rat love

We have a rat. In our house. In a cage. She's a pet. Half of you are thinking, "Ewww, a rat. They're tails are so....ewwwww!". The other half of you have had a pet rat and know the sweetness of interaction between rat and owner. My daughter has such a connection with her little rat; it was one of the best decisions we've made for her (although I do not recommend adopting a rat if your child is much younger than 5. My nearly 4-year-old doesn't quite grasp the "gentle" hold). Although he is trying.

Today's gift of survival: the friendship of a pet. When I was a child, I had numerous cats. Not all at once, but we lived on a busy street and each of my cats lived outside so you can figure out their life expectancy.... So ever few years a new kitten was adopted as an older one lost its life to traffic. Those cats were a form of salvation for me as a child. I loved them dearly and they loved me back!

The seemingly unconditional love that a pet will give to its owner is a priceless gift. It can take away a child's loneliness. It can give a child an ear to tell their fears and insecurities to. A pet will seek you out when they know you need them. I can't tell you how many times as a kid I sat on our back step crying about this or that and my cat would wander up and rub up against me:"I'm here. I know you're sad. I still love you. Pet me and I'll purr for you to show you just how much I love you!" They have this God-given intuition to give you what you need when you need it.

(Keep in mind I am generalizing - not all pets are perfect: they make noise, messes, can be stinky, not friendly, or they can be a real pain in the behind. I'm just dwelling on their positive points. Which I tend to do. I'm a glass half full kind of gal.)

My hubby and I have been through a small zoo of animals: birds, a box turtle, a red-eared slider (turtle), a snake, a guinea pig, 2 rats, 2 cats, multiple fish, and now another rat. We both like animals, but now that we have two human pets of our own, we don't need anymore for a bit (currently we just have the 2 kids, 2 cats, and 1 rat). I'm still a sucker for getting a pet - gotta keep an eye on me in the pet store! Saw the little chicks at the Tractor Supply Co today. It took all I had to keep me from asking to hold one... Fortunately, the rest of my sibling's families helps with the variety of pets my children (and I, of course) are exposed to: two puppies, fish, hamsters, a parakeet, 8 chickens, a rabbit, Koi, and another couple of cats - there is a love of animals among us!

Now, I'm not trying to side with your kid here to convince you to buy him or her a pet. I'm simply relaying my feelings regarding pets because of the joy I received from having them. That I still receive! When my husband works the night shift, our little black cat curls up near me to keep me company. If I take her out of her cage, that little rat crawls up onto my shoulder and just hangs out like a little buddy. My children adore her and she makes her home in their hands.

Animals are a gift from God (unless they are making potty on our floor, leaving hair balls for us to step on, or vomiting up their last meal - during those times they are from..., well, they are not from God, I'm pretty sure.)

KC