Bond Between Pet and Owner

¶ … Pet Experience

Pet owners often describe the connection between themselves and their animals as something similar to the bond between a parent and their child, and while this can be seen as an exaggeration, for anybody who has loved and lost a pet the comparison is appropriate. During my first year of college I experienced the loss of a longtime pet, as my 14-year-old cat Jameson succumbed to old age after a long life. Not being there when he passed away was a bit painful, because Jameson was "my" cat in a sense, with my older siblings each having their own from a litter of kittens my parents came across one day way back when. Knowing that he exceeded the expected lifespan for a housecat was a point of comfort, but the loss hurt nonetheless, because I have a feeling Jameson was likely looking around the house for me during his last days, wondering where "his" person had gone.

My first time meeting Jameson is something I'll always remember, because he was the first pet that I was expected to take care of and watch over. Obviously, I was very young at this point and my parents handled the bulk of his care and upkeep, but I tried my best to keep his food and water dishes filled when I got home for school, and to make sure he came back in every night to avoid predators and other threats to his safety. Every night he would crawl into bed with me and when I woke up he was always there to say good morning with a face nuzzle and some purring. That's why I think the bond between a pet and its owner can be equated to that of a parent and child, because the pet relies on its owner for sustenance, while the owner relies on the pet for affection and unconditional love.