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Do you talk to your pets?
Are there any pet owners who don't talk to their pets?
I am firmly convinced that animals (with the exception of dogs and some very smart parrots) do not understand any words of English. I find it laughable when little old ladies explain that they have told their cats not to catch birds.
None the less, every night, when I turn out the lounge light, I say 'Goodnight' to the budgie. If he's flying free (we let him out about once a week) then I chat to him up on top of the curtain rail and tell him he's a lovely bird.
I always chat briefly to dogs when introduced to them. I have been known to say 'hello' to cats I pass in the road if they come up to me. I don't believe they understand a single word of it, but I still do it.
I have also been known to talk to cuddly toys and I am perfectly certain that I am not alone in this.
We're an incredibly social species. Company is terribly important to us. That's why many hospitals now have authorised dogs or cats, as they know that the patients benefit from being able to stroke them and talk to them.
Our relationships with animals say a lot about our relationships with people. In at least one country (Canada, I think) people who abuse animals have a note made to the child-protection people. There is a strong link between those who hurt domestic animals and those who hurt children.
So, I guess it makes a kind of sense that we talk to animals. We keep pets becasue their company is good for us. They provide us with love and affection. It's natural for us to talk to those we love. It's a relationship and for many people without family it's the most important relationship in their life.
I am firmly convinced that animals (with the exception of dogs and some very smart parrots) do not understand any words of English. I find it laughable when little old ladies explain that they have told their cats not to catch birds.
None the less, every night, when I turn out the lounge light, I say 'Goodnight' to the budgie. If he's flying free (we let him out about once a week) then I chat to him up on top of the curtain rail and tell him he's a lovely bird.
I always chat briefly to dogs when introduced to them. I have been known to say 'hello' to cats I pass in the road if they come up to me. I don't believe they understand a single word of it, but I still do it.
I have also been known to talk to cuddly toys and I am perfectly certain that I am not alone in this.
We're an incredibly social species. Company is terribly important to us. That's why many hospitals now have authorised dogs or cats, as they know that the patients benefit from being able to stroke them and talk to them.
Our relationships with animals say a lot about our relationships with people. In at least one country (Canada, I think) people who abuse animals have a note made to the child-protection people. There is a strong link between those who hurt domestic animals and those who hurt children.
So, I guess it makes a kind of sense that we talk to animals. We keep pets becasue their company is good for us. They provide us with love and affection. It's natural for us to talk to those we love. It's a relationship and for many people without family it's the most important relationship in their life.