Most people choose pets that fit their personality. Do you have a pet? Does your pet understand you? Are pets sensitive to human gender?
I love critters! :) I have three dogs (two Border Collie mix; one Labrador Retriever mix) and a Calico cat. Two of the four are foundlings, so I can't really say that I chose them because they fit my personality.
Regarding animals being sensitive to human gender, I got my female Border Collie, Rachael, at the Animal Shelter. At the time I had been on HRT for a couple of years, but I was still presenting in guy mode and when told the young woman working at the shelter that I was interested in Rachael and would like to take her for a walk she said, "Oh, I don't know, Rachael doesn't like men". I asked her to let me try anyhow, and so she reluctantly let me into the holding cage--while holding a can of pepper spray at the ready. To the young woman's surprise Rachael came right up to me and started loving me up and she's been my dog ever since.
On the other hand, although Rachael has always seemed to mostly afraid of men and not women, there are also exceptions, and I've noticed that the few women who freak Rachael out tend to be those whose expression is very animated and who make quick moves with their bodies. Likewise, Rachael is okay with a few of my guy friends, but only the ones who don't make violent, sudden movements or carry themselves in a *large* way, so I really can't say if it has so much to do with gender as it does with simply how a person projects themselves.
Sounds like maybe Rachael has been abused by a guy before. I have a calico cat with an extra toe on each paw. 24 toes in total. She's very clumsy. The only cat I know that can't always land on her feet. Sometimes she falls and plop! Very moody also. That may be natural for all cats.
i have 2 dogs and a bird. the dog that i picked isnt really sensetive to gender but shes sensetive to emotion and who is a good person. my bird is just nutty and only likes certain people. it seems to be random. lol he wolf wistles at my dad, hisses at my mom, loves to be held by me and he sings to me. :) anyone who is new to him is pretty much a crapshoot on if he will like them.
My big gay male cat particulalry likes smelly men, or he likes you if you have just stepped out of a shower, but I think he likes everyone. He is very mellow. My young female cat seems to not be offended by most people, she is a bit into her own business but can be really affecitonate, to me anyway. Whenever I am brushing my teeth she stands on the sink and looks at me in the mirror or stands up with her paws on my chest. She also likes to climb in your underwear while you are on the toilet. I have not noticed if she prefers males or females.
I had one incident when I was helping my flatmates collect a second hand bed. The owner had a big german shepard and she said that it did not like men and I needed to be careful. It came over and gave me a sniff but was altogether friendly which surprised the owner. Could have just been from living with 4 women I smelt a bit like one, but I'm not so sure.
Quote from: Nicky on March 05, 2009, 03:38:50 PM
Whenever I am brushing my teeth she stands on the sink and looks at me in the mirror or stands up with her paws on my chest. She also likes to climb in your underwear while you are on the toilet.
thats so cute! :D
I got a big, old, black cat.
She's beautiful, nutty, highly intelligent, and only nice when people aren't looking. And she comes and curls up on the same sofa as I am on every once in a while.
She doesn't seem to have a preference for people based on gender however and so that's not a factor.
However, I am reminded of a friend of mine. See, shee had these dogs right? and one of the dogs (the male one) was completely disinterested in female wisitors and would only come hang out with the male ones. He hopped right up into my lap and gave the snugs. My friend (She had the most AWESOME dreads!) went "huh... he never does that"
Made me smile.
I have a kitten (or rather I'd say he's a small cat now) named Ash. We got him when he was about three months old because some depraved individual decided to toss him out of a moving vehicle into my friend's lawn. He sprained his ankle, and we got all of that taken care of, and now he's the most energetic and psychotically playful cat on the planet, but also the most loving. I have witnesses who will attest that he is the cutest kitty ever.
When it comes to gender sensitivity, I don't know how animals perceive it, but I got Ash young enough and personally nursed him enough that he definitely thinks I'm his mommy and I think of myself that way. Some people say I'm going to be a crazy cat lady when I'm older.
A GG friend of mine has a stray cat she rescued one day with only three legs. It was a birth defect. The cats name is Eilene (I lean). I have heard of three legged dogs named tripod. Lost: A three legged dog. Missing one eye. Recently castrated. Goes by the name of "Lucky".
Quote from: Genevieve Swann on March 07, 2009, 06:38:07 AM
Recently castrated. Goes by the name of "Lucky".
If I could get the vet to snip me for $80, I'd call myself lucky too. ;D
I've got a golden retriever and a male cat.The retriever is forever trying to get into the cat food, or the cat box (gross!). The cat, meanwhile, plays overly friendly because he wants food. This goes on until I feed him. He does not leave me alone.
Such is my life.
