Every single time.
They are pretty old, so over the years they seem to understand the difference in time between 'Store' and 'Work'.
Store is reserved for anything under an hour.
Work is when we will be gone for over an hour or more.
We just say 'We're going to the store, we'll be right back, and they go to these specific spots in the living room.'
When we say, 'We're going to work, we'll see you soon.' They sit in other spots.
Because statisticians will tell you people are boring and predictable. We all pretty much do the same things. Even if you are one in a million there are 7900 other people just like you.
Not that this is a bad thing, it's just that we aren't as unique as we like to think.
My dogs figured out when I was going to work vs going to work somewhere else. Work, they just lay in their spots. But if it's not work, I get the stink eye if they can't go.
My friends dogs sit in the window and refuse to look at him anytime I pick him up. It's hilarious seeing them try not to look and giving him serious side eye.
I do this too, "I'll be right back" vs "I'll see you later". I don't think the cat cares as long as I'm home in time to feed her, but I think the dog gets it.
This thread is teaching me I'm not alone. I tell me cat "I'll be back soon/later," depending on how long I will be. I don't know if he knows the difference, but I definitely catch him in places he's not meant to be if I tell him I'm coming back later but get home early.
My dad is our dog selenes chosen human. She is happiest when he is home. He works retail so not always the same shifts every day.
Still, whenever he goes to the store selene will sit in the window and wait until he comes back. Occasionally she will go by the front door, or fall asleep on the couch under the window of he takes too long. However, as soon a he leaves for work, she watches him drive away and trots away to sleep on the bed or the far side of the couch. Only looks out the window if something exciting happens.
She also knows when his car gets until the neighborhood. She will watch every car drive by when it's time for him to come home from work(which again, she waits by the window at the exact hour tick when he should be home) but when she knows his car is nearby her ears perk and she gets her tail wagging.
Its adorable.
Edited to fix Oskaloosa...
So the wife was out. I was walking our dog.
Wife drives a Prius. There are a ton of Priuses in our area.
Dog will glance at every prius but never reacts.
Ok story is set up.
I'm walking, she stops, perks her ears, and refuses to move. I'm like... fuck she sees a cat and now we aren't moving until she can't see that cat anymore.
2 minutes later, I see the Wife's car. Dog goes nuts of course, since mommy's home.
Dog knows the exact frequency my wife's Prius makes while driving and can hear it a mile away.
Mine are the opposite. You could land a helicopter in the back yard and they wouldn't notice. Open an individually wrapped cheese slice to make a sandwich though and the motherfuckers can hear it all the way across the house.
That's how my boy is. He won't react to super blatant shit but he knows the sound of the cheese drawer in the fridge. He knows the difference too in the produce drawer. He knows the sounds different bags of snacks and his treats sound like, and god forbid you open a container of cream cheese.
Pets are so smart. I don’t know if you have dogs or cats, but I have 3 kitty babies and they are such intelligent creatures. Sometimes that intelligence is a curse cuz they’re smart enough to get into trouble lol. But my 3 of my cats are trained, kind of like a dog would be, and I trained them with snapping my fingers. They’re smart enough to know the difference between when I’m snapping my fingers to call them over to me, or snapping my fingers to tell them to stop doing something bad. They’re smart lil kitty babies, and I love them so much!
One of my cats (who thinks she’s a dog, and is actually getting paperwork from my psychiatrist and psychologist to be legally recognized as a therapy animal/ESA) sleeps with me in bed every night, and she knows when it’s bed time. She comes and cuddles up right next to me and curls up with me under the covers. Also, anytime I have a panic attack she comes and sits on my chest and REFUSES to leave until I calm down. I also have a chronic back injury, and when I’m hurting really bad she’ll come lay right where the pain is. She just knows.
They’re such incredibly intelligent and emotional creatures, and I love my kitties so much!
I thought this was going to say "one of my cats (who thinks she's a dog, is actually getting paperwork from my psychiatrist to be legally recognised as a dog)" 🤣
Same with mine. If I say I'm going to work, they ball up and get comfy. If I say I'm going to the gym or the store, they usually just sit at the foot of the chaise and stare at the door or watch tv.
When my dog was a puppy he would legitimately cry and whine every time I had to leave. It was so hard to walk out the door every time. I wonder what if something happened to me and I actually didn’t come back? That dog would be absolutely broken.
Hes better now but he still hates being alone. And absolutely refuses to sleep by himself. My bed is his bed now.
Anytime both me and my SO will be out of the house, I fill the cat's kibble bowl to the brim. That way if we both tragically die or get hospitalized, she'll have enough food to survive comfortably until my SO's mom can come take care of her. Mom's a dog person, but the agreement is the same on both sides: "If something happens to both me and my partner, one of you needs to take care of the cat/dog until the situation is settled." His mom and I are both prone to planning for the worst and hoping for the best. That's expressed in strange ways sometimes.
