Too many pets?

[Auspecial]

I once dated a woman ,though I do like animals, I think she had one too many pets for me to have to deal with. In fact she has 5 dogs and 1 cat. A bit overwhelming to say the least.

 

Is someone who owns too many animals a deal breaker for you?

 

No, not if all things are okay i other ways. I love animals.

[Phoe]

Kitty and a fish.

 

The cat is fine, but the fish just pushes the animal limit over the edge. Pet overload. Such a high maintenance animal, quite needy...

 

*kidding!!*

 

it's only a betta

[snappytomcat]

I just don't have time for people who don't like animals

I love them,i work with them I foster rescue and save any pet that needs saving,but I also do that for people too,but people burn you animals never hurt you until the day they die

I have a lot,my house is clean and smells clean,scentys work wonders,but im a neat freak too

[snappytomcat]

IME, dating women who had pets, they also had kids and, in some cases it took on the feeling of a menagerie. I enjoy animals, and kids, but there are limits. I would say my boundary would be when and where our adult time was being constantly interrupted by either, either directly or indirectly.

 

OTOH, if a woman didn't want to date me because my old male cat travels with me generally wherever I go, I could respect that.

 

 

 

carhill can I just say,that I really think you give great advice,and I respect you,but this right here I think I have a small crush on you I think its so sweet you travel with your old man kitty,they are special Im owned by one too

[Toodaloo]

yes it is, multiple cats isn't bad but multiple dogs is a dealbreaker

 

My best friend has 9 cats (down from 12)... and one dog... all are rescues.

 

Her house stinks and it drives her husband and extended family mad... When I go over I clean out the litter trays 3 times a day just to try and reduce the smell. There is cat hair every where and the place is a tip. She loves them all dearly, they are all very well looked after, but I swear its too much.

 

I think it depends on where and how you live.

 

Last Christmas dogs outnumbered people at the celebrations. We were all a bit worried about it, but as most of them were small and all well behaved considering, you didn't notice that there were that many dogs.

 

Any person I know who loves animals will not get rid of them. They are family members just as much as everyone else. So I think all of this boils down to what you can and can't cope with and/ or feel comfortable with.

 

I have to say if I had a bigger house I would have more dogs. I am not adverse to a cat or two but I do love my dogs... Cats tend to beat up my dogs...

[SupportiveGuy]

In my experience, people who love animals tend to not be so fond of people.

I'm a little bit too distinct from any animal, so no animal lover is going to be interested in me in that way. I've known animal lovers to become depressed and suicidal over dead pets, I think that is just too much.

 

I like animals well enough. I think it's reasonable to train an intelligent cat and dog to use the toilet. If I'm going to join a pet-family unit, I would insist that she not force me to be responsible for them, but I would be fine with helping out and participating in animal related activities.

 

I think people make too much of a distinction between people and animals. If you can become smitten for life with a gigantic disobedient drooly noisy creature that sheds everywhere chews up the furniture and leaves presents in your shoes, and has to be exercised and fed and cleaned up after by you every day, you should be equally open to a relationship with a person who does the same.

 

I'm certainly not going to join a ranch or an animal farm. I have more than enough fun with feces on the pot as it is.

[Taramere]

In my experience, people who love animals tend to not be so fond of people.

 

I don't think that's necessarily true, but I do get what you're saying.

 

If somebody says to me "are you an animal lover?" my instinctive response in my head is "of course!" I grew up with pets I adored, I love wildlife documentaries, I feel physical pain when I see pictures of animals that have been mistreated...and also, abroad, when I see something as magnificent as a tiger reduced to a chained up, drugged thing tourists have their photo taken with.

 

But then, one of my neighbours has noisy, yappy aggressive daschunds who bite at my ankles when I walk into the garden. Would I harm them? No. Do I like them? Nope. My neighbour is a lovely person, so I tolerate the dogs' bad behaviour - but I don't like those dogs. Same as I wouldn't like a human being who glared at me from a window every time I walked down the street.

 

When it comes to dealing with animals...generally they're that bit easier than people in many ways, because they can't talk back. They can't give you their opinions. They can try, but due to their inability to speak they face the obstacle of human beings putting their own preferred spin on the body language the animal uses to try to convey certain messages.

 

So as a result of their difficulty in communicating effectively with us, animals benefit from the benevolence people often feel with regard to the vulnerable. Babies, adults with severe learning difficulties and so on. They're unthreatening (in terms of not verbally and articulately expressing insights into our behaviour that we might feel offended by), and if they're pets then they're quite dependent on us. And, of course, more often than not they look absolutely adorable. I can't deny that to my mind a kitten is far more aesthetically appealing than a human baby is..and I suspect a lot of people feel likewise.

