216 Days ’til 40: Pets as Therapy

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself. ~ Josh Billings

A kitten is in the animal world what a rosebud is in the garden. ~ Robert Southey

People who know me know that I LOVE my cats.  My cats (three of them) are members of our family and often the most adored members at that!  They are so loving (yes, they are NOT aloof as some claim cats are) and they are always wanting to be with us.  The looks of adoration in their eyes as they rub up against us or “kill” their stuffed toys as “presents” for us and leave them at our doorstep is too cute.  They purr and snuggle and demand very little in return (food, water, love).  I suppose that, in many ways, we have trained our cats to be more dog like.  All the interactive personality, but they clean themselves!

I believe that a house is not a home without a pet in it.  I realize that this can be a problem for people who are allergic to pets, but for those that are not, pets really change the entire home environment.  Yes, there is cat hair everywhere and it can be a problem when I am trying to wear a black fancy outfit to work, but in the end it is still worth it.

My pets know when I am having a bad day – they check up on me, they care about me, they know how to get close and provide comfort in their own way.  It is amazing how healing it is to have a close relationship with an animal.  They are less emotionally demanding then humans, and provide so much for us.  The love that goes back and forth between an owner and a pet is magical.

I also find that pets are amazing for children.  Children are able to interact with the pets and pets also teach them responsibility (when they are old enough to help care for the pets).  My daughters are very active in the care of our pets and it is a chore we can give them that is easy and age-appropriate and helps to teach them responsibility.  They both love and cuddle our cats, often laying next to them stroking them as they watch a movie or read a book.  It is a pleasure to see.

Research shows that elderly people who own pets live longer – most likely because they care for the pets and the pets give them companionship, and a reason to have to get up each day.

Pets are wonderful (no biases here)!

Today, 216 days ’til 40, I am thankful for my three cats and how their presence enriches the lives of my family.

~400daystil40