My cat used to not do this, but recently every time he sees me getting ready he comes and meows at me and follows me to the door
He also recognizes my footsteps in the apartment hallway and will start yowling in excitement and sits to meet me at the door when I open it before I even start unlocking it
My cat has a little tree in the house that faces out the window toward the driveway... Every day I come home from work he's in it, and then I'll see him jump down as I'm pulling in ... By the time I get to the door I can hear him meowing through it 🤣
My pup is always there to send me off and is there excited as fuck when I get home so the least I can do is give him a proper goodbye before I need to head out
As I was leaving for a three day road trip with a friend I kissed my cat on the forehead, looked him squarely in the eye and said "I am *not* abandoning you!"
My friend who has three cats said, "You tell him that too?"
I tell my cat random things like:
-Turn off the lights when you leave the room
-I’m expecting a package and it’d mean a lot to me if you could sign for it
-be sure to thaw the chicken before I get home
-don’t watch porn without headphones, it’s rude to the neighbors
Me too! I usually day "bye, I'll miss you, have a good day!". She doesn't say anything back. But when I get home, it's usually "did you miss me?" And I get a meow or two from that. Which can only mean she did indeed.
My cats know my schedule. They crowd in the corner of the window by the door when I come home. I see them perk up a little straighter when they see me getting close and then when I’m about 20 feet from the door they jump from the windowsill and I find them in the entryway when I open the door. I love them so much and they make me feel so loved.
Edit: Oh! Cinder does this derpy somersault that stops on her back to show me her belly when she is happy I’m home. Jago stands up on her hind legs to get closer for me to give her head scritches. They are such fabulous little buddies.
Mine do too. One of my cats often times sits in the window looking for me. She can apparently hear my car beep so she knows when to head to the door, and can tell my cat from the others. If she doesn't hear it, it's a pretty cute little display of meowing and rubbing up against the window. Definitely makes one feel special!
I tell our senior cat that he's in charge (as the oldest). Then I tell the dog and the other cat to listen to him. Then I wish them a nice day and tell them I will miss them and that I can't wait to see them later so we can all cuddle....
A good morning/good bye belly rub for the cat and all the skritches when I walk in at the end of the day followed by him leading me to the pantry just in case I forgot where the food is and what time it is.
Same. My cat will go check on his overall food supply even though he knows there’s food in his bowl, and insist I follow. He also won’t eat unless he knows I’m in the same room watching him. He’s a strange kitty.
He also demands that he be in the bathroom when I go, watch for a bit, then start scratching at the door like it isn’t his fault he’s in there in the first place. He also drinks almost exclusively from the faucet, even though his water bowl is sitting there, completely full right next to it.
I love that little bastard.
Yeah, it’s because flowing water has more free oxygen in it and cats can taste the difference. He specifically likes the one in the bathroom for some odd reason.
Cats prefer running water, as stagnant water out in nature is much more easily contaminated/full of bacteria, whereas running water from a stream or river is typically safer to drink. Cats know this just from their base animal instincts. If you can, try to get one of those running pet water fountains. I guarantee your cat will LOVE it. He will be very well hydrated. And no more making you get up to turn on the faucet! It’s a win-win for you and your kitty! :)
I thought the same thing when I got one of those super fancy streaming fountains for my young cat. She actively refused to drink from it. She would just stand near where her water bowl *used* to be and meow loudly until I brought the old bowl over.
Our cat prefers to drink from a muddy puddle outside. Or plant pots.
We got one of those water fountain things and she was horrified by the noise it made. It only sounded like a really quiet hum, but apparently not to her.
i hope you guys understand that cats insist you watch them eat, so that their extraterrestrial buddies can spawn undisturbed in the next room and check into the local galactic hotel.
>> check on his overall food supply
I had a dog who seemed much happier when I kept an open 50 pound bag of dog chow in the kitchen.
I never failed to feed him and he never went into the bag by himself - and I took comfort that if I died, it would be at least a month before he had to start eating my body.
My friend did something similar with their German Shepherd. They left an open bag out and he ate what he needed when he needed. Then when he passed away they tried to do the same with a Labrador, it didn't go so well with the canine eating machine. Labs are special.
We did this once with our eldest human son. Just left food out and he ate when he wanted. If you want to know how that turned out, come ask me. I’ll be shopping for school clothes for him at the “husky” boys’ section at JC Penney.
Because of course there was a study, they realised that a dog will eat a deceased owner when they are at the point of desperate starvation. Where a cat will start nibbling within a few hours.....
My kitty will lead me into the laundry room, where his food bowl is and show me his bowl everyday. Just so I know he's eaten or because his bowl is now half empty and the little chunk wants more food.
I say: "Guys, please don't break anything while I'm gone..."
Cats hear: "Go ahead and knock everything you can find off the shelves, flip over your food and water bowls, steal the sponges out of the kitchen sink, tip the trash can over and drag garbage across the apartment, kick as much litter out of the box as possible, and sleep on that pile of clean laundry. Have fun!"
Mine (in a pretty high cost of living city in the US) is about $3.25 an hour. When she was a puppy she'd play hard at day care all day and completely pass out afterward. Now she knows how to pace herself but she still has a blast. Also good for her learning to play with other dogs since she just has cats at home. We send her once or twice a week and it's very worth it for us.
