Dogs
By Julia Williams
One of the things I find most interesting about human beings is our uniqueness. We each have a distinct set of things we like, and things we don’t like. No matter how many humans you compared side by side, you’d never find two whose preferences matched. It’s the same with our pets. While some people think animals are a less complicated species than humans, in terms of their preferences each pet is unlike any other. However, without the ability to speak our language, pets generally have a harder time making those preferences known. They have to rely on body language and their own “animal speak” to get their point across. They also need an owner who is tuned in and takes the time to discover what floats their boat.
Understanding what brings your pet joy and then doing what you can to provide that for them is a wonderful way to deepen your bond. We humans appreciate it when others make a point of knowing what we love and what we don’t, so why should it be any different for our pets? It’s really not, but because of the language barrier we typically don’t learn all of our pet’s likes and dislikes as quickly as we do with humans. It can take many months, sometimes even years, of observation and trial-and-error to figure out what makes them tick. The reward – a beautiful, close-knit relationship – is well worth it, though.
Discovering what your pet loves is important, but what is also crucial is making sure that others know these things, too. When I wrote Have You Made Arrangements for Your Pet, I neglected to mention this, but I should have. It’s an essential arrangement for every family with pets but especially those who are single. I was reminded of this while reading Gwen Cooper’s novel, Love Saves the Day. The cat protagonist lived with a single woman who passed away. Even though the cat’s new family was the woman’s daughter, she was thrust into a home where they knew nothing about what she loved and what she didn’t. Many pets are surrendered to shelters without this critical information as well.
Change is hard enough for any pet. Imagine suddenly being in unfamiliar surroundings with strangers, unable to tell them that the food they offered wasn’t appealing to your palate, or that you wanted a lighter touch of the brush when they groomed you, or that what you really wanted someone to do, more than anything, was scratch your belly. It would be frustrating, to say the least. A pet’s quality of life would surely be diminished if they weren’t being provided with what they love most.
Now that my own cats are 14 and 11, I have a good grasp of their individual likes and dislikes. I know that Belle absolutely, positively loves to cuddle, Rocky tolerates a hug now and then (I like to think it’s because he loves me) and Mickey would rather have a poke in the eye with a sharp stick than be held and cuddled. I know Mickey well enough to know that if I dare to pick him up and cuddle him, I have about 30 seconds (a minute tops!) before I’ll get my face bitten off. Some might say this means Mickey is unfriendly and not a nice cat, but they’d be wrong. He doesn’t love being cuddled, but he’s a very affectionate cat as long as it’s on his terms – he loves to sit on my lap while I read or watch TV, and loves to be petted and brushed while he relaxes by the heater.
I also know that shaking a pouch of FELIDAE TidNips cat treats will turn my lazy/sleeping kitties into wide awake, prancing, meowing, deliriously happy felines. A cat treat might seem like such a small, simple thing to a human, but to these three it’s the highlight of their day. My cats are all different and unique beings, but their love of these treats is the one thing they can all agree upon. Who am I to deny them what they love more than anything? I would not dare. For I know that if I did, it would only be a matter of time before my bare foot found their strategically placed hairball!
Top photo by Meredith Leigh Collins
Bottom photo by Per Ola Wiberg
Read more articles by Julia Williams
- Rituals Can Help You Bond With Your Pet
By Julia Williams Like humans, dogs and cats are very much creatures of habit. They are perhaps even more dependent upon routines than we are, and sometimes the slightest deviation can upset them. On the flip side, sticking to a schedule with your pet...
- Do You Have A Finicky Pet Or A Foodie?
By Julia Williams When it comes to their attitude towards food, dogs and cats typically fall into one of two categories – foodie or finicky. A foodie pet will wolf down their food every day like they haven’t eaten anything in weeks, while a finicky...
- How To Bond With Your Cat
By Julia Williams One of the most prevalent myths about cats is also one that, as a lifelong cat lover, I can unequivocally refute. Cats are said to be aloof, independent creatures that shun humans and don’t form close bonds with them. Many people...
- Why Do We Love Some Pets More Than Others?
By Julia Williams I’m not fond of all of the hoopla that surrounds Valentine’s Day. I ignore the stores’ nonstop pleas to “spend, spend, spend” to show my love, because I know I’ve already done that, many times throughout the year. This day...
