Why do we love our pets so much? What is that? We were recently away in New Hampshire, just the boys and I, as the husband had too much work to do. I missed the pets desperately. When I came home, Checkers spent the next day folded up next to me on the bed while I worked. Every once in a while she would look up at me through her tired, half-closed eyes and begin to purr. We were a picture of contentment. It frightens me that I now understand how someone ends up in a house full of forty cats. Or eighty. I am hoping I don't let this happen to me.
And the dog. I was assured that he didn't appear to be missing me too much. He was, supposedly, his regular self. But Bear was utterly overjoyed at our return. Beside himself happy. The next day I was outside on the deck while some guys were finishing up some work on it (a project that someone else started last summer), and when I was introduced to one of them, Bear rushed to my defense as the guy came toward me to shake my hand. Bear charged up onto the deck with his terrifying bark, telling the guy to back off. Obviously I wasn't in any danger, but, honestly, that made me love Bear even more. I mean, Bear knew the guy; he'd been there while we were away. But somehow he knew that I didn't know the guy, and I guess he wanted to put the fellow in his place. Or something. But this is something I love about Bear, that protective instinct.
I think a lot about animals. They figure into the book I'm trying to write, and somehow in that story I really want to express some of my thoughts and feelings about the relationship between humans and animals. But I often find myself wondering about animals' emotions. How do they feel about us? What do they think? What do we mean to them?
3 comments:
Mike says my problem is that I assign human emotions to animals. When I say that my cats love me he says, "No, your cats want something from you." When Fiona kneads on me I say she is affectionate and she says she is needy. Whatever. He is grumpy.I mean, why would Checkers sit next to you and purr if she didn't love you? Why would Bear try to protect you? Why would Figgy Pudding hide under the bed every night and then come out only when he is sure that it is just the two of us in there so he can snuggle with me?(He knows Mike will take him out. I mean C'mon.
Oh Mike...What should we do with him? Of course Fiona is affectionate and loves *you*. I bet she doesn't knead Mike, now does she? And the Figs...of course he wants to make sure the coast is clear before jumping up in bed with you. They do love you, Merry, and they're smart too!
Three words for you Bambino: Cat at large!
One word for you Merry: Anthropomorphism. This is one of my most favorite words ever. I have even blogged about it. Ridiculous, I know.
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