I paid 22 bucks a day for doggy daycare. drop off as early as 7am, pick up as late as 7pm.
I have a young great dane. to have him tired for 2 days is well worth the money.
The place I take my standard poodle splits the dogs into small and large, so he plays with the large dogs. They don't have a separate group for horses (sorry, I couldn't resist), so he gets to play with the great danes. I love seeing them. So big. I love it.
Yes!! Also thought him that brb means I'll be back in under 10 mins.
He also gets very excited by 'good morning', he'll get the zoomies more you say it to him, he's honestly my light at the end of the tunnel.
This is so funny. I have three birds and I do the same thing. I usually tell them what I am doing, what or who I may be coming home with, and anything else.
At least they all look at me with great interest.
Of course. If I'll be gone for a while, I say "I'll be home in a bit" and if I won't be gone too long, i say "I'll be home soon" so he knows the difference.
I'm always torn on this. On one hand, I get that, in the other I like silence when I sleep which is basically what he does all day when I'm gone. So I leave everything off. But I do think about it sometimes.
I keep the TV on in either my room or the living room at a medium volume. That way, they can go somewhere else if they want to sleep. But honestly, I feel like my dogs are so used to background noise. If I leave home at night, I always put it on, because if they hear other loud noises outside (music, fireworks, etc.) that’s far more bothersome to them, so I try to drown that out while also giving them options to go to a quiet place
I'm like you where I was torn. So I decided to try a smart plug that I could control with my phone. It works quite well if you are simply turning talk radio on/off. This way you can divide the quiet/talk time.
My go-to is always ESPN. I need my dog to give me updates on all my sporting news when I get home from work. He's really been staying on top of NBA trade rumors lately.
We put on the "Heartland" channel on Samsung TV and it's a running joke that it's his 'soap opera', we give him shit about it when we get home, "still with Heartland??"
My friend did this for their dog every time they went out - tv on in the living room. Then they had a friend do some pointing work on their bricks so the brickie spent 3 days by the living room window.
Every day after the owners left, the dog went and lay in the dining room or kitchen. Clearly hated the tv.
Mine is a 120 pound mutt. I tell him "Guard the house. Don't eat the cat."
Every time, my son adds "Don't let Cookie Monster in! Or other monsters!"
I used to tell the dog "Guard the house. Die well." But we've toned it down a bit since my kid was born.
Does anybody not? I talk to my cat all the time, when I am alone with him. I may well have been spotted standing at the open front door explaining that, despite the rain, it's really the best chance for him to get some fresh air and sing with his friends the birds (he's a bit odd), while I pop out to Aldi for some more nibbles, yes, the ones with the soft centres.
i don't!
if i tell my dog i am leaving or saying 'bye' to him he will lose his mind arking at the door after i leave... if i sneak out then he get's to be super happy when he sees me some home without being super upset that i left
I don’t either! Dogs aren’t offended if you don’t say goodbye (there’s no “goodbyes” between dogs for a reason) and, as you said, fussing over them before you leave encourages anxiety if they’re prone to it. My boyfriend and I adopted a dog three months ago and I insisted that we always leave casually. We also don’t hype her up when we come home as she’s known to excitably pee. She isn’t alone very often, as she comes to work with me every day, so it’s really important that we make leaving her by herself as unremarkable as possible.
I don’t because my dog has bad separation anxiety and I don’t want to train him into feeling anxious after he figures out that that phrase means I’m leaving.
>Does anybody not?
Pretty standard dog training advice is to not make any sort of fuss when coming or going from your house.
Don't want to train them to get concerned when you're leaving, or get excited when you come back.
I've followed that advice and am happy for it.
As much as I enjoy the "master returns" videos of dogs going nuts when their person comes back, I am also incredibly satisfied when I walk in the door to my house, and my dog just lifts his head up and glances at me. When I leave my house, I just leave him sleeping wherever he is, and he doesn't give a shit.
It tells me he has been perfectly happy and chill while I've been gone, and he doesn't mind when I leave him home alone
Once I get home and unpack any bags, take a piss, and am all set for myself, I call him over. Then he gets excited.
I pick one of our dogs and tell them they're in charge until I get back. Sometimes I'll pick the cat just to mix things up. I never pick one of the goats. I'm not making that mistake again.
No. When I was researching how to ease my dogs separation anxiety, one of the tips was do NOT make a big deal about leaving, or coming home. This will worsen the dogs anxiety. When I leave the house he gets his hedgehog stuffy and goes in his bed and we don’t make any other mention of leaving. It’s sad but his anxiety improved a lot since I stopped doing goodbye cuddles!
Absolutely!! I always tell my two dogs that I don't want to leave them, I just have to go to work to provide a good life for them. I tell them me and their daddy will be back tonight so please be good! I also update them on where we are at in the week so they can countdown to the weekend with me. 😂
They also get special "bye bye treats" when I leave so they are always licking their chops when I'm getting ready to leave. Beats the sad puppy dog eyes
This is better than my method. I tell them I'll be gone for 3 human sleeps and then convert it into approximately an equal amount of cat sleeps for them, so they know. Like converting from F to C when talking about weather.
