Anyone ever feel like you're happier with your dog (or cat)?

I know a lot of people who raise pets in lieu of dating/marriage/kids. Many of them explicitly state so; for others, it is more of a revealed preference.

I love animals, and whenever I visit my family members with pets I enjoy playing with them, same as I enjoy playing with my friend's little kids. But the kind of companionship you get from an animal is inherently different than a human relationship.

For one thing, the animal is by definition inferior; however clever or well-trained a pet is, it ultimately depends on you for food and shelter, and therefore it is in its best interest to charm you. So the relationship is necessarily transactional in a way that human relationships aren't. I'm not saying this makes human–pet relationships unimportant or illegitimate, only that they are limited in the forms they can take.

But I am also not at a place in my life right now where I can assume responsibility for a living thing. I move apartments basically once a year. (I felt sorry even giving away my houseplants at my last move.) And I live alone, so after 10–12 hours a day I spend at work, 8 hours for sleep, 2 hours for exercise and chores .. that's not a lot of love I have left to give to the pet.

One day, I would like to have a cat, preferably of the chubby, hardy sort. I think that Dot and Zero would be nice names for it.
 
I won't assume responsibility for another living thing either. what about plants? @Ultra
do you play sims 3? :)
 
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ultrauber said:
Haha no, but is there something that gives that indication? :)
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not really though you remind me of the sims yourself, which is neat. Mabe it's your trajectory of words about life in general or something.
I didn't realize I read you had houseplants before so that could be why i asked :tearsofjoy:
 
keyring said:
not really though you remind me of the sims yourself, which is neat. Mabe it's your trajectory of words about life in general or something.
I didn't realize I read you had houseplants before so that could be why i asked :tearsofjoy:
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Hah, I didn't realize I forgot to answer that part of your question! Yeah, I had houseplants at my old place, but didn't buy any for my new place because of the feeling that I would have to move soon (ended up living here for longer, but ...). I like houseplants—they give the pet-like sensation of tending to a living thing, but without the heavy sense of responsibility, and it is easier to care for them if you need to go travel or whatever. How about you?
 
I had a keyring who was a turtle called slowpoke which I lost somehow. I had a cactus plant but it didn't thrive, so I understood not to assume responsibility for houseplants or cacticare for now.
 
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