Is it 'normal' to get extremely attached to an animal?

Post Reply New Topic

Are you aware that you are implying that Persian is "creepy" and that her dog is traumatized? If you are not, please correct yourself so that there is no inadvertent offense.

"Those who tell you that you should devote all that caring to humans instead of animals don't care either for humans or for animals." Unknown

I told my landlord that my cats are the children I never had and that me and my cats form the loving family I never had, and he was offended that I thought he didn't know that already, without me having to tell him. Everyone around me understand that my cats are my children and that I'll do for them what any human will do for their human children, and they find it totally natural... In fact, I love my cats more than many, many humans love their children.

Yeah I thought it was rather distasteful as well.

Well, the reason I have to be going after the puppy is because he likes to run around the house and finding the stuffed animals, socks and other things to play with, and he can tear them apart. He has a lot of energy, so I have to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't chew on things he's not supposed to. My cat and the older dog are more sedate and are more than content to just lie on the floor or couch. He just needs more attention than they do. I hope he's not traumatized, though.

I try to spend as much time with my pets, but I don't have so much as I have work from 7 until 4 and don't get home until 4:30. When I get home, I usually read or watch tv with them in the same room. And of course, I feed them, clean the litterbox, and wash and refill their water dishes and pool. I like looking after them.

I'm so attached to and protective of my cat that the longest he has ever been left home alone is about 5 minutes. I'll try to leave him alone longer when he is older and calmer. I only had him 10 weeks and he was so little when I got him.

My pets are my family,it's the most normal thing in the world to feel that way.If everyone felt the way you do there would be no animal abuse.Most people are abnormal in their feelings to other creatures,any living being values it's life as much as you do so to have that compassion is a great yet painful thing.I lost my companion animal two months ago and I loved him as much as if he was human,love is love.

Yes, I can not understand why some people are so cruel to animals. I got my puppy in the like worse way. My dad found him in our yard. He was so small and had only just been weaned. At first we thought he might have gotten out of someone's yard, so we tried to find out who he belonged to, only to find that the people who had him had decided they didn't want him anymore and put him out on the street. How was such a small puppy supposed to survive on his own? I convinced my parents to let me keep him and not take him to the shelter.

My dad once found a puppy too ten years ago. He was going to the dump and he was on the road and saw something move. He stopped and saw it was a mixed dog with Beagle and Hound. He took her home with him and he took her to the vet to make sure she was free of diseases and in good health. She was and the vet estimated she was about two months old. She was skin and bones also. So my dad fed her and she put meat on and her paws were big for a while. She grew and turned into a medium sized dog and is skinny and good health. She be ten now and my parents are finally giving her to a neighbor who wants her. My dad was going to take her to the animal shelter after she is back in health again but my mother thought she was so cute and we decided to keep her.


I too hate it when people abandon their animals. My dad's cousin once found an abandoned dog up in the words that was left by a family that was camping. The dog was a mixed Chihuahua and Pomeranian. She had two other dogs and I am not sure what breed they were but they were also abandoned too and abused by their previous owners. They both passed away due to old age. She had them since the 80's and they died in early 2000's.

I think it's pretty normal, humans are weird like that. We actively seek out connections with other species, even when completely one sided (wild exotic pets anyone?)

"Is it 'normal' to get extremely attached to an animal?"

Yes.

The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth.

I think it's normal to get attached to an animal.

I was not so attached to animals when I was younger, we had so many cats that came and went that I didn't form a strong bond with many of them, maybe one out of 20. But, when I was 16 (and we hadn't had a lot of cats for a few years) I adopted my neighbor's cat because she kept coming over and I grew attached to her. She went outside every day just in case she wanted to go home, but she never stayed away. The neighbors moved and they didn't ask for her, so she was mine after that. She taught me a lot about love that I don't think a human ever could have. I loved her so much I cried every night for a long time when she passed away almost four years ago. (I still miss her sometimes, I just had a dream with her in it the night before last.)
I'm also attached to my other cat, one that I raised from a kitten. To lose her would be to lose a part of myself.

Animals don't judge us, they don't have expectations, and they love us unconditionally. I think it's difficult not to form strong attachments if you spend a long time with an animal.

I hope your fish is alright.