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What different pets have you had in your lifetime ?

(41 Posts)
nanna8 Thu 02-Nov-23 10:42:19

Thinking back, we have always had pets since I was born. Mostly cats and dogs ( 2 rescue cats at the moment ) but also budgies, mice, quails, and a couple of fledgling birds, later released when they recovered. I have never had a horse though my nanna had one on her farm. Mostly when I was young in London people didn’t have horses, sadly !
What pets do you have or have had ?

HowVeryDareYou2 Thu 02-Nov-23 15:41:32

Hamsters, a cat, a dog, when I was a child

With my own children - gerbils, rats, Axolotls
Had animals for my GC - rabbits, gerbils, fish,

Always had cats, for 40-odd years. No pets at all now - last cat died a year ago.

Freya5 Thu 02-Nov-23 19:12:54

Children had hamster, gerbil, budgie, goldfish, which the cat ate, an untrainable dog. Oh and a rabbit.
Am happy to say, done my bit now very happy to be pet free.

watermeadow Thu 02-Nov-23 20:57:17

Cats and dogs always plus hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, terrapins and tortoises, stick insects, goldfish, budgies, a duck, ponies.
I never said No to any pet my children wanted, also worked for a vet and brought the strays home. I never want to live without at least a moggy purring on my lap.

watermeadow Thu 02-Nov-23 20:59:40

and Guinea pigs. Forgot the Guinea pigs!

Deedaa Thu 02-Nov-23 21:04:03

Cats, dogs, rabbits, mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, lemmings, goats, goldfish and a shetland pony.

lixy Thu 02-Nov-23 21:13:44

We seemed to collect animals when I was small. I remember my very first kitten coming home from the RSPCA curled up in my school beret on the back seat of the car.
Then we collected a budgie or two from various relatives and a whole shed full of rabbits at one stage.

My Gparents lived in the country with dogs, goats chickens galore and a wonderful flock of guard geese. They had a pony for all their Gchn to share too.

Then we moved so the cat came with us, the rabbits went to a colleague of my Dad's and I was allowed my first dog when I was thirteen. We collected some sticklebacks around then too!

Once I moved to my own home we got a cat and then guinea pigs when our children were small. However we discovered that DD is allergic to both fur and feathers - they bring on asthma attacks - so animals weren't replaced when they died. We haven't had any pets for a long time now.

I did think that when I retired I would get another dog - carefully selected to avoid the asthma trigger of course - but OH says 'no'. I'm bitterly disappointed but a pet in the home has to be a whole-household choice, so there we are. And, no, walking someone else's dog just is not the same at all.

SachaMac Thu 02-Nov-23 21:14:06

As a child I had cats, dogs, a hamster, a pale blue budgie, several goldfish (often won at the fair) and a few large white hens at the bottom of the garden, I remember being sent down to collect the large white eggs.

During our married life we had three cats, four dogs, several rabbits & Guinea pigs, mice, lovebirds & goldfish. We had two cats and two dogs at the same time and they would all curl up on the rug together in front of the fire. I just have one wonderful dog now but have many happy memories of all our pets, especially the cats & dogs.

Spuddy Fri 10-Nov-23 11:31:21

Over many years I've had dogs, cats, coldwater fish, birds, various rodents. I even had a ''pet'' crane fly about 20 years ago!

At the moment we have 1 female tabby cat that we rescued from the streets November 2022 and 5 coldwater fish!

Curtaintwitcher Fri 10-Nov-23 11:39:44

I currently have guinea pigs, fish, a hamster and birds. When I lived in a house I had cats, dogs and rabbits (as well not instead).
Having pets is hard work but you get used to having them as part of your life. Every time, I go out, I pick a few dandelion leaves for them. It just becomes habit.

MiniMoon Fri 10-Nov-23 11:47:04

As a child we had a cat.
Our children had a hamster and guinea pigs. We had a toy poodle, two parson Russell terriers and now we have our daughter's cat. He was supposed to be a temporary guest until she could find someone to rehome him (he kept running away from her house). He seems settled here now.

MiniMoon Fri 10-Nov-23 11:48:52

I forgot the tropical fish and the cockatiel. How could I have done that. I loved that bird.

nanna8 Fri 10-Nov-23 11:56:06

Just in the last few months every time I call the cats in a couple of ravens come, too. Right up to the back door. I’m thinking of naming them , Corby and Corbette? I forgot the tropicals and the goldfish, too. The tropicals were a lot of work but the guppies seemed to live forever.

nanna8 Fri 10-Nov-23 11:57:14

Aren’t they so lovely, though, all of them a? 💕 💕

Damdee Fri 10-Nov-23 12:09:06

Currently a cat and a tortoise. Previously a dog, pigeons, white doves, a budgie, other cats - and a hamster when I was a child. Also sea monkeys!!!

Fleurpepper Fri 10-Nov-23 12:17:58

Cats and dogs, always found us, rather than us found them. They chose us too. And chickens too.