Today I found myself singing made-up songs to my cat again, and it got me thinking… do you know the feeling when you do something that makes perfect sense to you (like making up songs for your cat), but a non-animal person would find completely ridiculous?
Some examples:
You can’t move from the sofa for hours because a pet is fast asleep in your lap
You narrate their inner thoughts like they are the main character
You can instantly tell when something is “slightly off” in their mood
You talk to them like they fully understand every word (because obviously they do)
We’re a community of animal lovers… so I wanted to ask… what is something only animal people truly understand?
Share your little moments, habits, or quirks that make you one of us!
You see a couple with a baby in a stroller and a puppy on a leash. Your eyes on the puppy!
You walk into a house and immedietly sit on the floor so you are eye level with the kitty on the couch.
You’re on a sit where you were told that the pet “might” want to sleep on the bed but doesn’t often do this with “strangers.” The pet jumps up next to you on the bed and you feel like you “won” a prize.
I don’t make up songs but I tick all your bullet points. I also relate to @Marion experience, except the one about the baby, in that case I go cross eyed, one eye to the pet and the other to the baby.
Another thing that a non-animal person doesn’t usually understand is that animals have a variety of behaviors and personalities as large as humans. Bonding with them and getting to know their personalities is one of the most rewarding aspects of sitting for me. I specially enjoy learning the differences when there are several pets. Sometimes two dogs or cats from the same litter are completely different and sometimes they behave differently when they’re alone with me and when their siblings are nearby.
My partner mentioned in a very sweet Valentine’s note that I’m the only person he knows who tries to initiate conversations with random birds of prey… I’m not sure this is one that even animal lovers will understand! But it’s true, I take great delight in squeaking at buzzards or squawking at crows whilst out on walks, and even more delight when they seem genuinely curious and come closer to investigate. It will probably end badly one day.
When I was working and people brought new babies into the office I’d let everyone else coo over it whilst I made polite pleasantries but wanted to actually carry on working. If anyone brought a dog in though it was a completely different story!!
If you pay enough attention, you’ll see behavior patterns and notice when something is off. Like yesterday morning our dog was just standing and looking at me, not responding to calls for him to come, not normal for him. I wondered whether he might be feeling off and later he barfed.
And some people who have little clue about the variety among dogs think they all love to walk. But actually some dogs aren’t good walkers or are sporadic. Like I once sat the laziest dog ever – she would pee and poo right outside her house and then run to the door and bark, bark, bark to be let in. She’d be impatient even if I went to grab the daily newspaper or trash cans.
She’d also flatten herself like a spatchcock chicken, to avoid being picked up to go on a walk. And/or she’d do that and nose herself into a corner, making it harder to grab her. She made me laugh with how lazy she was.
I had to pick her up and walk her away from the house, just so she’d be forced to walk back. Her humans said she’d always been lazy that way, since puppyhood. (They said they’d drag her if needed, but I don’t like to do that.)
My own dog is a sporadic walker. Like he refuses to walk sometimes when it’s rainy or snowy, or just because he doesn’t feel like it. Sometimes my husband carries him back, because once he decides he doesn’t want to walk, he just plops himself down and refuses.
Ah, the classic sitter’s trap. I know it all too well. So now, if there is even a remote possibility of that happening, I put things like my charger or whatever else I may need, right next to me, before I sit down, so that everything is within my arm’s length
When this lovely Corgi lady refused to walk with me, I got quite upset. I thought she didn’t want to walk with me or that she didn’t like me. What a relief when the host enlightened me: this is her normal behavior, it’s just her (and every other Corgi’s) personality … stubborn to the core. If you aren’t going exactly where they want, they simply anchor themselves to the pavement
• Freezing mid-sip because “if I move, this cuddle ends.”
• Whispering in your own house like you’re in a library.
• Saying “good boy” in a tone you have never once used on another adult human.
• Being emotionally manipulated by a sigh. Just… a sigh.
• Thanking them. For nothing. “Thank you for coming inside.”
• Asking permission to sit on your own sofa.
• Texting photo updates of them… to each other… while you’re both in the same room.
