I’ll be the first to admit that I love my cats. They’re my little furry children. I can’t imagine life without them and it pains me to leave them when I travel. I’m one cat short of Crazy Cat Lady status, and I’m okay with that.
While searching for matches for one of my Gold clients, I came across the profile of a girl who was really into her pets. In fact, she stated in no uncertain terms that her cat was her best friend and wayyyyyy better than any of her people friends.
Of course, I had to tweet about it:
But all jokes aside, what does it say about YOU that you can’t establish meaningful friendships with other people? What does it say about you that you’re spending all your time at home with your cat?
I love my furbabies, and sure, they’re extremely loving and lovable, but they’re not a substitute for human interaction.
Pet lovers, send out the right message in your dating profile: that you love your pet, but you’re not a complete social misfit who can’t interact with members of your own species.
Bad Idea:
“My cat is a better friend than most of the people I’ve met.”
Better Idea:
“Watching TV with my cat curled up in my lap is the best way to unwind at the end of the day.”
Bad Idea:
“Sometimes I think my dog understands me better than anyone else.”
Better Idea:
“My dog Tucker seems to always know if I’m feeling stressed. He’ll beg me to take him out for a long walk and by the time we’re back, I’m feeling much better.”
Part of me wonders if there are people who use their extreme love of their pets as a way to block out people from their lives. Love me, love my pet. Or else. What do you think?
About e
I JUST saw the same sort of thing when looking for my Gold client – only, in this case, it was a dog. “Ol’ Yeller is my oldest and dearest friend.” Oldest in that you haven’t maintained any friendships over the years, or oldest in that you’re seriously counting dog years?
http://cowbirdsinlove.com/567
Perhaps guaranteed unconditional love makes some people feel better about themselves?
.-= Sharky´s last blog ..Sometimes, I think all the 24-hour news networks are actually run by an alien in Satellite Five… =-.
@ Sharky – I agree that pets make you less stressed, happier, etc…. but these people take it to the extreme of “my pets trump any of my past, present, or potential friends.”
I love my Siren, but I don’t think she can replace any of my friends. I think that people find pets to be so wonderful is because they don’t talk. We just assume that they are constantly listen (and when was the last time we truly felt like someone was listening to us).
I think that because we like to think that Fluffy or Old Yeller is always listening to us that they understand us better than other people who don’t always listen to us when we want to talk. I think this is the logical reason why some people feel pets are their best friends.
@ DiceGirl – And how sad is that?
One of my ghostwriting clients has me writing a lot of articles on repairing damaged relationships. I’ve done a lot of research and writing about listening techniques and how much better our relationships would be if we just gave people the gift of really HEARING them.
@E- I totally agree that it is completely depressing that not everyone has found someone who truly listens and I strongly believe that the gift of feeling heard is just amazing.
It occurs to me that I should admit my cat strikes me as an awful listener. She is a bit too bi-polar at times to feel like she wants to listen to me rant unless there is food involved. Luckily, my husband is a great listener (I could use more practice).
A great rule of thumb people should try is the 80/20 rule. You listen 80% and talk 20%. If you are really listening during that 80% of the conversation, you will have a really great idea of how that person is feeling and be able to make a recommendation on a solution to that individual’s problem. (Totally not easy to do but one of the best piece of advice a good friend gave me)
…But if everybody listens 80% and talks 20%, that leaves 60% of the time when the two people are just sitting there, staring, and listening intently.
.-= Graham´s last blog ..CriticalAnkleBites and ChattyDM pretend to be journalists =-.
@Graham- Very true. Luckily most people (like myself) aren’t very good at following this rule. But I do think that when someone is upset this rule of thumb will make the person having a bad day feel understood and less upset. ^_^