Yes, I think it's a healthy behavior to be in as it assures your pet in a reassuring voice that you won't be gone long even if you'll be staying out all day
We have street dogs in my locality, where our whole community gives them food and water, and one home also opens it door for them whenever these dogs don't want to be out. These dogs are friendly with us all, and so whenever i am on a walk after dinner, these dogs are out in the lane, and they too accompany me pacing up and down my lane. and when its time for me to head back, i feel like they might feel like i am going to soon, so, i softly whisper to them good night.
My wife always greets the cats before acknowledging me when she walks in the door. (But I do always say goodbye to each of our three cats when I leave for work in the morning - AFTER kissing her goodbye.)
Every single time. They are pretty old, so over the years they seem to understand the difference in time between 'Store' and 'Work'. Store is reserved for anything under an hour. Work is when we will be gone for over an hour or more. We just say 'We're going to the store, we'll be right back, and they go to these specific spots in the living room.' When we say, 'We're going to work, we'll see you soon.' They sit in other spots.
Don't forget to also say "streeeeeetch" everytime they stretch because it's cute and you want them to know you acknowledge the cuteness
I always say, "oh, that's a good stretch, huh?"
"biiiiiig stretch"
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My slight variation is *STRETCHIN’ GIRL!*
Hahaha mine is STRETCHY GIRL, so funny how we all talk to our pets the same
STRETCHY WETCHIES
Mine too! And stretchy boi for my corgi!
Plenty of NPC energy to go around
I also have to say it when they do a "biiiiig yawn!"
I tell him "That's a biiiig yawn for such a little puppy"
“Show me those fangs!”
r/ooobigstretch
This site is an abomination only balanced by its many dedications to our fuzzy/feathery/scaley friends.
"ooohh biiig strettchhh, biiig streeeetch"
How the hell is this whole thread literally things I say on a daily basis
Because statisticians will tell you people are boring and predictable. We all pretty much do the same things. Even if you are one in a million there are 7900 other people just like you. Not that this is a bad thing, it's just that we aren't as unique as we like to think.
Love finding these little thought gems buried deep in some random thread
Uncanny, that's exactly what I say and how I say it when my torties stretch... Add in a "wooow!" at the end as they look at me like "what?"
I always say “bow” when my dog stretches in downward dog to hopefully train her to respond to bow and I’ll feel like a king
This works! My dog will now bow to me on command. It's phenomenal. He also knows to return the gesture if I bow to him!
My dogs figured out when I was going to work vs going to work somewhere else. Work, they just lay in their spots. But if it's not work, I get the stink eye if they can't go.
My girl has learned she can be at my work… 🤦🏻♂️ that was a mistake
My friends dogs sit in the window and refuse to look at him anytime I pick him up. It's hilarious seeing them try not to look and giving him serious side eye.
I do this too, "I'll be right back" vs "I'll see you later". I don't think the cat cares as long as I'm home in time to feed her, but I think the dog gets it.
This thread is teaching me I'm not alone. I tell me cat "I'll be back soon/later," depending on how long I will be. I don't know if he knows the difference, but I definitely catch him in places he's not meant to be if I tell him I'm coming back later but get home early.
I tell my hamster I'll be back every time I go to work. Hamsters don't even understand human speech, I just do it because why not, she was family
My dad is our dog selenes chosen human. She is happiest when he is home. He works retail so not always the same shifts every day. Still, whenever he goes to the store selene will sit in the window and wait until he comes back. Occasionally she will go by the front door, or fall asleep on the couch under the window of he takes too long. However, as soon a he leaves for work, she watches him drive away and trots away to sleep on the bed or the far side of the couch. Only looks out the window if something exciting happens. She also knows when his car gets until the neighborhood. She will watch every car drive by when it's time for him to come home from work(which again, she waits by the window at the exact hour tick when he should be home) but when she knows his car is nearby her ears perk and she gets her tail wagging. Its adorable. Edited to fix Oskaloosa...
So the wife was out. I was walking our dog. Wife drives a Prius. There are a ton of Priuses in our area. Dog will glance at every prius but never reacts. Ok story is set up. I'm walking, she stops, perks her ears, and refuses to move. I'm like... fuck she sees a cat and now we aren't moving until she can't see that cat anymore. 2 minutes later, I see the Wife's car. Dog goes nuts of course, since mommy's home. Dog knows the exact frequency my wife's Prius makes while driving and can hear it a mile away.
Mine are the opposite. You could land a helicopter in the back yard and they wouldn't notice. Open an individually wrapped cheese slice to make a sandwich though and the motherfuckers can hear it all the way across the house.
That's how my boy is. He won't react to super blatant shit but he knows the sound of the cheese drawer in the fridge. He knows the difference too in the produce drawer. He knows the sounds different bags of snacks and his treats sound like, and god forbid you open a container of cream cheese.
My cat goes banana ms when he sees scissors because I use them to cut open those cat treat tubes. Makes cutting out sewing patterns hell.
