Have you ever felt unworthy of an animal's love, devotion or loyalty?

Yes, when my boy cat got really sick and following the advice of a particular vet I carried out treatment that kept him alive but I don’t think was in his best interest. I thought I was doing the right thing but I soon realised it was about my needs and not his and I still feel guilty about that. I think he suffered more than he needed to and I should have let him go sooner. He was a beautiful friend and I feel I let him down a bit.

Sometimes I think I let my pooches down because I have to work and they hate when I have to leave. Especially if I have to go away on a work trip. They go and sulk under the dining room table when they see me packing. I feel like such a heel then.

@Bellatrix Maybe that is closer to what I was getting at, maybe “unworthy” was too extreme of a concept, I think what I was I really was getting at was, as you expressed: “When it comes to your animals, do you ever feel like a heel?” The issues of how we deal or have dealt with “end of life care” when it comes to our animals, that is whole different question, a whole different subject, not what I’m getting at here, but I appreciate your sharing that story, it’s hard I know. I have a new puppy, a fresh start but am still, in someways, mourning the loss of the world’s greatest cats ever (sorry, biased, once again) who I was lucky enough to call mine. I love my new puppy, my future dog companion, I love her more an more every day, but I miss my cats. C’est la vie.

Never. I give those little fluffers everything and sacrifice a lot. They don’t show me nearly enough appreciation.

Oh, yes. I have the most perfect cat in the whole world. He is fun and caring and always goes in his litter box. His only flaw is his remarkable tendency to try to play fetch with (clean) tampons.
However, one day I was trying to cut a mat off of his chest when I accidentally cut him. He made this most awful yelp and jumped away. When I went to try to check it he just let me, like I wasn’t an inferior human being (that I am) for harming him. I immediately called the vet, sure that I had killed my poor kitty. Luckily, the vet got him in that day, and it turns out that I had greatly overreacted. The cut was small, and the vet said that cats have really thin skin and that she had seen worse happen from overzealous brushing. But I hated myself, and felt very unworthy for at least a month afterward.

I felt really horribly guilty when my cat broke her leg, and I feel guilt (but not as much) whenever I have to groom a pet. I know how much they don’t like having their claws clipped.

@Aethelflaed I completely know what you are talking bout with the nail clipping. I have to clip my kitty’s nails, or they get stuck in screens and such. But I am terrified I will cut to the quick, so recently, since the incident, I’ve been taking my cat to the groomers so a professional can take care of his grooming properly.

@athenasgriffin See, I’ve thought of that, but they get soooo terrified in the car. One of them pees himself every time, which then means I have to give him a bath when he gets home, prolonging the suffering… I’ve been putting off taking him to get his teeth cleaned because it’ll be such an ordeal.

Awww @pees himself. Poor lil thing.

@Aethelflaed Poor sweetie. I wouldn’t either if my cat hated the ride that much. As it is, I think he quite enjoys himself until he realizes he will be left with a stranger.

I think my pups have a pretty darn perfect life. I work so they don’t have to. They sleep most of the day and all of the night. They are fed all fresh home made food. They have a nice yard and are walked 2x a day, rain or shine. And the young one runs or bikes me with 4 or 5 times a week as well. When we travel, they go with us or stay at the local country club kennel.

Nope, my dogs have it made and I definitely deserve (and relish) all the love and adoration they give me.

No. I do treat my 2 cats,1 dog and 1 fish very well.

Always and every time.

Not really. I am a very devoted pet parent. Rain or shine, sick or well, they always have their needs met. Once in a great while in really stormy weather the geese might go an extra day with their pools being slightly less than perfectly full of fresh water, but, it’s rare.

I am in process of the morning watering scene now before I work noon to 5 today.

It takes a village and a deep well to keep everything green and swimming over here. haha

My cat is very spoiled too, and sadly, she is the only one now, having just lost my boy a few weeks ago to FIP. :-(

The only time I have felt bad about an animal situation is when I backed over my female goose “Maybelline” about 8 years ago. She liked to nap by the hay box off the side of my garage, and one day I backed out and, sadly, she was sleeping and I did not see her. It was awful. :-(

No. I am my animal’s pet human. As far as he sees it, I’ve given him another pet human to wait on and amuse him (my fiancee).

They offer so much and so unconditionally…I am humbled by their love and their trust. I do not have such within me any more. They renew my…spirit.

@Neizvestnaya – yep it’s that way in our house too!