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

[keyring]

Dogs don't live long enough.

I didnt know this..
but then again most animals don't live long in general.. except turtles..
it depends what longevity means though. It's quite plentiful in their terms i think

 

[uuu]

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.

 

[keyring]

I won't assume responsibility for another living thing either. what about plants? @Ultra
do you play sims 3?

 

[uuu]

do you play sims 3?

Haha no, but is there something that gives that indication?

 

[keyring]

Haha no, but is there something that gives that indication?

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

 

[uuu]

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

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?

 

[keyring]

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.