- Fact Or Fallacy: Most Cats Are Aloof
By Julia Williams The biggest misconception about cats, in my opinion, is that most of them are aloof. The feline is thought to be a haughty creature that doesn’t show any outward signs of love for their owners. Many people also believe that cats abhor...
Dogs
What Brings Your Pet Joy?
One of the things I find most interesting about human beings is our uniqueness. We each have a distinct set of things we like, and things we don’t like. No matter how many humans you compared side by side, you’d never find two whose preferences matched. It’s the same with our pets. While some people think animals are a less complicated species than humans, in terms of their preferences each pet is unlike any other. However, without the ability to speak our language, pets generally have a harder time making those preferences known. They have to rely on body language and their own “animal speak” to get their point across. They also need an owner who is tuned in and takes the time to discover what floats their boat.
Understanding what brings your pet joy and then doing what you can to provide that for them is a wonderful way to deepen your bond. We humans appreciate it when others make a point of knowing what we love and what we don’t, so why should it be any different for our pets? It’s really not, but because of the language barrier we typically don’t learn all of our pet’s likes and dislikes as quickly as we do with humans. It can take many months, sometimes even years, of observation and trial-and-error to figure out what makes them tick. The reward – a beautiful, close-knit relationship – is well worth it, though.
Discovering what your pet loves is important, but what is also crucial is making sure that others know these things, too. When I wrote Have You Made Arrangements for Your Pet, I neglected to mention this, but I should have. It’s an essential arrangement for every family with pets but especially those who are single. I was reminded of this while reading Gwen Cooper’s novel, Love Saves the Day. The cat protagonist lived with a single woman who passed away. Even though the cat’s new family was the woman’s daughter, she was thrust into a home where they knew nothing about what she loved and what she didn’t. Many pets are surrendered to shelters without this critical information as well.
Change is hard enough for any pet. Imagine suddenly being in unfamiliar surroundings with strangers, unable to tell them that the food they offered wasn’t appealing to your palate, or that you wanted a lighter touch of the brush when they groomed you, or that what you really wanted someone to do, more than anything, was scratch your belly. It would be frustrating, to say the least. A pet’s quality of life would surely be diminished if they weren’t being provided with what they love most.
Now that my own cats are 14 and 11, I have a good grasp of their individual likes and dislikes. I know that Belle absolutely, positively loves to cuddle, Rocky tolerates a hug now and then (I like to think it’s because he loves me) and Mickey would rather have a poke in the eye with a sharp stick than be held and cuddled. I know Mickey well enough to know that if I dare to pick him up and cuddle him, I have about 30 seconds (a minute tops!) before I’ll get my face bitten off. Some might say this means Mickey is unfriendly and not a nice cat, but they’d be wrong. He doesn’t love being cuddled, but he’s a very affectionate cat as long as it’s on his terms – he loves to sit on my lap while I read or watch TV, and loves to be petted and brushed while he relaxes by the heater.
Top photo by Meredith Leigh Collins
Bottom photo by Per Ola Wiberg
Read more articles by Julia Williams
- Rituals Can Help You Bond With Your Pet
By Julia Williams Like humans, dogs and cats are very much creatures of habit. They are perhaps even more dependent upon routines than we are, and sometimes the slightest deviation can upset them. On the flip side, sticking to a schedule with your pet...
- Do You Have A Finicky Pet Or A Foodie?
By Julia Williams When it comes to their attitude towards food, dogs and cats typically fall into one of two categories – foodie or finicky. A foodie pet will wolf down their food every day like they haven’t eaten anything in weeks, while a finicky...
- How To Bond With Your Cat
By Julia Williams One of the most prevalent myths about cats is also one that, as a lifelong cat lover, I can unequivocally refute. Cats are said to be aloof, independent creatures that shun humans and don’t form close bonds with them. Many people...
- Why Do We Love Some Pets More Than Others?
By Julia Williams I’m not fond of all of the hoopla that surrounds Valentine’s Day. I ignore the stores’ nonstop pleas to “spend, spend, spend” to show my love, because I know I’ve already done that, many times throughout the year. This day...
- Fact Or Fallacy: Most Cats Are Aloof
By Julia Williams The biggest misconception about cats, in my opinion, is that most of them are aloof. The feline is thought to be a haughty creature that doesn’t show any outward signs of love for their owners. Many people also believe that cats abhor...