Everyday Canvas

Pets and a Special One for me

Prompt: Pets
"Pets devour the loneliness."
Nick Trout
Do you have pets? Which kinds of pets are the best for lonely people? And if you could, which wild animal would you choose as your companion-pet if it were legally possible?

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Which kinds of pets for lonely people?

For people who live alone, the right pet for companionship can make a world of difference. Their choices could be dogs who act like they are almost human, or cats who are independent but affectionate, or birds, fish, and other small mammals like turtles, rabbits, hamsters etc. Some people also like big snakes, but I don't see how a huge phyton could make a good companion for a lonely old person, as it is important to consider one's lifestyle, living situation, and personal preferences when choosing a pet.

As for me, I have the honor of living with a black cat, Noche, who graces my home and heart with her presence. Noche was not always my cat, however.

Noche was first adopted, when she was only a few weeks old, by my son and her then wife. Noche also came to stay with us together with their other cat several times when my son's family went on a vacation. I always felt a liking for Noche. She was aloof, didn't take to anyone at the drop of a hat, and she had her ways. Once I even saw her hiss at the other cat. I have to say that has been the only time I saw her hiss.

Then, they got the dog. A Chesapeake Retriever mix who turned into a giant dog and ruled over the cats without mercy. Although we all loved this dog, Noche didn't. The other cat sometimes let the dog win and sometimes she held her ground. Not Noche! Noche started being naughty instead. She peed and pooped all over their house and tore the furniture down. To the point that my son and his then-wife began truly hating Noche. So much so that, they decided to take her to a kill-less shelter. That was three-years ago.

At the time, I was thinking of getting a dog to walk around with. Yet, I had read in the news that shelters gave the cats to labs that did medical experiments on them. That news did it for me Thus, one day, when my son brought Noche to me, he said, "This is only an experiment, Mom, only because you wanted her. If it doesn't work, I'm really taking her to the shelter."

Hehehe! An experiment! That's what he thought! Well, it wasn't easy to make Noche behave much better, but I understood her and dealt with her occasional setbacks in behavior and my son never knew of those setbacks, well, not fully.

So now, the fifteen year-old Noche is my best friend and possibly therapist, too. She sleeps with me and is around me all the time and has given me a sense of purpose. If I am busy with doing something too long on the computer or any other thing, she comes and demands my attention. Also, Noche is very vocal. It is hard to believe but at times, we have a two-way conversation going on. Then, she also knows when my arthritis flares up and comes and puts her paws on me and purrs.

Before I was married, which is a lot more than five decades ago, I lived in a house that was full of cats as my aunt who lived with us was a cat lady, and I, too, always had cats. Then, later, because we were traveling so much, we had no pets, except for a dog for the children.

Still, I've always had a soft spot for cats, and at this time, Noche has become the queen of that soft spot. Her highness now rules, not with nastiness like she did in my son's house but with the full softness of behavior and understanding. And I'm truly blessed to have her with me in this alone time in my life and no other pet can rival Noche's purring and meows for me.

I am a big animal lover, and I love the large cats. I bet they would take to me in no time. I say so because even snakes and lizards that are around the yard are friendly to me. Many decades ago in NY., LI., when I was into gardening, a certain ribbon snake used to sit curled up with her head in the air, close to me, and watch me work. Nowadays the few salamanders who live around my potted plants on the porch do the same thing when I'm sitting inside the covered part of the porch; however, these creatures are not pets.

Pets require care and attention, so one needs to make sure to choose a pet that they can provide a good home for. It's also recommended to consider adopting a pet from a shelter, where many loving animals are in need of a home.

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