this post was submitted on 09 Apr 2026
681 points (99.0% liked)
cats
29794 readers
1179 users here now
Typical internet cats. Videos, pics, memes, and discussion welcome!
Rule 1) Be kind
Rule 2) Follow the lemmy.world rules
other cat communities
birds, some cats
founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
treating your pets as less than they are is... i'm not sure what the word is but the first thing that comes to mind is disrespectful? somehow that doesn't feel like enough. what's the word for racist against kittens.
Agree. Pets are hostages in your house and have no other companionship. Pets should be spoiled with attention and spending time with them, and treats.
So...emotional slaves, then?
I don't think that. Your pet knows how to tell you when they want to be left alone, or when they want to play. My fiance's cat uses his paw to push my hand away when he doesn't want to be pet, and I will respect that boundary. When I had ferrets, I would let them initiate snuggles, just because most of them aren't keen on being held. I had one that would sleep in the bed with me, and another that would climb up on my shoulder while I was sitting on the couch and lick my face. I had a cat that would beg to play fetch and meow until I threw her hackey sack.
Likewise, we had to teach our sweetie to like cuddles. We call them corporal lovings (a corporal punishment joke) where we pick her up and let her perch on our shoulder or drape across our arm as long as she'd like while I pace around our home. She absolutely loves it and it is all across her face, but she will. not. show. whoever is carrying her.
It went from "she'd tolerate five minutes of corporal lovings a day from me and only me, the human she chose" to give an example from a recent month "my wife and I had an argument (probably about flour) and then the cat took a nap on my wife's lap for an hour half to make me jealous, half to make me envious, and because she's bad at math and a sweetie, half to show me that she loves my wife, the human I chose, as much as or more than me, the human the cat chose, and the cat really wants us to make up or start some mind games and I've been keeping up on her treats so I'm hoping make up."
Sorry that sentence got away from me and I'm tired/high, but if I remember I'll come back and clean up the grandma
Yes, I'm sure you did all you could to make their forced indenture to your desires, pleasant.
i'm not even sure where to start. your comment shows you don't know what indenture is, what slavery is, lack of fluency in english, and bad faith. because you think humans having animal companionship is spoopy
Humans forcing animals, breeding them into existence, for the sole purpose of serving their psychological needs.
that's not what's happening with most of the people you're talking to at all, but pop off because it makes you superior
What is happening, then? Why do people have pets?
Well I went to the shelter looking for a cat. The one I ended up getting really liked me. One might say she chose me. She was a stray and would have been euthanized if we hadn't taken her in. We made up a little story that they found her out back the dumpster behind the Paco Taco and she is tough! Her now-brother, he was from a kitten foster that was not good with cats. Took to my wife instantly. His made up story has to do with sailing and wine it's not as interesting Again, euthanasia issues if we hadn't adopted. I don't know anyone forcing them to breed (cats generally do that themselves unless you get them fixed and while kittens are fun, you want them fixed. TNR works, I help manage... Fuck I don't know how many cat colonies are in the creek anymore. But I have a good cargo bike and good access to cat food. We all kinda take a turn)
But since you asked, people have pets because they like animals and want to be around them. I don't think it gets any more complicated than that.
That sound like emotional needs being met through pets. Bringing animals into existence to satisfy people's like for them.