be a good mother because I'm good with animals.

We have four indoor cats, feed a little feral colony of outdoor cats, and co-own one horse. All our pets are our babies. If you have any idea how much care a horse requires, it's almost equal to kids. lol! But it's different. It's not worry about college/homework or contending with differing wills as much as caretaking and sharing.