I have a huggy lovey affectionate lab-border collie cross named Sam. Her big personality quirk is that she hates tall people. Luckily I'm 5'5". Doesn't matter how nice they are, how much of an animal person they are, if they're tall, they better sit down or crouch or she'll growl at them. She hates tall men more than tall women, but still dislikes anyone tall. She didn't get it from me, honest. She spent last weekend growling at my girlfriend's sons, who are both over 6' tall. No number of treats would get her past it.
And I have a cat, calico, 17 years old. Demanding as all get out. Everything must be to her liking and service must be immediate. She's also really affectionate, but it's kind of a demanding affectionate with her. Give me both hands, snuggle me, and give me all your attention or I shall hack your face. The cat is dominant over the dog, as the picture shows. She's also dominant over me, but I don't take pictures of that:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmembers.shaw.ca%2Fdennisjevans%2Fsamanddomino.jpg&hash=2c4e5cc08cc5d40525e74ca0ed28380dbdfb87ab)
Both animals are rescue, so I didn't choose them as much as them and their circumstances chose me, but I wouldn't trade them for anything. I swear the only reason my gf keeps me around is because of the pets :)
Dennis
hi... working on farms . you get to know many dogs & others .. we have over the years had 18 all up . ours ..my female called sharri a cross spanaiel was a neat girl . i traned her with sheep & other pets ... she would sit on a seat i made for her on my push bike came to work every day ...was all so well known were we lived . most of the other dogs we had they were for jos ... yet who did they go with .....he he yes me ....they can tell who is okay . & whos not . they have a sence of knowing when to step in front of you or would protect jos while i was away on jobs i did not need to work out who i could trust. our girls would do that ..we have had many pets so yea a big part of our lifes ....now we have a choc colour ed lab named somer. & we have a wirehaired dushound ... plus3 cats .liveing in the farming communitys you have lots of pets .......
...noeleena...
My parents have a very grumpy king charles spaniel, we get on famously.
I have a Cocker Spaniel. He is very sensitive. If I am happy he is happy. If I get depressed, he gets depressed. He is very social and likes pretty much everyone most of the time. He will growl if someone puts out a bad vibe. But mostly he wants to be friends with everyone. I also have an Iguana. But I'm not sure how to describe her personality yet :laugh:
My mom's toy poodle has me wrapped around his little paw. But when the little thing gets so excited that his whole body shakes (because he has no tail... :icon_weee:), you can't help but pick him up and rub him!!! SO CUTE!
I currently have no pets, I am not very good at being depended on...
My sister had at one point, like 20 cats.
Can we get more pictures of animals ? And maybe some original lolcats ?
Louie :laugh:
as a baby...
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi269.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj48%2Fjaimey_1982%2FIMG_0006-1.jpg&hash=b1316fff22ff63c1927642130fb60829763c9e85)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi269.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj48%2Fjaimey_1982%2FIMG_0020-1.jpg&hash=9d72acf8cba3cc1c85db9b20a3701029b54dfb88)
all grown up
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi269.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj48%2Fjaimey_1982%2FIMG_0179-1.jpg&hash=cb6d4c000a233c52397f721da2092cbdb6da6d49)
Here's Zaki (a.k.a. "Dog Dude") and Rachael (a.k.a. "P'wee) taking it easy on the bed (yeah, we allow pets on the furniture):
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi272.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj199%2Fkylykahyt%2Fzak_and_rachael.jpg&hash=26176daf1925ab491ff155dfea1d25a242ab7e06)
Owsley (a.k.a. "Knoblet") showing off:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi272.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj199%2Fkylykahyt%2Fsurfer_owsley.jpg&hash=f5efdf3accc7c9a6d5c7ba11e03400fe4112e045)
Rachael and Maizie on the sofa (a very popular place):
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi272.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj199%2Fkylykahyt%2Fpwee_and_maizie3.jpg&hash=45c63b97f3c2acb60c993664f0a9746fcdd8fd0c)
Me walking with "Lucky George," a miniature horse belonging to a friend:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi272.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj199%2Fkylykahyt%2Fshani_lucky_george.jpg&hash=08a2d842b049228f8d762017422995cb61ba488c)
The next two are of a couple of my fallen comrades from years back. The white one is "Sach," an Arctic Fox that someone gave me as a one-day-old kit, with her best friend, "Cruiser" the tom cat:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi272.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj199%2Fkylykahyt%2Fsach_and_cruiser.jpg&hash=2cf510ed28196e5946c7f802c743d40e7eaaefc6)
Bottle-feeding Sach at one day old:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi272.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj199%2Fkylykahyt%2Fsach_at_1_day_old.jpg&hash=000c33f4d2793f723524a36de158a40a7e1fc81c)
And one last pic of Owsley so not showing off:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi272.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fjj199%2Fkylykahyt%2Fowsley_takes_dump.jpg&hash=5c8a77695d88fac0cfda707d125c0b21f2ba1094)
Jaimey, she is precious what breed is she?
