Pets can be helpful when someone is ill...



© Cheryl Simonds 2012

Pets, like Charlie (short for Charlene) to the left, are difficult at times and the most wonderful addition to our family at others times.  I raised this one from a 4 week old kitten to the ripe age of 19 when she died of Kidney Failure.  During that time she developed her own personality and her likes and dislikes.  And believe me, she let us know what they were!  For instance, she developed a like for coffee.  And not just any coffee; it had to have cream and sugar.  She would wait until you weren't looking and she would sneak up to the cup, dip her paw in and then casually clean the paw!  The longer you were away, the more she drank.  I once filled my cup and went to answer the phone.  When I came back, the coffee was nearly gone and Charlie was curled up in my chair purring while she carefully cleaned her paw! 

However, pets can be the best thing for a household, especially if the household consists of someone who is ill.  Pets seem to have a natural nursing instinct (well most do anyway) that helps tell them when someone is in trouble.  I have read stories of animals waking up the family during a fire and others of pets alerting family during a seizure or heart attack.  Animals are so receptive that they can sense when you are angry and tend to hide during those time.  They also seem to know when you are sad and they tend to want attention at that time.  I swear they know when you are hungry because mine always race to their food bowls and begin shoving it around!

So, then next time you are wondering why your pet is behaving so strangely, try checking out the family members;  one of them might be in trouble.  Kinda like the Lassie TV series when Lassie always raced to get help when Timmie was in trouble, LOL. 

If you don't have a pet but would like one, try getting one from the local animal pound or rescue shelter.  These animals tend to be more appreciative of the home they have and they are more receptive to those in trouble.  These animals also seem to be easier to train and incorporate into a home with children (for the most part-be sure to ask about the temperament of an animal before introducing it into a home with young children).