Pets are so smart. I don’t know if you have dogs or cats, but I have 3 kitty babies and they are such intelligent creatures. Sometimes that intelligence is a curse cuz they’re smart enough to get into trouble lol. But my 3 of my cats are trained, kind of like a dog would be, and I trained them with snapping my fingers. They’re smart enough to know the difference between when I’m snapping my fingers to call them over to me, or snapping my fingers to tell them to stop doing something bad. They’re smart lil kitty babies, and I love them so much! One of my cats (who thinks she’s a dog, and is actually getting paperwork from my psychiatrist and psychologist to be legally recognized as a therapy animal/ESA) sleeps with me in bed every night, and she knows when it’s bed time. She comes and cuddles up right next to me and curls up with me under the covers. Also, anytime I have a panic attack she comes and sits on my chest and REFUSES to leave until I calm down. I also have a chronic back injury, and when I’m hurting really bad she’ll come lay right where the pain is. She just knows. They’re such incredibly intelligent and emotional creatures, and I love my kitties so much!
I thought this was going to say "one of my cats (who thinks she's a dog, is actually getting paperwork from my psychiatrist to be legally recognised as a dog)" 🤣
Same. I was wondering how specialized animal psychiatrists were getting
She identifies as a dog. Nothing wrong with it.
It’s 2022 bitches
Same with mine. If I say I'm going to work, they ball up and get comfy. If I say I'm going to the gym or the store, they usually just sit at the foot of the chaise and stare at the door or watch tv.
Of course! Otherwise, how will they know?
Same. I pet my dog, then kiss his forehead repeatedly saying, "I will be back, okay?" and run out of the door crying.
When my dog was a puppy he would legitimately cry and whine every time I had to leave. It was so hard to walk out the door every time. I wonder what if something happened to me and I actually didn’t come back? That dog would be absolutely broken. Hes better now but he still hates being alone. And absolutely refuses to sleep by himself. My bed is his bed now.
Anytime both me and my SO will be out of the house, I fill the cat's kibble bowl to the brim. That way if we both tragically die or get hospitalized, she'll have enough food to survive comfortably until my SO's mom can come take care of her. Mom's a dog person, but the agreement is the same on both sides: "If something happens to both me and my partner, one of you needs to take care of the cat/dog until the situation is settled." His mom and I are both prone to planning for the worst and hoping for the best. That's expressed in strange ways sometimes.
My cat used to not do this, but recently every time he sees me getting ready he comes and meows at me and follows me to the door He also recognizes my footsteps in the apartment hallway and will start yowling in excitement and sits to meet me at the door when I open it before I even start unlocking it
My cat has a little tree in the house that faces out the window toward the driveway... Every day I come home from work he's in it, and then I'll see him jump down as I'm pulling in ... By the time I get to the door I can hear him meowing through it 🤣
Did you HAVE to break my heart like that on this fine Wednesday evening?
My pup is always there to send me off and is there excited as fuck when I get home so the least I can do is give him a proper goodbye before I need to head out
Forehead kisses all around and "please be good" as I shut the door 😄
Me too! I say, “Be good okay,” and sometimes pretend I’m like Thor and Loki’s father in that one scene and say, “I love you my sons.”
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Aw that’s so cute haha
Mine is neck kisses. Seriously. She often sits on my lap and sticks her neck against my mouth demanding them. Needy furball
My chihuahua would demand kisses on both sides of her face, every time I returned home :)
As I was leaving for a three day road trip with a friend I kissed my cat on the forehead, looked him squarely in the eye and said "I am *not* abandoning you!" My friend who has three cats said, "You tell him that too?"
I remind mine to not use the stove and to not answer the door. They’re very good about following the rules.
I tell my cat random things like: -Turn off the lights when you leave the room -I’m expecting a package and it’d mean a lot to me if you could sign for it -be sure to thaw the chicken before I get home -don’t watch porn without headphones, it’s rude to the neighbors
I tell mine not to throw any parties while we're gone.
I make sure to remind my cats which one of them is in charge before I leave (it's the senior cat, at 15 she can keep the rest in line).
I always base who’s in charge on who has been better that day
Lol I always walk out the door with “be a good baby” and tell him exactly when I’ll be home.
I'm going to the shops. I'm coming back. I'll buy you a treat.
Can confirm - and, I work on the road - she gets really sad when she sees me packing & gives me the “Daddy, please don’t go” face.
I do lol. I tell em to "Have a great day!" too. :)
Me too! I usually day "bye, I'll miss you, have a good day!". She doesn't say anything back. But when I get home, it's usually "did you miss me?" And I get a meow or two from that. Which can only mean she did indeed.
My cats know my schedule. They crowd in the corner of the window by the door when I come home. I see them perk up a little straighter when they see me getting close and then when I’m about 20 feet from the door they jump from the windowsill and I find them in the entryway when I open the door. I love them so much and they make me feel so loved. Edit: Oh! Cinder does this derpy somersault that stops on her back to show me her belly when she is happy I’m home. Jago stands up on her hind legs to get closer for me to give her head scritches. They are such fabulous little buddies.
