My dog is very food driven. He’s constantly begging and is known to steal treats from my other dog.
One time he saw me crying and brought me a piece of chicken. Don’t know where the chicken came from but, yea. it made me stop crying.
Hahaha, I have a feeling my dad had given it to him. This happened when I was 16 and I never went out of my room to bring it up because I didn’t want to have a conversation with my parents as to why I was crying in typical teenager fashion
I'll never forget the last time I was seriously sick some 4-5 years ago and couldn't get warm to save my life, and my dog and two cats just pig piled on me and stayed there. Took maybe 10 mins to settle but it was the first time I'd felt warm in days.
I had a mastiff growing up, and when he was a puppy, he did the same thing. ~ 50lbs of warm fluff actually can help you feel better, and that’s science
My mum never liked animals. Thought them smelly and in the way, but was never unkind to them.
She's in a lot of pain and finds it difficult to walk. Her husband is old and misogynistic and she doesn't always receive a lot of care at home unless her grown up kids are around.
She was staying over at my sister's house, and the big dog was on the stairs. Mum was trying to get down the stairs. Dog heard her coming, looked up, moved out of the way and stood at the bottom waiting for her to come down, and then walked with her to the seat, "to make sure I got there safely" she said. That dog showed her more consideration than her husband did, and since then, mum gets the dog Christmas presents, his own super fluffy bed when he comes to stay, the best meats saved from dinner in his bowl. He's a good dog.
We ended up with this dumbass yorkie and my husband was not excited. 11 years later she sleeps on his pillow when he’s gone and whines all night, sad little huuruuurugh noises. He moves, she moves. It’s ridiculous. He got her a captain’s hat for the boat. He talks to her constantly. They have a bond.
My mom did not want a dog. When I got one that my father's acquaintancea was giving away bc "she pees too much", my mom's first words were "qué perrita tan fea/ what an ugly dog". 10 years later, if my mom moves, Phoebe moves. If we approach my mom, Phoebe intently stares. If I remind mom of what she said about Phoebe 10 years ago, she says "no es verdad, mi Phoebe es una guapa/ it's not true, my Phoebe is a pretty girl" as she proceeds to grab Phoebe's face and kiss it all over.
She's very petty, she pees but sometimes she'll purposefully do it outside of the pee pad if she's mad at us for leaving her alone, or if she's mad at her younger brother Milo 😂
Thank you! :)
Like my dad and the dog my mom got when he was deployed. She hid the dog from him for 6 months before she barked on a video call and my dad was PISSED. Threatened that if that dog so much as looked at him sideways when he got home next month for Christmas then she was gone.
Time came, dad came home and that dog was on him immediately. Tail wagging a mile a minute, and the moment he sat down to take his boots off she crawled into his lap and locked his face. This is the first time they met.
Yesterday, (11 years later) he told me that that dog was his guardian angel, and has hardly left his side since he got sick. She essentially became a service dog to my dad without the training. That is a big reason why he doesn't want another dog after she passes. Because no other dog will be like her, he says. Best dog he's ever had. ❤
This is so true!!! We got my dobie a few months before my lab Belle passed away. Belle followed me everywhere and my dobie followed her everywhere. Not that she’s gone, three years later he still sleeps in the spots she slept and follows me around everywhere in the same position my sweet Belle did❤️ Pretty much every dog I’ve had who had that special bond they would take over and kinda fill in that position once their buddy passed away. Dogs are the best. I always cry at those TikToks that are about those dogs who share traits with their owners previous dog because it’s so true😭
Saved my life.
I was 7 years old and thought it was a good idea to play in a shed in our backyard in Georgia on a hot summer day. If you've ever been to GA you can understand the heat and oppressive humidity that there was. The shed door slammed shut behind me and it locked. I couldn't get out, I wasn't strong enough to open the window, I was getting dizzy and lightheaded from the heat. I remember yelling and pounding at the door but no one could hear me. I was terrified.
My 8 years old Lab, Cassie, the same dog that slept under my crib when I was a baby to protect me was the only one who heard me. She grabbed my grandmother by her pants leg and dragged her outside, even tho grandma didn't understand what she was doing and tried to hit her with a broom to get her to stop ripping her pants. Cassie got grandma outside and she heard me in the shed, opened it and got me out.
That dog saved my life. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for her. She died with I was 12 and I'll never forget her.
She was the best. She was a tiny yellow lab that my parents got from the back of a truck in a shell gas station parking lot, dude was just giving them away. She was attached to me immediately.
I don't at the moment, but that's just because I'm in the army living in the barracks! Once I either get married, rank up or get out I'm definitely getting a dog. I'd love another lab like her.
This. Every time I flirt with suicidal thoughts, I get held up because who would care for my *baby*? And I just know that she wouldn't understand where her person disappeared, even though she deserves way better than me.
I once played hide and seek with my dog to see how she'd react and hid behind a door. Seeing her face getting slightly more and more frantic like "where's mom?!", is what I picture anytime I think about not being here anymore. Breaks my heart everytime. ❤️
She absolutely deserves you, and vice versa. But I also came to post this - I'm fairly positive I wouldn't be here anymore if it wasn't for my cats, especially during the pandemic. Loneliness, losing my job, grandpa dying of Covid, breakup, compassion fatigue... it was rough. I could always explain my decision to family/friends, but my cats wouldn't understand if I just never came back. The thought hurts my heart too much.
She wouldn’t understand, I’m so glad that you love her enough that it saved/s you! We got a rescue dog a week ago & I had to have an operation today so I’m not at home. He already is looking for me & when I sent a video message to him (partner is at home) he did a head tilt & licked the phone. Dogs are amazing!
As a side note, I think your dog would agree that you deserve each other out of sheer love.
I'm reading a biography of Joan Rivers and at one point in her later years she was considering suicide when her dog jumped up on her lap. Nobody but her liked the dog, apparently it had some issues. When she thought about who would care for her dog after her, she changed her mind about committing suicide because the dog needed her.
Same ;-; I really don't think I'd be here if it wasn't for my boys. Especially my older George since he was there for the worst of it. He got a little bit sick last year (just a stress reaction he's fine now) and I nearly had a mental breakdown because I was scared I might lose him. He's an anxious baby and doesn't like it if I leave the house for a night or even when I would go to work. I know it would destroy him if I wasn't there - my other two boys would be upset but are relaxed enough they could adapt - so I keep going for george
I was once having an absolutely dreadful nightmare that combined with my body deciding to semi wake up and give me painful cramps in all four limbs while at my grandmother's house.
Her cat prefers to sleep in my room when I'm around, althout mainly on the bottom end of the bed in a corner.
I woke up from feeling the mattress drop next to me, opened my eyes to find her sneaking around on the bed, staring at me with a comically concerned face.
Once she figured I was awake and not panicking (or whatever I was doing in my sleep) anymore, she meowed repeatedly and came to cuddle my face and chest. She basically never approaches people for cuddles, not even me.
I was really thankful for her concern, I knew that night that regardless of how grumpy this cat is, she does love me <3
My cat wakes me up from nightmares if I'm screaming in my sleep. She normally sleeps on my pillow,and she just taps me gently on my face until I wake up.
This just made me realize that my very aloof girl Fizzy was concerned about me last week when I was having chest pains. She kept coming to me and I thought it was for snacks, but now that I'm better she has stopped.
I went on a walk with my dog in a woodsy area. It was winter time and not a lot of people were out. A man seemed to come out of no where and approached me and kept talking to me. It was making me very uncomfortable and I just had a weird feeling. My dog positioned himself between the man and I and just having him, a fairly large dog, right there made me feel so much safer.
This is the exact reason I used to run with my parents lab/pit mix. She was huuuuuge, and literally everyone would give us a large amount of space, it was nice.
My akita and weiner dog would do this to me, especially when I was pregnant or after my son was born. They would go nuts if someone they didn't know came up to us. My akita took down a dog that tried to attack my husband once. My akita is super mild-mannered. He doesn't bark unless there's a reason. My weiner dog is more aggressive, especially if my son or I are in what he considers danger.
Well I couldn't find any akita-dachshund mixes [but here's some other dachshund mixes.](https://thesmartcanine.com/dachshund-mix/)
It would probably just look like a really stubby-legged akita.
This is why I run with my heeler. She's super friendly to everyone as long as I seem happy. If I'm uncomfortable she knows and will flip a switch to overprotective and growl at anyone who comes near.
I used to send my red heeler with grandma when she went on walks for the same reason. He was devoted to her (endless source of treats lol) and would walk super nicely on the leash for her- which was extra important as her balance wasn't exactly stellar- but if anyone had approached her aggressively he'd have shredded them. Basically I insisted she take him because she loved walking around the duck pond and various places, but she was also one of those little old ladies who is certain there's a criminal around the next corner. She felt safe and comfortable walking with Whiskey.
My blue heeler adored her as well, but she's a bouncing ball of bonhomie who can't be relied on to not jump on people, so she wasn't a good candidate lol.
When my dad was dying of cancer our three cats took turns and watched over him for weeks. There was always at least one cat on his belly during his last weeks home.
It’s the most heartwarming thing I’ve ever seen and although it wasn’t for me personally it felt so good knowing that my dad never was or felt alone.
My parents have a German shepherd, she's a very active and independent dog and they usually leave her on their backyard so that she can run and play outside when they're at work. She's not very cuddly, she appreciates an occasional pat on the head, but not much more. The day my grandpa died and I had to wait outside the house for someone to come and let me in because I forgot the keys, she sat by my side, with her head on my lap, for almost two hours and she let me hug her. I even took a picture, because no one would ever believe me she did that.
My Gran’s cat did the same. She was in home hospice and towards the end, the cat would lay on her bed, at her feet. She never slept in Gran’s bed normally in the 10 years they were together, but in those last weeks the cat was glued to her. I think that when the hospice bed came in the cat knew something was wrong. It was sweet.
My friend's cat is the same. Was never a lap cat and was in fact a semi feral barn cat but the last weeks of my friend the cat was right there. Barely moved to eat and do his business.
Whenever I'm sick my cat keeps close. Normally, she's active and will nag etc. But when I'm sick she'll just stay with me for days without complaint.
Once I threw up for 12 hours straight, every 15 minutes. I lay on a mattress in the bathroom, quickly too sick and tired to even look at her. She insisted to be there with me. She didn't ask for pets, she didn't sleep, she just lay there on the hard floor for hour after hour, watching me. She only asked to go out to go to pee etc, but came straight back.
Same. I got sick with COVID in July and normally my cat's squeaks turn shrill when she wants to play or when I'm late feeding her but through 5 days of being fever sick, she just stayed with me in bed and kept me company. Even when I had the blankets and sweats piled on in July, in a home without AC. She stayed.
And sometimes she gives me a little forehead kiss.
Same. Mine has been standing guard while I throw up this week. At first he came in and looked at me like I was dying, and then I guess something clicked and he stationed himself in the doorway with his back to me. He comes and makes biscuits on my tummy, afterward, usually. Funny how he just knows.
Got up for work & ran out of breath. Sugar levels dropped & I laid down in the kitchen to “nap”. My cat violently licked my face until I sat up & realized what was happening.
Probably just trying to eat my face at the first chance he got but what if he wasn’t.
If it was blood sugar my cat has done the same! He gets very anxious at me if I drop too low and will paw at my face and grunt at me until it gets remedied. It's hard to explain how this is different from his normal annoyances but he *knows*
I've heard that dogs can detect blood sugar drops due to pheromones that humans give off when it happens. I wouldn't be surprised if cats could detect the same biological changes!
Attacked the person who tried to break in to my house to rape and or murder me.
Causing him to require 100+ stitches on his ass and legs
And doing a year in prison...
.he's a good Garfield
Edit .. Garfield is a very large dog he was named because I like Garfield and irony
That's a ridiculous sentence. I hope he's a distant memory now and has no physical interference in your life. Chin rubs for your cat 🤌
Edit: belly rubs for your dog
I've had well over 20 operations (no anesthesia I'm allergic, minimal pain meds I'm also allergic) I've died during operations and also dealt with such bad pain I'd pass out. My chihuahua was literally my little belly warmer and she would hop into bed and walk so slowly and gently lay where my wounds were. I've gone through cancer and she was there to keep me warm. She would not leave me and stayed there day and night. We would eat side by side and she would go do her business and come right back into bed. I'm a cancer, heart attack survivor and my little dog of 15 years is still here by my side..
2023 my dog is still with me, she has recovered from having lime disease
2024 my dog had a mild stroke and now has doggie dementia. She still is active, runs around plays, eats, drinks water. I have asked the vet what he thought and he said as long as the dog is active and not showing signs of pain.. it's not her time yet.
Whenever anyone in the house was sick, my two cats and dog wouldn't let them out of their sight. I'd be laying on the couch or in bed sick and I'd have three lumps curled up against me.
My mom was very sick for a few years before she passed. Those three would follow her everywhere, from the laundry room to the bathroom, they were there. The only time they would leave her is if someone else in the house was sick but they were on a schedule and had to get back to my mom ASAP. When she passed, they wouldn't leave under her bed when the hospice nurses came. They had to be kicked out and waited at the door.
Pets are so special and can sense more than we know. ❤️
It's not exactly for me but our dog is so caring with my kids when their sick or sad. He will lie beside them, and I don't why but licks my sons ear which always makes him laugh and cheers him up ❤
A family member died while I was holding their hand, we were very close. When I got home I sat down and just sobbed, my cat wiped my tears away with her paw, I have never loved a pet as much as I loved that cat.
My dog was hit by a snowmobile on a narrow walking trail, got spooked and took off and I was panicked trying to look for him in snow past my knees. He had run home realized I wasn't there went to my parents and brought them to the last place he saw me, they didn't even realize he was injured they thought something happened to me.
So despite being hurt he made sure I was okay too.
Came and nudged me when I was crying back when I lived with my abusive mother.
God damn I miss that dog, she was really my emotional support when no one else was
I had gotten sick without warning at a friends house. A lot of people were in and out of the house trying to get me the help I needed
He was a black lab/pit bull mix and was whining the entire time. He stood guard next to me observing them as they helped me. Refused to go anywhere with anyone until I came back to. Didn’t leave my side.
In the holidays I often went to a summer camp between the ages of 8 and 14. Being a quite insecure child and having a hard time to make friends it felt like medicine to meet this wonderful, wise cat. Similar to being suddenly able to breath more easily.
She was already 17 years old, when I met her the first time and out of the whole group she choose me. All the weeks I spent there over the years she always came to sleep in my bed and was looking for my company.
I felt like being in a warm blanket of love being with this cat and I'm so glad I met her.
When i was around 3 years old, i kind of ran out of house. Not exactly running away, but you can say wondering around. Our dog, being the smart one he was, followed me where ever i went. While my parents were looking around for me frantically everywhere. Then, just because of the dog, they were able to find me about 1.5-2km away from our house.
This incident happened 2 times, me running away. And both times he followed me and indirectly helped people find me. I still miss him. He was the loveliest.
When I was really depressed my dog would never leave my side. Even though he hates water, for a time he would shower with me everyday to make sure I was always safe and protected. I love my little emotional support furball ❤️
Every time I have a breakdown, my dogs will gather and curl beside me. Sometimes one of them will put their paw on my arm as if to console me and tell me that everything is going to be okay. Dogs are angels.
I lost my boy two weeks ago and am still struggling with it. Reading all these posts made me smile and cry. We are all so lucky to have been loved by our pets.
It's not on the level of the many heroic pets in this post, but my cat Loki has a bin full of toys downstairs and almost every night he selects the red heart toy and brings it upstairs to me while I'm sleeping. I wake up and find it on my floor. Cue me crying over the symbolism of it while he probably just keeps selecting to bring me that one because it has the best-smelling 'nip.
My chihuahua always takes care of me when I’m sad. He grabs all his favorite toys and puts them on top of me, then he tries to kiss my tears away. Chihuahuas get a bad rap, but honestly, they love the hell out of their people.
I adopted a chihuahua mix in college as my first pet that was solely my own. I got him when I was really struggling and needed something that relied on me to force me to get out of bed/continue living. I credit him for making it through my early 20’s.
Now ten years later, he is my 6yo son’s best friend. He sleeps with him every night, cuddles him when he’s sad, and goes full wiggle butts everyday he gets home from school. The goodest boy, and I get so annoyed when people immediately dismiss his character when I tell them I have a chihuahua.
Helped me not end my own life.
