Do you and your pet have a hate or complicated relationship?

totally, they are cats, after all.

i have a big orange tabby, he's actually very nice, but thinks he's my size, so if he's upset, he'll fight tooth and nail. I have to distract him with a toy to get him to stop biting.

i also have a little black tripod. he and the orangie chase and play and bite each other. he's REALLY not socialized well, he likes being pet, sometimes, and held, never. he growls and snaps if I touch him inappropriately. he's so cute I can't help it sometimes.

they get lavished with treats and electric throws so I think they lead a good life.

My parrot kinda hates me from time to time and attacks me constantly, but I still love him.

“My boys! My boys!”

Yes, but as I’m the only human involved, it’s all on me. Sometimes (like I when she wakes me up at 5 am and demands to go on a walk) I tell her to buck up and remember that I rescued her from the pound. Yesterday she threw up a few times right in the middle of a hectic project I was doing for work, and right in the middle of the carpet. As frustrated as I was it also reminded me how vulnerable she is and that it’s my job to look out for her, and I chose that role willingly. I’ve had her for eight years now, so any spoiled or misbehaving side she has (eating unknown things off the sidewalk, which probably caused the vomit) is my fault training-wise.

I still wouldn’t trade her for anything.

No. My dog and I love each other.

Yes.

[Quote] My parrot kinda hates me from time to time and attacks me constantly, but I still love him

I have had the same parrot for 37 years. Sometimes they want to be top bird making you second on the totem pole

That's when I get bit.

My pet what?

I had a complicated relationship with my cat who lived for 19 years. He was white with tabby markings. From the moment I brought him home with my ex-partner, that cat was totally focused on me. No amount of love I showed for him was ever enough. He was glued to my side from the time I got up until I went to sleep. He was terribly jealous of the other cat, a black cat, I got at the same time, so they were like brothers from another mother. The black cat and white/tabby got along for the most part, but if I showed affection for the other cat, the white/tabby would jump him and start biting him.

I think the white/tabby knew I favored the black cat, who died when he was 11. The white/tabby was devastated, though, when the black cat died. He went into a terrible depression, so I got another cat, an orange tabby at an animal rescue, to be his new companion. Well, white/tabby got out of his depression, but his new focus was hating the orange tabby. Whereas white/tabby had a love/hate relationship with the black cat, he full on hated the orange tabby. Orange tabby became my new favorite, and I think white/tabby knew it.

White/tabby died at age 19 of cancer. He had gotten on my nerves with his constant demand for attention and his jealousy, but when I lost him I was probably more upset than I had been losing other pets. It was so strange not to have him glued to my side after died. Something felt missing. I loved him as best as I could, but it would never have been enough for him. I've never had a cat like that ever again. Usually cats are a bit aloof and will let you know when they want attention. This cat demanded it all the livelong day! Definitely a complicated relationship.

I hate that diseased cur. And he hates me. Where did he go? I miss him.

One of the main advantages that pets have over human beings for me is that my relationships with the animals are relatively uncomplicated. We adore each other. That’s it.

Yes I have a complicated relationship with my cat. He's very smart and affectionate, I've had him for 16 years now. However he's got a lot of disgusting habits that drive me up the wall. For example, he vomits where he sleeps, like literally just turns his head and yacks and then goes back to sleep. He also goes out of his way to make himself vomit. He has pica, where he eats inappropriate things, in order to make himself puke. Broom bristles, pine needles, strings, any kind of plant leaves, he will eat and then throw up. He also doesn't groom himself so his fur is oily and dusty and I don't like to touch him at all if I can help it. The worst is he doesn't cover his shit when he uses the litterbox so it reeks. I'm basically waiting for him to die at this point and I don't think I will have another pet for a very long time. Honestly just so over dealing with shit and piss and vomit.

I have an extremely uncomplicated relationship with my cats. I pet them and feed them and they sit on me and purr like I was the Sofa God, and snuggle with each other when I'm no available to be their food-dispensing sofa.

They are complete idiots, and it is my firm opinion that stupid cats make better pets than smart ones. Smart cats mean a complicated relationship, stupid cats mean an uncomplicated exchange of affection, and I am extremely fortunate to have picked the dumbest cats out of the litters.

R12 " I'm basically waiting for him to die at this point" You sound like a nice person.

R13 There's no such thing as dumb cats, you dumbass.

R12, your cat is sick and you're not paying attention. He's eating strange stuff to make himself vomit? Sounds like he's hurting. And greasy/oily fur is another indicator of illness.

Get him checked out. If you don't want to spend the money to treat him, it may be better to have him put down.

[Quote] If you don't want to spend the money to treat him, it may be better to have him put down.

It may be better to put down the hooman, cats probably.

He's fine, R16. He's done this for years and years. I give him cat grass (which he also throws up), but if I don't he will go for anything long and skinny.

I don't mistreat him. He is fed and cared for, regularly taken to the vet. I just don't like living with him.

My dog, cat, and I all love each other. We love my husband most of the time.

Yes, one of two Tortie litter mates turned out to be a fat, personality-lacking sourpuss. Standoffish to me, her Lord and master, and passive-aggrrssive and hissy to her chuckleheaded sister. She took up space, shed hair everywhere. I did feel bad when I had to have her euthanized in July when she went into kidney failure. Her remaining sister is MUCH happier without her fuzzy butt around anymore!!!

R2 my parrot loves me, but will attack me also if she's feeling territorial about her cage, wants to show dominance, or is feeling possessive about my husband (who is her favorite). If she's on him and I attempt to put her back or remove her from him in any way I AM THE ENEMY. Thus, he gets to put her back himself when he has her out. They are very smart creatures and have moods.

It can be complicated but ultimately pet knows I am boss

I have a rabbit

I always watch my back

I rescued my dog and though I love her, she ended up favoring my partner. It is like being in an emotional love triangle. It's strange because occasionally she sleeps with me in middle of the night, when she definitely prefers them. We also get along great one on one -- I'm just not the favorite of the two of us. Fortunately the other dog we have is more "my dog", so I suppose it worked out in the end.

I've had four cats over my life. All have been clowns. I loved them so much. Well not all clowns the one female cat she was all of 6.5lbs and had fur so brown it looked black. She was also a champion mouser. It's funny when my husband wanted to use tinsel on the Christmas tree I warned him. Litter box had a festive look on that one.