Concious Thought and Pets

[Wolffy13]

I think this is the correct forum :D

I've been thinking about this for a few days. I have a two cats and one is a pound purrie (a shelter cat). My other cat was found by my roomate (an animal control officer) when she was a little baby of about 2-4 weeks old and was fostered in our home, and therefore has never spent time in the animal shelter.

My pound purrie, Cheddar, is very loyal and loving with me. He seems to never pass up the oppurtunity to snuggle, or give me hugs and kisses (which he seriously does) and just seems to enjoy life as if he knew I could take him back to the shelter virtually anytime (although I wouldn't). My other cat, Bast, seems to respect me as "the hand that feeds her" and will snuggle on occasion, but doesn't seem to live life to the fullest like my other cat, Cheddar. It's almost like she doesn't realize her life could be worse.

People say that shelter pets are the best pets, and my experience is that that staement is true. Therefore, my question is: Do you think it's possible that shleter pets are the best pets because they somehow treasure you more, knowing that life without a loving owner doesn't get them much in life? Do shelter pets just know better?

I'm curious as to what you guys think :)

[Hellcat]

I think this is the correct forum :D

I've been thinking about this for a few days. I have a two cats and one is a pound purrie (a shelter cat). My other cat was found by my roomate (an animal control officer) when she was a little baby of about 2-4 weeks old and was fostered in our home, and therefore has never spent time in the animal shelter.

My pound purrie, Cheddar, is very loyal and loving with me. He seems to never pass up the oppurtunity to snuggle, or give me hugs and kisses (which he seriously does) and just seems to enjoy life as if he knew I could take him back to the shelter virtually anytime (although I wouldn't). My other cat, Bast, seems to respect me as "the hand that feeds her" and will snuggle on occasion, but doesn't seem to live life to the fullest like my other cat, Cheddar. It's almost like she doesn't realize her life could be worse.

People say that shelter pets are the best pets, and my experience is that that staement is true. Therefore, my question is: Do you think it's possible that shleter pets are the best pets because they somehow treasure you more, knowing that life without a loving owner doesn't get them much in life? Do shelter pets just know better?

I'm curious as to what you guys think :)


I believe the reactions of an animal towards their human fguardian are mostly based on personality rather than whether or not they've been subjected to a "lesser" lifestyle. Do you know anything about Cheddars past? I have lived to see the passing of several pets (my family are great animal lovers so I was born into a world of pets). When I was a child we had three cats, they were all treated the same, fed the same and loved the same. Tamla the eldest was an aloof cat who loved to be stroked when you wanted to stroke her- with me being allergic to cats she was ideal. Dibbles was a very friendly "in your face" charachter who always wanted to be stroked and huggled and handled, Mackerel was funny, she was the youngest she liked didn't liked being handled much , and her behaviour was almost ferral. None of those cats came from a shelter. Tamla passed away in 2002, and soon after I acquired Big Boy. He came to me after when his owner moved and couldn't take him with him. Big Boy had had two owners before coming to me and he was similar to Tamla in personality in that he liked being stroked but only when it was convinient for me. Unfortunately 12 months after acquiring him he developed a tumour and had to be put to sleep. A few weeks ago Tom Cat came into my hands as a stray. He is more like Dibbles in his personality- properly in your face and wanting attention at all times. Cute- but irritating. In my opinion animals behave according to their personality just like humans, but like humans, some of lifes experience may have some say on present reactions.