• Feeling personally rejected when they choose the other lap.
• Apologising when you disturb them. In your own house.
• Providing a full weather briefing before opening the back door.
• Saying “we” about something that is entirely their issue. “We’re not loving the bin lorry today are we?.”
• Waking at 3am because they’ve started that low, ominous throat-rumble into a dark corner… and immediately assuming it’s either a ghost or the end of civilisation.
• Offering calm verbal support while they bark heroically at a leaf that has committed no crime.
And the absolute peak — praising them like they’ve saved the nation when they finally settle down after defending the property from… air.
In once saw a friend I hadn’t seen in years while walking. We chatted for 15-20 min and all the while I was petting his pup, Dante. We said , “Goodbye,” and only when I began walking away did I realise that I had not even LOOKED at his (new) kid in the stroller !
Aww, reading through this thread has been such a lovely reminder of all the little things only animal lovers truly understand!
I love the mix of humour and heart here, whether it’s stubborn Corgis refusing to walk, whispering in your own house so you don’t disturb them, or thanking them for… absolutely nothing.
It really shows how we animal lovers see the world a little differently… I think we see it with more patience and a whole lot of love.
What’s another moment that only fellow pet people would understand? I’d love to hear more stories. Reading your stories so far has been really uplifting!
Cat sitting presents a number of challenges that only cat people will get. I found one of my “clients” Was keeping a diary! This is just one page of his journal.
TUESDAY -BOSCO DIARY
04:30. Zoom mania. Full house gallop and did 5 laps. Across the bed and stop. Bite sitters feet and go cra cra trying to eat her arm for 2 mins. Then scamper.
05:00. Wander about in the darkness making sad crying noises. Like I’m in pain or trapped under something I’ve knocked over. Sitter checks on me and I laugh!
06:00 Sitter gets up for the day. She expects me to appear and rush to feed bowl or to the door for freedom. Today I don’t appear! She starts to search for me. I’m silent! She looks under the single beds, looks in wardrobe (where I have hidden before). She goes into bathroom and laundry in case I’m lurking! Still I say nothing. She is now very worried and totally confused. Hahaha.
Now I admit, I managed to get under the double bed during my zooms. Not sure how I squeezed in under the side frame, but I got trapped and really couldn’t get out. As I was embarrassed, I now was silent. Not a peep. I just waited for her to find me. Finally she came in, and got down low and peered under the bed frame. She found me. She said some rude words, and I reached out and made swiping moves - could barely get my arm out. She lifted up the whole bed and I straitened up and walked out. No rush - no shame! Then went directly to back door and she let me out. I did give myself a fright. Probably won’t do that again, but she can find me if I do.
07:30. In for some Brekky. Sitter seems OK now and got over her fright. She gives me chin rubs.
10:00 Brought in another prize. A great big beetle. Sitter wrestled it from me, I headed out in a huff.
12:00 Sitter mopping floors. I have to check she’s doing a good job. I walk through on the wet floor in the laundry with dusty paws. She chases me and then I roll over and she laughs and gives me a thorough rubdown -bliss.
And it’s only lunchtime. Think she’s going to be hanging out washing soon. That will be fun.
Our late cat used to walk over my spouse’s lap to get to mine even though he’d had her before we lived together. But we just did a repeat sit with cats that I’ve mostly sat for and the one who worshipped me and my lap kept walking over mine to get to his. Lap envy reversed! I’d suddenly become just a food delivery system to my former acolyte.
Apologizing when pets trip you.
I’ve had cats trip me many times when they get close to my feet in the kitchen when I’m busy at the counter and then go to take a step, or when they’re laying across my path in the dark and I can’t see them. And every time, I automatically apologize to them.
I’m pleased to announce something new to add to my list…
Being “catted” i.e. having a cat sleep on me in the most inconvenient place
My cat Walter is always a bit more cuddly in the winter, as he likes to share warmth, but this winter he’s developed a habit of draping himself over my legs if I’m lying on my side in bed!
I’m a restless sleeper so it’s hard for me to stay still, but I can’t stand the thought of dislodging my lovely boy from his slumber!
