get so attached to our pets?

I consider my cat my best friend. He's been with me since I was 12. He sleeps with me at night, and follows me everywhere. When I don't come home at night, he lays on my bed and meows for me. I know when he goes I'm going to cry, and miss him alot. I can't help but look at him from time to time and realize, we only have about three more years together. Why do we allow ourselves to feel this way?

You're asking ME?? My cat was my best friend for 20 years, until I lost her to a mammary tumor exactly two years and 4 days ago.

Because for some of us, our hearts know no bounds or limits in the capacity of love it holds. The capacity to love an animal is a beautiful gift -- don't ever lose it.

We get attached to our furry friends because they love us unconditionally. They are always happy to see us. I could go outside and come back inside 10 times in an hour, and each time I come in, my big furry beast would be ecstatic to see me. We don't get such adoration from our two-legged friends. If you're ever blue or sick, who is always by your side--that furry friend with the cold, wet nose. Most often, your two-legged friends run and hide until you're your old happy self again.

My Sam is 11 yrs old now. I've had him since he was 6 weeks old. He's completely devoted to me. And I swear he's part human. He always knows what I'm saying to him and reacts accordingly. He actually amazes my friends and family. He listens to our conversations, and if anyone mentions "diet", he sighs and turns away; he doesn't want to talk about that. LOL

No matter how I look or what kind of mood I'm in, Sam always wants to be my side. He's just completely devoted in a way humans rarely are. Our furry friends make us feel special, loved, and amazing without even saying a word.

I have love for all animals, I get a little sad when I see dead animals on the road. Then I think to myself "OMG it's just an animal!". LOL

Because they love us unconditionly!!

Plus they are the only ones we let kiss us after they licked their ass!!

I love you cliffy!

Great question, great answers. I have 2 Bengal's and I don't know what I would feel like if something happened to them. I got them after my Snowy Bengal died. I felt heartbroken and I asked myself then... Why do we get so attached to our pets. They need us and they want us without question.

I swear my cat can understand me, the other night I was watching a movie, and I got a feeling that something bad was going to happen to a cat in the movie, so I told my cat to look away, he walked out of the room as if he understood me, LOL. It was kinda funny.

Shadow herself thought she was human! If you told her she was a cat, I think she would've argued with you!

She was the best friend I ever had in my life. Always there with me, through thick and thin. I knew I could always count on her.

I still can't talk about my mom's dogs, who were my best friends, without tearing up. And I can't talk about my Sasha and how she was stolen from my yard without crying...

LOL, that's what I love about cats, they're right even when they're wrong LOL. They say dogs are more loyal than cats, but my first cat Fizzy, and my current cat Smokey are two of the most loyal creatures I ever met.

I miss my Fizzy, he used to wake me up for school, by purring in my ear and rubbing his head on me. My neighbor ran him over.

That's why I never let Smokey out, I don't want him to go out the same way.

Shadow would always sleep on my pillow, right above my head. When the alarm clock would ring in the morning, I would reach up to turn it off so I could get up for work, and she'd stick out a paw to my hand, as if to say, "I don't think so."

I could go on and on about things she would do. She was quite a character, and I miss her dearly.

I think animals are people reincarnated. Some of them are just so smart and humanlike.

We had a himalayan, Khi Khi. My young son loved her but he was sometimes a bit rough with her. So she'd get even...later. She slept with him every night. And if she felt he was mean to her that day, she exacted her revenge when he was deeply asleep. She'd bite him on the nose and jump off the bed before he could react. He hated being awakened like that, but every night when he went to bed, he allowed her in the bed with him. I've always thought Khi Khi's revenge was funny. I am reminded of the quote, "You gotta sleep sometime."

When my cat was younger, he would bite my feet at night. I hated being awaken like that. Now, I sleep with my feet well tucked under the cover, and I don't let him under the covers anymore. LOL

I have great communication with my two babies. They sleep with me and greet me every afternoon when I come home after work and lay in my lap when we watch TV. Shoot, I have even resorted to watching the animal channel to appease their viewing needs. SIGH They definitely rule the house and I am merely their servant.

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.

They become a family member

That is an understatement --I work for my cat LittleCat. She's been with me since the moment she was born. She's 14 now and still acts and plays like a kitten. This past year since I've lost my job I don't know what I'd do without her. She understands everything I've been going through. In moments when I've cried even though it upsets her, that little furry paw touches my face and has wipped away tears; and then she tilts her head as if to say -- "mommy it will be alright" and I actually believe they will and I smile.

Lost my 2 dogs and 3 cats in the divorce.
I only get to see them if I go over to the house,.
But my girls sneaked the littlest dog over for a quick visit.
They even called my landlord to ask if I could have a kitty.

My cat was no different from any other member of my family. I've had him since I was around 14 and he was by and large the best friend I've ever had. We've also had some rather interesting (some even humorous) experiences with each other...

... like the time he climbed into the shower with me. Despite being pelted with water, and despite his mewling in agony (as if to say, "Arrgh!!! The water!!!! The water!!!"), he stayed in the shower the whole time and didn't run out. This gave me the opportunity to do the only thing I COULD do, which is bust out with the shampoo and conditioner and give him a sound washing.

My cat's also quite literally saved my mangy hyde, as well- a neighbor's rather large and mean-as-hell dogs had somehow gotten into my backyard and (after spotting me there) decided to charge at me. They were intent on tearing to shreds, and since I had nothing to protect myself with, I was pretty much screwed...

... until my cat got between me and those dogs, that is. His tail had poofed out like a bottle brush, his ears had pulled back so far they were almost touching, and he had made noises I had honestly never heard of before. He was determined to stop those dogs from getting at me, even if it meant he would bear the brunt of any dog-based attack.

But an interesting things happened- the dogs, either spooked or befuddled by the sight of a totally psychotic cat hissing and spitting at them, turned tail and ran back out they way the came, with my cat hot on their tail. I had to chase after my cat to get him to break off his pursuit- those dogs would (at some point) come to their senses and probably make mincemeat out of the cat.

He's been gone for at least two years now, and I still miss him terribly. There are times when I still hear him meowing at me, in fact.