I have one dog and I also look after my sisters two hamsters and two rabbits.
I love dogs, I am such a dog lover.. it is true Dogs are a man best friend.
Jay
Quote from: Jay on March 14, 2009, 08:14:20 PM
Jaimey, she is precious what breed is she?
heheh, he is a toy poodle. Adorable, ridiculously clever, and not yappy, which is good. He's just a little excited wagging furball and you can't say no to that little puppy face. :laugh:
I have pets ranging from 21 (the oldest) to 6 (the youngest) with three different women.
With Amanda (1986-1997)
- Katie (F): Jack Russell Terrier Dog (b. 2/9/1988.) Gave her up for adoption when she was five months. This past November, she was found and have since been reunited.
- Deanna (F): Pekingese Dog (b. 7/13/1990).
- Coco (F): Siamese Cat (b. 5/10/1992)
- Samantha (F): Pekingese Dog (b. 8/15/1993) The night she was born I waas watching South Bend TV and went to bed 25 minutes before 4:00 AM the following morning.
- Thomas Taz (M): Tiger cat (b. 9/29/1997 d. 11/29/2006) Died following a hit-and-run that also injured another pet severely. I happened to pass by the accident site as it happened.
With Elisa (1997-2000)
- Timothy Rags (M): (b. 11/11/1999) as a Chihuahua/Pekingese breed. After two deaths in my family in 2002--I lost custody of Rags that September, but eventually regained custody on 3/18/2003. He returned by gaining 10 pounds and apparently a Chihuahua/Jack Russel Terrier mixed breed.
- Shushu (F): Tiger Cat (b. 11/11/1999). Rags' fraternal twin.
A funny story about Rags and Shushu. That same day, I became a pet grandparent at the age of 16. While most kids were getting their first driver's license--I became a pet grandparent when Samantha gave birth to Alexis.
With Angela (2001-present)
- Maxwell Taz (M): Tabby cat (b. 4/29/2001 d. 7/18/2002) born premature
- Margaret Kimberly (F): Siamese cat (b. 11/2/2002 d. 3/13/2003) born premature
- Tabitha (Tabby) (F): Tabby cat (b. 3/27/2003)
- Veronica (F): Siamese cat (b. circa 1981) Angela gave her up for adoption when she was three months and last summer reunited with Angela at age 27!
- Ashli (F): Tabby cat (b. circa 1998) Angela's cat from her previous relationship
I may not have pictures at this time--but I do have classic photos of them growing up. I may have more pets than my late brother (I have five "pet nieces and nephews") But hopefully when I get my first house, I'll most likely get Tabby and Shushu.
I like the name Shushu. Sounds like a Polish word meaning to pee. I had a cat called sprinkles. Turned out to be a prophetic name :(
I love my cats but they are more like co-habitants than chilldren. My poor jelly puss just had an operation on Thursday. She got a good cat bite on the back of her back leg (just did not run fast enough). Got badly infected while remaining largely undetected and now she has a frankensteinish line of stiches from tail to ankle where they cleaned it all out. Poor thing. Seems to be perking up though. Still in 'one room rest' for another week. She is itching to get back outside to roam and massacure the local bird population, will take her a little bit to get back into lean mean killing machine form again.
My other cat is a retired ratter. He used to be good at disections. Sometimes it would look like he took a giant rat, froze it in the freezer, then sawed away a cross section that would include the top of it's head so you could see all the organs inside like looking at an MRI. I still have no idea how he achieved it.
I have two tabbies, brother and sister. Mikey, my male, is white with black spots. Harley Davidson, is black with a white chest and paws. They are mommy's baby and they act like it. ;D
Janet
When I was a kid we had a Siamese cat named Clyde AKA Scarhead. The most awnriest cat I've ever seen. He was the neighborhood bully. Would even attack dogs. Of coarse he paid a good price for his behavior. My mom was always patching his wounds. He was very protective of our family and rather nice to us. Hell on wheels for everyone else though. Rather than a normal meow like most cats, he made more of a deep, half growling "yeah" sound. I miss Clyde, never seen a cat quite like that one >:-)
My dogs definitely recognize men from women. I think that they smell a difference... there's the fear thing as well that may be a part of it.
Cindi
I have a golden retriever named Taylor. His full name is Sir Odin Taylor of Hillside. We got him from a breeder when I was 8, and since his dad's name was Sir Winston Tobias and his mom was Sandy of Christmas Eve, we decided to name him similarly. He's going to be 10 next month, but he still acts like a puppy. He's super-smart, and can make a noise that sounds a little like Chewbacca from Star Wars. When we say, "Wookiee," he does it. Only if there's compensation offered, though. If you try to get him to do tricks with no treat in sight, he looks at you like you're crazy.
