Recently, I was involved in the rescue of a pet cat that had been missing for weeks. She was following my friend home and we took her into the house because she seemed scared and hungry. We gave her some food and water and encouraged her to eat, which she did gratefully. She stuck closely to my friend for an hour whilst we waited for her owners to come and pick her up. She seemed so anxious and worried, although she did calm down a little once she realised we were trying to help. You’ll see us looking after the cat in the picture!
The reunion was such a special sight. The owners – a young couple – looked very sad and tired. When we brought the cat out to them the look of complete relief on their faces was incredible. They’d clearly been worried for such a long time and feared that the worst had happened. They were almost moved to tears by the sight of their cat, who was so much thinner than when they had last seen her. The cat seemed to know she was going home, as she didn’t put up much of a fight when she was put back in the cat carrier, which she usually would have hated. I’m so happy I could be a part of this delightful moment.
It got me thinking though. What does this show about the love between people and animals? Many people think that animals are inferior to people as they do not show the same emotions or express them in the same way. I think this incident has shown what nonsense this is. These are usually the same people that don’t have pets of their own, so have never had the experience of sharing their home and their love with another creature. People also think dogs are more loving than cats, but perhaps cats just show their love in a different way.
So what is this bond between people and animals, and why is it so special? Humans share an emotional bond with animals which is why we keep pets in the first place. Although our animals depend on us for food and shelter, they grow to love us as their protectors and guardians, almost like a parent-child relationship. It’s special because it helps us to be more compassionate and understanding of those in need, so that as well as helping animals, we can also help other people. Our relationship with animals is particularly remarkable, because it crosses the barriers between species, something that would have been quite rare until recently. Animals show this love for each other too sometimes – when you hear about the cases of mother animals raising the abandoned offspring of another animal it shows that animals can show the same love that humans show to them. Anyone who’s ever had a pet will understand the joy that they can bring to our lives, and how sad we are when we lose them.
So next time you look at your pet tell them you love them, and I’m sure they’ll know what you mean. They may even tell you, in their own way, that they love you too.