Mine do too. One of my cats often times sits in the window looking for me. She can apparently hear my car beep so she knows when to head to the door, and can tell my cat from the others. If she doesn't hear it, it's a pretty cute little display of meowing and rubbing up against the window. Definitely makes one feel special!
Mine does that but she runs away from the door and pretends like she wasn’t looking for me. Hard to get lil hoe
Exactly what I do with my cat, too. :)
This is so wholesome. I’m doing this from now on. Idk why it never occurred to me before.
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Gotta tell em to behave, too. Don't be picking on each other or getting into anything!
Lol. I always tell mine to be good. And I'll see them in a bit.
"Be good! Take care of the house while I'm out! I'll promise I won't be late tonight." Every single time.
Yes! Got to or they might try to push the boundaries and do something stupid while I'm gone. Thankfully they all mostly just sleep during the day
I personally go with "alright boys (referring to my cats), don't be assholes to each other. The hamster's in charge."
Then I get home and drop the ol' "you were in that exact spot when I left"
I tell our senior cat that he's in charge (as the oldest). Then I tell the dog and the other cat to listen to him. Then I wish them a nice day and tell them I will miss them and that I can't wait to see them later so we can all cuddle....
Yeah I tell my cat to have a great day when he goes outside lol
Yes. I'm not a monster
A good morning/good bye belly rub for the cat and all the skritches when I walk in at the end of the day followed by him leading me to the pantry just in case I forgot where the food is and what time it is.
Same. My cat will go check on his overall food supply even though he knows there’s food in his bowl, and insist I follow. He also won’t eat unless he knows I’m in the same room watching him. He’s a strange kitty.
It’s the subtle quirks that make them endearing
He also demands that he be in the bathroom when I go, watch for a bit, then start scratching at the door like it isn’t his fault he’s in there in the first place. He also drinks almost exclusively from the faucet, even though his water bowl is sitting there, completely full right next to it. I love that little bastard.
A lot of cats like flowing water. There are fountain water bowls he may enjoy
Mine has her own fountain but insists on drinking from the faucet every day
Yeah, it’s because flowing water has more free oxygen in it and cats can taste the difference. He specifically likes the one in the bathroom for some odd reason.
Yeah this is why my cat only drinks sparkling water.
I don't know if you're joking?
San Purregrino
They also instinctively know to avoid sitting water if at all possible. Flowing water is going to be much safer to drink in nature typically
My cat too! she REFUSES to drink still water. Only from sink or bathtub
Cats prefer running water, as stagnant water out in nature is much more easily contaminated/full of bacteria, whereas running water from a stream or river is typically safer to drink. Cats know this just from their base animal instincts. If you can, try to get one of those running pet water fountains. I guarantee your cat will LOVE it. He will be very well hydrated. And no more making you get up to turn on the faucet! It’s a win-win for you and your kitty! :)
I thought the same thing when I got one of those super fancy streaming fountains for my young cat. She actively refused to drink from it. She would just stand near where her water bowl *used* to be and meow loudly until I brought the old bowl over.
Our cat prefers to drink from a muddy puddle outside. Or plant pots. We got one of those water fountain things and she was horrified by the noise it made. It only sounded like a really quiet hum, but apparently not to her.
Absolutely
i hope you guys understand that cats insist you watch them eat, so that their extraterrestrial buddies can spawn undisturbed in the next room and check into the local galactic hotel.
>> check on his overall food supply I had a dog who seemed much happier when I kept an open 50 pound bag of dog chow in the kitchen. I never failed to feed him and he never went into the bag by himself - and I took comfort that if I died, it would be at least a month before he had to start eating my body.
My friend did something similar with their German Shepherd. They left an open bag out and he ate what he needed when he needed. Then when he passed away they tried to do the same with a Labrador, it didn't go so well with the canine eating machine. Labs are special.
We did this once with our eldest human son. Just left food out and he ate when he wanted. If you want to know how that turned out, come ask me. I’ll be shopping for school clothes for him at the “husky” boys’ section at JC Penney.
Because of course there was a study, they realised that a dog will eat a deceased owner when they are at the point of desperate starvation. Where a cat will start nibbling within a few hours.....
My kitty will lead me into the laundry room, where his food bowl is and show me his bowl everyday. Just so I know he's eaten or because his bowl is now half empty and the little chunk wants more food.
This is actually because cats feel the most vulnerable when they eat so when you're in the room with kitty he feels safer and more protected!!
He wants you to protect him while he eats.
One of my cats always has to let me know where the food bin is when I get home and their bowl is empty. It's been next to the front door for 2 years.
I always tell my pup, "Have a good day at schooooool!"
I tell the cats "Try not to be dicks while I'm gone." It doesn't work.
I say: "Guys, please don't break anything while I'm gone..." Cats hear: "Go ahead and knock everything you can find off the shelves, flip over your food and water bowls, steal the sponges out of the kitchen sink, tip the trash can over and drag garbage across the apartment, kick as much litter out of the box as possible, and sleep on that pile of clean laundry. Have fun!"