 

People present love of animals as a virtue....and of course it does tend to encompass the very positive qualities of empathy and respect/concern for other life forms. But I do get you, with regard to the "people who love animals often don't like humans" thinking. I think when people get involved in militant animal activism, for instance, it often has less to do with any genuine love for animals as it has with wanting to fight other human beings.

 

Also, if a person feels very marginalised from society then they might gravitate towards animals on account of the relative powerlessness animals have in comparison to human society. When professed love of animals manifests itself in those ways, I don't really think it's something to be admired so much as it indicates some personal problems the person isn't able or ready to address.

 

Any of us who have, or have had pets, understand how it is to love a pet. The pain when it passes, and the happiness you get from cuddling your pet. I don't think the joy and the therapeutic benefits people get from being around animals necessarily means they don't like people....but I do agree that in some cases love for animals can tend to look like a thin veil for misanthropic tendencies.

[Toodaloo]

I've known animal lovers to become depressed and suicidal over dead pets, I think that is just too much.

 

 

My horse and I have been together for over 20 years. He has carried me over 5ft 2 fences, been a shoulder to cry on, helped me when I couldn't walk...

 

When I shoot him I am going to be depressed. He has stuck around and wordlessly offered more support than any man.

 

If your not a pet person then thats fine, but its not going to work with someone who is...

 

Taramere - its ok not to like all animals... more so if they are snappy little ****'s that have no manners and bite... actually that reminds me of some peoples children!!!

[Taramere]

My horse and I have been together for over 20 years. He has carried me over 5ft 2 fences, been a shoulder to cry on, helped me when I couldn't walk...

 

When I shoot him I am going to be depressed. He has stuck around and wordlessly offered more support than any man.

 

If your not a pet person then thats fine, but its not going to work with someone who is...

 

Taramere - its ok not to like all animals... more so if they are snappy little ****'s that have no manners and bite... actually that reminds me of some peoples children!!!

 

I have to add here that I have never ever ever encountered a horse I didn't like. The relationship a person has with their horse is something else altogether. It's more like a partnership that comes from this very strong animal trusting you enough to take instructions from you...and yes, it's absolutely devastating when you lose them.

[Toodaloo]

I have to add here that I have never ever ever encountered a horse I didn't like. The relationship a person has with their horse is something else altogether. It's more like a partnership that comes from this very strong animal trusting you enough to take instructions from you...and yes, it's absolutely devastating when you lose them.

 

Oh I have... There are several that I have met that I really do not like!!!

 

My horse would laugh if you used the word "instruction"... its more of an advisory link going on between us... I am told its quite frightening to watch when we have a row... Mind you that doesn't happen often.

 

He is now deaf, has very few teeth left and has lost much of his muscle but he still canters up every day with a whinny and still stops his feet and still lets the whole world know he is the best...

 

He has taught disabled people to ride, a 4 year old has ridden him... Her little legs didn't even come to the bottom of the saddle flaps. When I was on crutches he would put his head under my arm to help me.

 

He is my rock as I am his... So yes when I finally have to fire that gun I am going to be a mess. Same as I am when I have to shoot any of my animals.

[Taramere]

He is my rock as I am his... So yes when I finally have to fire that gun I am going to be a mess. Same as I am when I have to shoot any of my animals.

 

Wouldn't you get the vet to do it? I admire the mental strength of people who will do what's necessary to put an animal out of its misery - but this is where, I have to confess, I'm a coward. I called the SSPCA to euthanise an injured pigeon that I found. They were very nice, and didn't make me feel ridiculous for calling them...but I felt stupid and a bit pathetic about it. My parents are both people who wouldn't hesitate to wring a bird's neck in that situation, and of course it's better for the bird as it means it spends less time suffering, but I just have this physical block about doing it.

 

That said, I suppose that if I had a gun, knew how to use it (I've only ever shot targets with an air pistol) and a horse was in absolute agony right in front of me then I would do the necessary. I think it would be intensely traumatising, though.

[Toodaloo]

I hope I have the strength as its much quicker and less traumatic for them... I know my old boy would rather it just be us in the field and quick and easy. I have a feeling that I may have to call my vet though. He is ready and will be there when the time comes. We have a plan in place already. I also got rid of my gun as I was only ever using it to put animals down (ex took it with him as he used it more than me)!! So it may have to change depending on whether there is one available at the right time for me to use etc.

 

Last one I had to put down I ended up calling the vet and it was done via injection. 1. I was on the yard and didn't have my gun (we don't tend to carry them around over here and they stay locked up when not in use) and 2. no one I knew with anything big enough was around to do it quickly and vet/ injection was fastest option.

 

I hate having to make those decisions but its life. A bit of me dies every time I have to do it.

[Anela]

I love people, too. I have loved animals my whole life - no big, dark reasons as to why.

[GorillaTheater]

I think I'm a bit in animal-overload at the moment. We've always been pretty open-minded about the kids getting pets as long as they take very good care of them, and we have the space. Right now we have:

 

2 horses, 3 dogs, 3 cats, chickens, 3 parakeets, 2 guinea pigs, a couple of exotic frogs of some sort, and a tarantula.

 

In the last week we've had a dog kill a chicken and a cat try to break into the guinea pig cage. I don't even want to talk about poop control.

 

"Too many pets"? Maybe so. When I retire, I'm not sure I want one single animal, except maybe for a dog to go on walks with when my wife kicks me out of the house.

[carhill]

Ha, ha, I think I recently told the tale of the neighbors with young children who thought it would be neat to get goats for the kids to play with, this with already having one dog and a couple cats. Well, the goats are cute but the coyotes and foxes and packs of roaming wild dogs like to eat them so the next pet procured is this humongous golden retriever mutt who now lives in the goat pen and literally stands on his hind legs and puts his paws on the 4' high hog wire and barks at me whenever I walk out to the shop. All that for some goats, not to mention scaring all the cats to death. Hence, mine stays indoors

Like my best friend says, having managed a 4,000 cow dairy, animals eat money and shyte work. Indeed.

[Syberia]

Mine only had a single parakeet when we met. Two years ago we bought some land and started a small farm. I've gotten used to them, and all the animals make her happy, so I'm fine with it.

[todreaminblue]

I love people, too. I have loved animals my whole life - no big, dark reasons as to why.

 

 

me too anela......i had silkworms and a cat as pets when i was five...i am fascinated by animals of all shapes and sizes they are awesome.....and i love people too.....deb

[Syberia]

In my experience, people who love animals tend to not be so fond of people.

Oh yes. After an annoying day at work, my wife often tells me I'm one of the few people she can stand, and just barely at that

[Nikki Sahagin]

No. I absolutely love animals! I'd love a home teaming with them! Only issue would be how it would impact going out/traveling; if that could be worked with?

 

A house with many animals is a lot of fun and full of love

[Syberia]

You will either need to have a friend/family member close by to take care of them, or pay someone to take care of them when you're gone. You'd love to live in our house, we have (indoors) cats, birds, fish, snakes, lizards, and turtles and (outdoors) dog, chickens, turkeys, pigs, sheep, ducks, peacocks, and ostrich. Yes, ostrich. We plan for them to be making us money soon.

[Nikki Sahagin]

You will either need to have a friend/family member close by to take care of them, or pay someone to take care of them when you're gone. You'd love to live in our house, we have (indoors) cats, birds, fish, snakes, lizards, and turtles and (outdoors) dog, chickens, turkeys, pigs, sheep, ducks, peacocks, and ostrich. Yes, ostrich. We plan for them to be making us money soon.

 

Where abouts do you live in CA?

[Syberia]

Perris (if you try to stalk me, I've got plenty of room to bury a body )

[KimmyBee]

I love dogs so it would be a deal breaker if he didn't love them too. My uncle is an animal lover and he has all the kind of pets you could think of, including snakes, lizards, rats, mice, tortoises, fish, frogs, cats, dogs, rabbits etc. Don't think I could deal with that lol but he has a wife who is fine with it.

[Toodaloo]

You will either need to have a friend/family member close by to take care of them, or pay someone to take care of them when you're gone. You'd love to live in our house, we have (indoors) cats, birds, fish, snakes, lizards, and turtles and (outdoors) dog, chickens, turkeys, pigs, sheep, ducks, peacocks, and ostrich. Yes, ostrich. We plan for them to be making us money soon.

 

Thats a lot even for me!

 

Mind you if I had more time and land available there would be more horses and probably a couple of peacocks... and goats. I like goats

[preraph]

My ideal is to have as many pets as you can give a lot of time and attention to and can afford to keep as healthy and happy as possible with a proper environment for them, never overcrowded, access to a big yard or some acreage. Too many pets or people in a small space causes aggression and for some animals to get beat down and depressed. It's all about understanding they all need a certain amount of space and animals all need plenty of access to the outdoors because that is their natural environment. Their thousands of years of instincts are for coping with outdoors, not being locked in a house or crate for more than maybe 3 hours at a time.

 

I'd rather be with someone who didn't have pets because they knew they weren't settled down or situated enough to take care of them well than someone who had pets but didn't give them quality of life. When you get into this debate, some people try to make it about putting animals over people. The truth is it's about people and their ethics, whether they view themselves as having a responsibility to those around them, a duty to help someone other than themselves.