Most people will have had at least one pet in their lifetime. Whether it was a kitten or puppy when they were young, or a goldfish that “went for a swim” one day, we all remember a creature that brought us a lot of joy and comfort. From a very young age, my family always had cats. We had one that we thought was a male but had five kittens, which was THE best time in my life with pets. Animals bring something special into everyone’s lives. Now let’s remember them.
First Pet
What was the first pet you remember having when you were young? What was its name and who named it? Look through photos and see if you are in any of them with this pet. Was it a good pet or not? Were you ever afraid of it? Where did it come from? Did it have any funny quirks or things it would do that made you laugh?
Types of Pets
What is the most unusual pet you’ve ever owned? Why did you want to buy it? Where did you get it from? How long did it live? Did you ever regret buying it? Do you have a preference of type of pet, winged, furry, feathered or scaled? Did any of your pets have a unique personality?
Activities with Pets
Repeat these questions for when you were young and when you were living on your own (if you had a pet, of course). Who looked after the pet? Who walked it? Who fed it? Who paid for vet bills? Did you ever have a pet sprayed by a skunk, and if so, who had to deal with that exciting event? Did your pet have a favorite game to play or toy to play with? What was the most adventurous thing you’ve done with a pet?
Reflections
What inspired you to get a pet in the first place? How many pets have you owned throughout your life? How did you choose a name? How did your pet impact your life – did you find out you had allergies? Did a partner not like a pet you already owned? Did it stop you from traveling? What do you believe your pet taught you about life? If you had more than one pet, how did they get along? Do you celebrate your pet’s birthday, and if so, how? If you had to train your pet, what method(s) did you choose and what worked? Do you often share stories about your pets with friends and family? What always makes you laugh about your pet? Did any pets have problems with thunderstorms or fireworks? How did they react going to the vet? Was there a place in your home where your pet liked to go? What was the biggest challenge of owning a pet?
Benefits of Pets
What have you learned about life from owning a pet? What positive and negative effects has it had on you? Has a pet ever helped you through a difficult time? How do you think you would have handled that situation without them around? What is the most surprising thing you learned about owning a pet? Does your pet keep you in shape (e.g. dog walking?). Did you ever move with a pet, and how did that go?
Death of Pets
How old were you when your first pet died? Did your parents explain what had happened? How did you handle it? What was the longest living pet you’ve had so far? As an adult, how did you handle the death of a pet? Did you ever have to have one euthanized and did you stay with them throughout the procedure? Have you buried pets in the past? Were you likely to buy another pet after a death? How did you commemorate them?
I could go on with many more questions, but I think these will start you on a path to remembering all the various animals that came through your life. Sometimes the best friends were the ones who would be by your side in a down time and lick your face! A dog sitting at your feet or resting his head on your lap. A cat by your side purring. Or a bird sitting on its perch saying “It’s darn hot in here, Geraldine, put on the AC”. I’ve never had a bird, but I’ve seen some pretty impressive ones.
Your Turn:
- Make a list of all the pets you’ve owned, what type and their names.
- Find a picture of each of them.
- Go play with your current animal friend!