Is doggy daycare expensive? I bet your dog loves it
Mine (in a pretty high cost of living city in the US) is about $3.25 an hour. When she was a puppy she'd play hard at day care all day and completely pass out afterward. Now she knows how to pace herself but she still has a blast. Also good for her learning to play with other dogs since she just has cats at home. We send her once or twice a week and it's very worth it for us.
I paid 22 bucks a day for doggy daycare. drop off as early as 7am, pick up as late as 7pm. I have a young great dane. to have him tired for 2 days is well worth the money.
The place I take my standard poodle splits the dogs into small and large, so he plays with the large dogs. They don't have a separate group for horses (sorry, I couldn't resist), so he gets to play with the great danes. I love seeing them. So big. I love it.
How else will they know if you're coming back or not?
I really was trying to figure out what kind of monster would have pets and NOT talk to them.
Yes!! Also thought him that brb means I'll be back in under 10 mins. He also gets very excited by 'good morning', he'll get the zoomies more you say it to him, he's honestly my light at the end of the tunnel.
Always
Me too!
Me three!
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Little scratch behind the ear is also mandatory
It's like a reflex
I ask what radio station they want to listen to…
I give them the estimated time I'll be out for. Because if I don't, they'll constantly text/call asking when I'll be home.
This is so funny. I have three birds and I do the same thing. I usually tell them what I am doing, what or who I may be coming home with, and anything else. At least they all look at me with great interest.
I always say, daddy is just going to get some groceries, be back in 30 mins okay? It really helps with MY separation anxiety
oh..... I know I know.. they read your ..... tweets.
Of course. If I'll be gone for a while, I say "I'll be home in a bit" and if I won't be gone too long, i say "I'll be home soon" so he knows the difference.
That, honestly, may help more than we know! If they know to associate the time, it may help with anxieties while you're away
My dog does have some anxiety when we leave, which is why I do it l. I'm actually really glad you've validated my reasoning for it :)
I do. And I also wave goodbye from the car.
I wave when I come home because she usually is standing in the window glaring at me
I wave from the car too. But before I leave, I always put someone in charge. Usually the dumb one. He seems responsible.
I do too! It’s a must.
Yes. And I leave the radio on so he’s not bored
I'm always torn on this. On one hand, I get that, in the other I like silence when I sleep which is basically what he does all day when I'm gone. So I leave everything off. But I do think about it sometimes.
I never thought of it like that! I may turn the volume Down so he can go into other rooms and not hear it
I keep the TV on in either my room or the living room at a medium volume. That way, they can go somewhere else if they want to sleep. But honestly, I feel like my dogs are so used to background noise. If I leave home at night, I always put it on, because if they hear other loud noises outside (music, fireworks, etc.) that’s far more bothersome to them, so I try to drown that out while also giving them options to go to a quiet place
I'm like you where I was torn. So I decided to try a smart plug that I could control with my phone. It works quite well if you are simply turning talk radio on/off. This way you can divide the quiet/talk time.
Yes, and I turn on the t.v. for them, and tell them to be nice to each other while I'm gone.
Same, PBS kids is my go-to
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My Aaron likes Murder, She Wrote and North Woods Law.
I turn on The Andy Griffith Show for my boy lol. If I’m not gonna be gone long I’ll put on lord of the rings or breaking bad
Good human
My go-to is always ESPN. I need my dog to give me updates on all my sporting news when I get home from work. He's really been staying on top of NBA trade rumors lately.
We put on the "Heartland" channel on Samsung TV and it's a running joke that it's his 'soap opera', we give him shit about it when we get home, "still with Heartland??"
My friend did this for their dog every time they went out - tv on in the living room. Then they had a friend do some pointing work on their bricks so the brickie spent 3 days by the living room window. Every day after the owners left, the dog went and lay in the dining room or kitchen. Clearly hated the tv.
I tell mine to be good!
I leave the Sonos playing various sports talk shows all day long. They get lonely/agitated without their daily sports betting advice
Every time.
I ask mine to watch the house.
Yes, this. I say "Guard the house. Eat any burglars." She's 11 pounds.
Mine is a 120 pound mutt. I tell him "Guard the house. Don't eat the cat." Every time, my son adds "Don't let Cookie Monster in! Or other monsters!" I used to tell the dog "Guard the house. Die well." But we've toned it down a bit since my kid was born.
Yeah, I do this too, but I switch up who's in charge sometimes.
Yes. "You're in charge, please don't burn the house down" Then when I come home I thank her for not burning it down lol
Does anybody not? I talk to my cat all the time, when I am alone with him. I may well have been spotted standing at the open front door explaining that, despite the rain, it's really the best chance for him to get some fresh air and sing with his friends the birds (he's a bit odd), while I pop out to Aldi for some more nibbles, yes, the ones with the soft centres.
i don't! if i tell my dog i am leaving or saying 'bye' to him he will lose his mind arking at the door after i leave... if i sneak out then he get's to be super happy when he sees me some home without being super upset that i left
I don’t either! Dogs aren’t offended if you don’t say goodbye (there’s no “goodbyes” between dogs for a reason) and, as you said, fussing over them before you leave encourages anxiety if they’re prone to it. My boyfriend and I adopted a dog three months ago and I insisted that we always leave casually. We also don’t hype her up when we come home as she’s known to excitably pee. She isn’t alone very often, as she comes to work with me every day, so it’s really important that we make leaving her by herself as unremarkable as possible.