Anyway, I love him to death. He's the one I was worried about missing most when I went off to school.
Can't you see the family resemblance?
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi161.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft217%2Fxsleepdeprived%2F0111091127-1.jpg&hash=7bcd4661dba48ebf5649014b189a92c684933f66)
And here are some homemade loldogs!
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi161.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft217%2Fxsleepdeprived%2Flolscarydog.jpg&hash=c49a6ac7b60cf165c42980e5acfe9cf1796c8cb7)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi161.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft217%2Fxsleepdeprived%2Fstudiousdog.jpg&hash=14f9594cd24eaca92cd15fadcecb9a60b8d55eba)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi161.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft217%2Fxsleepdeprived%2Fpromoshuntaylor.jpg&hash=2cea60f7c3b0956d1056db9ea5c9e0a5cab3bc22)
ETA: As far as I can tell, he doesn't differentiate much between men and women. As long as my parents and I seem to want a person around, he does too. He'll bark like a Doberman at strangers, though. And cats. And birds. And plastic bags being blown around by the wind.
You're a beautiful puppy.
Oh I want a pet... :(
Not allowed though.
Could get a plant, name it Clive.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffiles.turbosquid.com%2FPreview%2FContent_on_8_17_2006_09_04_10%2FNarwhalPosed.jpg2c342b5c-e3b7-4800-aea4-36b041443184Large.jpg&hash=0ee37d681dc1595eb9cb25c487e73fa50470bd0b)
I present to you...
The fish unicorn.
Androgyne's best pet.
(I don't know if it does anything rainbow-y yet.)
Something to look forward to as androgynes go to pasture:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theequinest.com%2Fimages%2Funicorn-man.jpg&hash=8b429eac747b3fd3ea48fb8833759cda457d5d4d)
My pet unicorn mantis!:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theequinest.com%2Fimages%2Funicorn-mantis.jpg&hash=a033f3c17f25a864d8380790e3f0b65a1d6bda87)
Real life unicorns aren't very cute :(
Don't know about you, but I'm totally hot! ;)
I don't know, the mantis has a certain charm. That dude with the horn is just freaky. It looks rotten... :P
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fzachary.skelton.googlepages.com%2FBaloo.JPG&hash=aa365f2b38909ea5d5f814e6dfd2678ee38a737c)
My new best friend... also have a Westie and King Charles Cavalier Spaniel
Quote from: Nicky on March 17, 2009, 09:09:51 PM
I don't know, the mantis has a certain charm.
I was thinking the same thing... >:-)
Personally, as far as weird fish go, I like my avatar. The green things inside it's head are its eyes. What looks like its eyes are actually nostrils, or so I read. :D Barrel Eye Fish is very exciting.
Weird fish. Breaths through its eyes? I wish I could breath through my ears.
Quote from: Genevieve Swann on March 18, 2009, 04:46:44 AM
I wish I could breath through my ears.
Restraint...need restraint...don't make that comment...restraint...
Oh, by the way, I like pets. Petting is fun!
I have a dog named Chewy. Not only is that what he does, but he also sounds like Chewbacca. The Humane Society that I adopted him from said he was Wiemaraner, but he has something else mixed in as well.
..L
A Ware-Mariner? Like a half dog half sailor that changes on the full moon? That is some cool dog Laurry!
Never was there such a dog of the sea. I always wondered why after a full moon the fridge was full of fresh fish and my dog was wearing a sailors cap.. seagulls would bow as he passed and he had a cunning nack of coiling his lead...people would always call him captain for no reason and when chewy growled it always came out sounding like 'swab the deck'.
later that year a harpoon cannon appeared one morning on our lawn. A car straining with sqweeling tires at the end of a rope piereced by that fierce cannon...
..I'm in rapture over this laurry....
the day he lost his eye in a freak fly fishing accident was the day he stood proudest. When that eye patch went on his little tail never stopped wagging.
'Call me Ishmael', said that tag on his collar
"when that wicked king was slain, the dogs, did they not lick his blood?" (moby dick)
wow, Nicky. Just wow. :P
...I can't stop looking at that mantis.
Quote from: Jaimey on March 18, 2009, 05:45:13 PM
...I can't stop looking at that mantis.
That mantis has it going on.
are you looking at my......'mantis' :icon_eyebrow:
Quote from: Nicky on March 18, 2009, 05:57:33 PM
are you looking at my......'mantis' :icon_eyebrow:
heh heh. you know it. :icon_suspicious: