Sunday Thoughts: Of pets and sleep

For the past 2.5 weeks, I've been house-sitting and pet-sitting for some friends. They have one usually energetic dog and three cats. I've not been able to sleep much past 6:30 on any given day, and when I don't wake up on time, I learn that I have to pay for my tardiness in food delivery by coming down to dog-shredded papers.

Happily, the dog is quite friendly (at least to me; to some of my other friends, he's been frightened and aggressive), and tugs me to go on walks. When he runs after the basketball, he is like a wild dog on the African savannah. When he plays tug-o-war, he's a growling, energetic, head-tossing tugger. When he chases after the cats, he's like a still-large puppy. And when he puts his head on my lap to sleep on the couch at night as I'm watching some BBC America, he's finally dog-tired and calm.

As a partial contrast, the cats are happy to rush downstairs for food; happy to come up to me to try and get some attention when I'm plating their morning and evening repasts; and then off back upstairs or their perches once they finish eating.

It's almost like this picture is correct:

Almost, but not really.

Am I a "cat lover"? No; not a lover.

Am I a "dog lover"? Again, not a lover.

However, I do like cats and dogs. I do like the companionship and humor they provide, but I don't think that I'll ever be a true dog or cat lover, and - knowing the kind of life that I live - it's unlikely that I'll become a pet owner any time soon.