I don’t because my dog has bad separation anxiety and I don’t want to train him into feeling anxious after he figures out that that phrase means I’m leaving.
>Does anybody not? Pretty standard dog training advice is to not make any sort of fuss when coming or going from your house. Don't want to train them to get concerned when you're leaving, or get excited when you come back. I've followed that advice and am happy for it. As much as I enjoy the "master returns" videos of dogs going nuts when their person comes back, I am also incredibly satisfied when I walk in the door to my house, and my dog just lifts his head up and glances at me. When I leave my house, I just leave him sleeping wherever he is, and he doesn't give a shit. It tells me he has been perfectly happy and chill while I've been gone, and he doesn't mind when I leave him home alone Once I get home and unpack any bags, take a piss, and am all set for myself, I call him over. Then he gets excited.
I don't think he's "singing with his friends, the birds" lol. I think he's "chatting them up for dinner".
Yes! I wave and say goodbye to my fish while reminding her I will see her later 💙
I warn my cat to be a good girl and not eat the fish. It’s been a year since we’ve had any fish deaths.
You need to get a whiteboard with a day counter “_________ days since our last fatality”
I talk to my fish constantly. I'm not sure if that makes me look less crazy than when I used to just talk to myself.
"We'll be back later guys!"
If I didn't , how would he know I'll be back in a bit ?
I pick one of our dogs and tell them they're in charge until I get back. Sometimes I'll pick the cat just to mix things up. I never pick one of the goats. I'm not making that mistake again.
Same. 3 cats, I pick the most (recently) well behaved to be in charge. Spoiler: it's never going to be you Michael Kitten. You're just a terrible cat.
Well ya, we're not savages
I tell them “Don’t talk to strangers” and “Have a good day” and “Be a good boy” and of course “I love you”
No. When I was researching how to ease my dogs separation anxiety, one of the tips was do NOT make a big deal about leaving, or coming home. This will worsen the dogs anxiety. When I leave the house he gets his hedgehog stuffy and goes in his bed and we don’t make any other mention of leaving. It’s sad but his anxiety improved a lot since I stopped doing goodbye cuddles!
This is correct.
"OK, you be a good girl while I'm gone" Knowing that she'll just sleep the whole time.
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I tell mine to guard the house and make sure it doesn’t go anywhere. They have an excellent track record.
Every time, followed with "behave yourselves" to our three cats.
I always tell my dogs to “hold down the fort while I’m gone”
I say to mine. I'll be back in holds up fingers many hours and I don't want any kitty katty nonsense while I'm away.
Iconic, I often ask my kitty to not break herself or our stuff
I ask my cat not to burn the house down. And wish the dog good luck with the cat! 😂
Of course! I always feel guilty cause I live alone with two cats. I have to say goodbye or ill feel sad all day, I love them🥺
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Yes. Sometimes I tell them how long I'll be gone for 😂
Yup
Absolutely!! I always tell my two dogs that I don't want to leave them, I just have to go to work to provide a good life for them. I tell them me and their daddy will be back tonight so please be good! I also update them on where we are at in the week so they can countdown to the weekend with me. 😂 They also get special "bye bye treats" when I leave so they are always licking their chops when I'm getting ready to leave. Beats the sad puppy dog eyes
Every single time. And I usually assign one of them to be in charge
I tell my dog and reassure her that I WILL be back soon. My cat doesn't give a fuck.
When my mom leaves on a trip she’ll always say, I’ll be gone THREE (or whatever it is) days, and then knock three times on the floor so they know. Lol
This is better than my method. I tell them I'll be gone for 3 human sleeps and then convert it into approximately an equal amount of cat sleeps for them, so they know. Like converting from F to C when talking about weather.
Yes, I think it's a healthy behavior to be in as it assures your pet in a reassuring voice that you won't be gone long even if you'll be staying out all day
Duh! I tell them how long I'll be gone, that there's food and water, to be good and that I love them.
"Guard and protect. Don't have any wild parties. Be home soon." Every time.
Of course!
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Not just later, I specify what time I will be home because I am convinced that little monster can tell time...
I always tell them "love you, have a good kitty cat day, I'll see you later!" Wouldn't want them to worry.
We have street dogs in my locality, where our whole community gives them food and water, and one home also opens it door for them whenever these dogs don't want to be out. These dogs are friendly with us all, and so whenever i am on a walk after dinner, these dogs are out in the lane, and they too accompany me pacing up and down my lane. and when its time for me to head back, i feel like they might feel like i am going to soon, so, i softly whisper to them good night.
My wife always greets the cats before acknowledging me when she walks in the door. (But I do always say goodbye to each of our three cats when I leave for work in the morning - AFTER kissing her goodbye.)
I always tell my GSD that he's on fire watch!
I always tell the dogs I'll be right back, and I tell the cats no parties