Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Exactly. You feed them, you give them a pet treat, you let them come in your house, they "love" you.
They do love us! Dogs are especially easy to tell. Mine was babysat recently and no amount of fun or treats or table scraps made her happy. She wanted me.
Exactly. You feed them, you give them a pet treat, you let them come in your house, they "love" you.
My fiance believes that animals show 'love'. I feel sorry for him because he apparently didn't get much affection from his mother, who's a cold person. The only emotion she ever shows is anger.
Animals do not show love. The other day, he was playing with his dogs - what he calls 'giving love' - and soon as I pulled out the food, they left him and came running to me.
My fiance believes that animals show 'love'. I feel sorry for him because he apparently didn't get much affection from his mother, who's a cold person. The only emotion she ever shows is anger.
Animals do not show love. The other day, he was playing with his dogs - what he calls 'giving love' - and soon as I pulled out the food, they left him and came running to me.
That doesn't mean they don't love him, sheesh. My Dad and stepmom fed my dog better than I do in the sense they give table scraps and were doing canned food and extra treats every day in an effort to please her but she was depressed wanting me to come bring her home!
Years ago when my Mom dogsat a different dog she took her to the Vet thinking she was ill not eating and such. The Vet said she's depressed, she wants your daughter.
My fiance believes that animals show 'love'. I feel sorry for him because he apparently didn't get much affection from his mother, who's a cold person. The only emotion she ever shows is anger.
Animals do not show love. The other day, he was playing with his dogs - what he calls 'giving love' - and soon as I pulled out the food, they left him and came running to me.
There is a theory that people select mates who in some way echo or resemble the way that a parent acted towards them, who reinforce biases about how they deeply believe they "deserve" to be treated, from how they grew up being treated. I wonder at your need to invalidate the love that he believes he gets from his dogs. It sounds rather cold of you, honestly.
At the end of the day I don't think it much matters whether a pet's affection meets some standard to be objectively correct as "real love" or not. Perceiving it as love given and received, in the mind of the pet guardian, has definitely positive benefits for that person's mental health. Frankly, I'd much rather be happy, than right. And I just don't see anything positive about trying to argue that this person, who is deriving a real benefit in comfort and happiness, is delusional or deserves some kind of pity.
I've also known plenty of people who have perfectly genuine, warm, and functional relationships with their family, friends and loved ones, who also believe in the "love" that they receive from their pets. Believing in an animal's capacity to love, is no indicator that someone has an inferior understanding of how healthy human love works.
And none of this relates to pet hoarding, which is an entirely separate matter.
Not long ago, I considered a few cases I know of where people have a large number of animals, and/or children. More than they can easily care for by a long shot, noise and filth and non-stop stress with all of these small chaotic beings crammed into a home. And it seems that the people making this choice are the last who should, logically, as they are people of lower economic means. Now one easy theory that probably holds water, would be that generally being impulsive or not having the ability to make responsible life choices or delay or deny gratification could be the mindset that keeps them poor. But another thought that occurred to me, is that in human history, hundreds of years back and for much of our earlier times as a species, if children were seen as an asset rather than the liability they usually are today in American society...if there is a high mortality rate and they are there to do work as soon as they're old enough and the family can prosper by their labor... And if, too, animals were more utilitarian than companionate, not a pampered economic liability but a productive economic asset... Then having lots of babies and domesticating lots of animals would be a really good impulse for a poor person to have, wouldn't it?
And none of this relates to pet hoarding, which is an entirely separate matter.
Not long ago, I considered a few cases I know of where people have a large number of animals, and/or children. More than they can easily care for by a long shot, noise and filth and non-stop stress with all of these small chaotic beings crammed into a home. And it seems that the people making this choice are the last who should, logically, as they are people of lower economic means. Now one easy theory that probably holds water, would be that generally being impulsive or not having the ability to make responsible life choices or delay or deny gratification could be the mindset that keeps them poor. But another thought that occurred to me, is that in human history, hundreds of years back and for much of our earlier times as a species, if children were seen as an asset rather than the liability they usually are today in American society...if there is a high mortality rate and they are there tdo work as soon as they're old enough and the family can prosper by their labor... And if, too, animals were more utilitarian than companionate, not a pampered economic liability but a productive economic asset... Then having lots of babies and domesticating lots of animals would be a really good impulse for a poor person to have, wouldn't it?
Just a thought...
It also might just be parasites. Feline taxoplasmania makes rodents lose their fear of cats, I think some rodents actually become attracted to the smell of cat urine. Which is bad for the rodent, but great for the parasite. There is an argument which I think is likely true that this same parasite in humans causes some people to hoard cats. Which is one of the reasons doctors don't want pregnant women to change kitty litter boxes because they assume that both prenatally and young infants don't yet have the immune response to ward off these parasites.
With dogs at least I think they basically do a better job of hijacking the response that young children give us when they are young. Small children when they come home will scream daddy and be real excited to see dad when comes home from work and give you a hug and a kiss. But as the children age, they lose that interest. With dogs, even an older dog will get excited when you return home from work, wanting to be petted and play with you. If its not love, its a really good substitute. So that is why lots of people treat there dogs as family, because they are hijacking that family response.
