Meerkat Prompts: What’s good about having a Pet?
What is good about having a pet?
Make no mistake, pets – be they cats, dogs, hamsters, ferrets, rats, snakes, or indeed any form of animal – can hamper your plans. If you’re looking to take a long-term trip, you have to factor in the cost of a kennel or a pet-sitter, and even a weekend break requires some extra forward planning. It’s easier with some pets than others, but there’s always something to consider with any animal.
Pets can also be expensive for other reasons. If you’ve ever had to take your pet to a vet, you’ll know how they can incur all sorts of unexpected costs, and then there’s the cost of feeding them, which is easier with some animals than with others. Despite all this, a great many UK households have pets, with 36% having a dog, and 26% having a cat, according to Google. Weighing up all the hassle that comes with pet ownership, why do so many of us have at least one pet?
Pets – and to me, especially dogs and cats – provide something quite invaluable. They offer companionship. They are not merely pets, but part of the family. I know I regard my cat as being a part of the family, and despite the notion that cats are aloof creatures, Castiel certainly isn’t! He is always looking for a lap to leap onto, so he can snuggle down. He worships my wife, and loves getting right into her face whenever he sits with her! Whenever we’ve been away, he is always quite clingy when we come home.
Sometimes, Castiel likes to play as well. He has a few toys, and with a bit of prompting he will bat at them, chase them, and generally have a bit of fun. He has on occasion playfully nipped me, though he might have merely been seeking my attention, and he’s never broken the skin, nor even tried to. He displays a lot of affection through the typical cat method of rubbing against a leg or an arm, and loves being stroked. He gets a lot of attention, though it often prefers it on his terms, and will sometimes withdraw to a bedroom for some peace and quiet.
For all of his good points, it would be fair to say Castiel is not the most elegant or graceful cat. Our old cat, the refined lady Trinity, had a certain poise and grace that Castiel has never mastered. Once, Castiel leapt for a fly, and face-planted the wall. Trinity would never have done that. In truth, she would never have lowered herself to the role of fly-catcher.
To sum up, Castiel brings a lot of light, laughter and love to the house. He is a joy to have around, even if he has a tendency to mewl at 3am because he wants to go out! We all love him, and you know what? I know he loves us back.
