PETS

There is one little critter in this world who is always happy to see me. And yes, perhaps that happiness is caused by realization that ‘The big blur what brings food’ is in the room, but, when you think about it, aren’t most relationships built on this in one way or another?

I always worry about people who aren’t keen on pets. Pets give you the kind of unconditional love you don’t even get from another human being! (except serial killers’ mothers, who seem to support their kids above and beyond the call of sanity. But they’re hard to keep in a fish tank…)

Mind you I do understand about people who have allergies, but then even fish can be……… nice…….. (I rather like a good goldfish, they’re hardy little buggers and orange goes surprisingly well with a lot of things! They’re especially good at playing dead! *taps bowl hopefully*)

Pets always give you that warm, snuggly feeling that there is someone waiting for you when you get home. They never whine and complain about the day they’ve had (they leave that up to you) and are always willing to offer a nice furry shoulder to cry on. (Well dogs do. Cats are a bit more dodgy and you’re hard pressed to find a furry shoulder on any non-mammal but I’m sure a lizard would suffer a cuddle or two before it bit you.)

Pets also give you a sense of responsibility, you are responsible for the welfare of that little life. (And if your pets have a tendency to die on you at least you know that kids should probably not feature highly in your future plans.)

My little hamster is something to watch as he bumbles about in his little cage, moving about sawdust or running vast kilometres in his wheel or even sitting in his food bowl after a hard night (hamsters are nocturnal) having a bit of something to nosh and congratulating himself on a job well done!

The sound of him running in his wheel at odd hours at night is very soothing. (Partly because it’s nice to know there is another little life in the room with you and partly because it’s nice to know that little life form is your hamster and not say, a giant rat waiting to go for your throat when you turn the lights off …)

He’s old now, over 2 years old, but with still a certain style and cuteness that only pets seem able to pull off in their old age.

His fur smells like hazelnuts and no you can’t hold him!

I am grateful for my hamster!