It also might just be parasites. Feline taxoplasmania makes rodents lose their fear of cats, I think some rodents actually become attracted to the smell of cat urine. Which is bad for the rodent, but great for the parasite. There is an argument which I think is likely true that this same parasite in humans causes some people to hoard cats. Which is one of the reasons doctors don't want pregnant women to change kitty litter boxes because they assume that both prenatally and young infants don't yet have the immune response to ward off these parasites.
With dogs at least I think they basically do a better job of hijacking the response that young children give us when they are young. Small children when they come home will scream daddy and be real excited to see dad when comes home from work and give you a hug and a kiss. But as the children age, they lose that interest. With dogs, even an older dog will get excited when you return home from work, wanting to be petted and play with you. If its not love, its a really good substitute. So that is why lots of people treat there dogs as family, because they are hijacking that family response.
I'm familiar with the theory about cats. But more recent research has been pointing toward a lack of clear causation at the least. (Remember that toxo is fairly common, people can catch it from the soil, the water, undercooked meat...it's not just a cat parasite. But schizophrenia and other mental disorders that they tried to link to it, are far more rare than toxo antibodies in people's blood.)
I know that there are many articles asserting the connection, I'm just saying that I don't think it's a sure thing yet, they need to do more research IMO to definitively answer this one way or the other.
It's funny what you say about dogs, though. Frankly that over-the-top response both in dogs and in children is exhausting and off-putting to me. Having my cat come to me when I arrive home, and look at me, yawn, and walk by brushing my leg with his tail, is absolutely enough of a greeting, and it feels like, "Welcome back to the most relaxing place in the world, human." I'm no fan of the in your face "OMG OMG OMG YOU'RE HERE I NEED TO JUMP ON YOU AND LICK YOUR FACE OFF OMGOMGOMGOMG!" Like agh! Get the hell off me! And then after a day's work, one must immediately take the dog for a walk, when I'm way too tired or busy for all that.
I love how cats come already programmed in "how to cat." Minimal or no training required. I think that these choices can be more about the kind of energy a person has, or wants to share with a pet. And I know way too many men for whom "I'm a dog person! I hate cats!" is a masculinity signaling thing. Frankly I give a male suitor mental "points" for liking cats. Tells me he can respect another being's boundaries, read non-verbal information, and doesn't need creatures around him to fawn over him, obey him, or prop up his ego necessarily. Not that I'm saying a fan of dogs is in it for those reasons, but someone who "hates cats" I'll have nothing to do with, and being capable of sharing space with them can be meaningful, in my opinion.
And yet I think that there might be as many dog hoarders or at least irresponsible keepers of dogs, as compared to cat hoarders in the world, AND I think that most people who have a pet/ pets of the feline persuasion are as capable of responsible ownership as those who favor dogs.
Long story short I think that there are not two separate, distinct reasons. I think that animal hoarding is a symptom of a bigger issue in the individual, and possibly has multiple variables in the root cause.
I don't understand so many pets either. The instances I've seen, the owner can't properly take care of them. Our ex-neighbor was psycho and had 7 rescue dogs---all in terrible shape. They needed re-rescue! Barked non-stop, bit people (without homeowner's insurance, she lost half her SS to a lawsuit).
Before there was a dividing fence, they'd run over to my husband's house and even INTO it. (his fault) First time I visited him, all 7 were leaping and jumping all over my car so I couldn't get out.
I'm telling you, our relationship almost did not get off the ground!
Once, driven to distraction, I had to bust into her yoga class while everyone was frozen mid-pose, to scream at her for her non-stop barking dogs. Yeah, I lost it! Actually, it was pretty funny...
This is not about animal hoarding, or neglect cases. But lately when I read about a fire, there are always casualties of multiple pets. Not two dogs or a dog and cat but five or six animals, and many of these are small houses or apartments (probably illegally kept number of animals). Now when there is a story of a house fire I know there will probably sadly be multiple animal casualties.
Why do people feel they want or need to keep such numbers of pets, particularly if it is in small homes, and it is not questioned. It seems like a lot of work, expense, mess and most people are at work all day. There has to be a psychological reason people are now keeping mini-zoos, certainly beyond "animal loving", it seems like not an ideal situation for anyone.
My husband's childhood friend has about 5 pets in a small house. 2 Siberian husky dogs, couple kittens, iguana, parrot... He once had a piglet! No problem and surprised there was no smell!
What is your issue if there's no abuse and they are taken care of?
I don't understand so many pets either. The instances I've seen, the owner can't properly take care of them. Our ex-neighbor was psycho and had 7 rescue dogs---all in terrible shape. They needed re-rescue! Barked non-stop, bit people (without homeowner's insurance, she lost half her SS to a lawsuit).
Before there was a dividing fence, they'd run over to my husband's house and even INTO it. (his fault) First time I visited him, all 7 were leaping and jumping all over my car so I couldn't get out.
I'm telling you, our relationship almost did not get off the ground!
Once, driven to distraction, I had to bust into her yoga class while everyone was frozen mid-pose, to scream at her for her non-stop barking dogs. Yeah, I lost it! Actually, it was pretty funny...
The OP is not talking about abuse or hoarding. They already mentioned this before. They are just in general mentioning several pets.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