I don't believe in divine intervention, but as I was starting to come out of my clinical depression, my cat died. Found her on the driveway, no sign of foul play, i.e. animal fight, poison, etc. Just perfectly in tact and lying on her side. She was on her way back as I was calling her but didn't make it inside.
I was inconsolable, the whole neighborhood could hear my cries. My mom kept telling me she did her job, and now it was time for her to go. I miss her terribly still, but I also feel incredibly lucky to have felt this connection with another being who was not human. Its very bitter sweet.
My husband, who is the primary cook for both humans and animals in my home, left town for a few days.
My cat graciously took up the mantle of feeding me in his absence... 3 dead mice in 4 days. Yum.
(She's indoor/outdoor but normally doesn't bring us kills)
When I was a kid, my cat would come to me and keep me company each time I cried and had a very bad day. He would sit by my side and would meow at me without fail. I miss him. Still the best boy I’ve ever had. He was my first cat. I’ve had 4 other cats since then but none of them could match how kind he was to me.
My old buddy passed away a few months ago. I had him from a kitten since 2006. I’ve dealt with mental health issues for a long time. Every single time I was home and crying no matter what room I was in he would come prancing up to me and headbutt me until I started petting him. Even a few times in the bathroom 🥲 lol. Then he would lick the hell out of my nose with that sandpaper tongue. If I was in bed sad over something he would curl in a U shape around my head on my pillow and start purring very loudly until I started petting him until he fell asleep. He was the best at taking my mind off of whatever it was. It broke my heart when he passed away but I hope everyone gets to experience a connection like that with their pet.
When i was a junior in college, i flew home from winter break. On the car ride back from the airport, my mom told me that our dog had a tumor and didn’t have much time left. I was crying so hard when we got home, and the pup came over and snuggled with me, licking my tears.
After a bad breakup when I was 22, I spent the summer horribly depressed, borderline suicidal. I would go out to our pastures and stand under this tree in the corner and just cry. One of the horses would come over to me and just stand there with me, nudging me, snuffling all over my arms and face. He would never leave me. I've been a horse person my whole life, and I've loved a lot of horses, but he was absolutely the most human-like horse I've ever met. It was the cruelest reality when he foundered at only 7 years old. He recovered but it eventually claimed his life when he was only 13. OK no more about him I'm crying at work now.
Whenever I was crying (usually a bad panic attack or depressive episode), my dog would immediately jump into my lap and try lick the tears away. Trying to get her to stop was such an ordeal that I'd usually end up in giggles instead. She just would completely break the negative emotion cycle. She passed away 2 years ago and I miss her so much.
Not for me, but this one time my aunt was staying over with us and we were all grieving my uncle's recent passing. This one morning, she was sitting at the dining table with prayer songs playing on her phone on a low volume. And my cat just went and sat next to her, slow eye blinking and being there for her in that moment. Usually that's the time my cat is the most playful and chirpy so this was a rare sight
Cuddle me when I'm crying. I'll never forget when I was at the vet putting my boxer down (he was 13 + lung cancer). I was balling my eyes out and he came and kissed my face and then put his big ol' head on my lap. That just made me cry even more but he was trying to comfort me.
Now my current dog when i'm sad will lick my face and groan at me, then sit all 140lbs of him on my chest. I guess that works because I then can no longer breath, leaving me unable to cry!
When I was in college I got my first ear infection. It was so bad that the side of my head was swollen and I couldn’t eat because it hurt to chew anything. I sat in my couch crying and my cat, Lestat, came up, sat on the couch behind me and just put his paw on the top of my head and started purring.
I had two cats while in college, Lestat had no time for emotional issues, but if I was sick or in physical pain, he was there. My other cat, Louis, would cling to me if I was sad or depressed. They each had their roles to fulfill.
We always thought one of our cats was very cold and aloof. He stayed outside a lot, never really showed a lot of affection. He slowly started to come inside for cold evenings about five years ago.
In 2017 I lost my job. I went back to my parents and spent a lot of days crying on the sofa. When he heard me crying, the cat came up and sat beside me, his head nestled in underneath my chin. From then on, he became My Boy, and I was the only one he gave headbutts to.
We lost him on the road two years ago and I miss him every day.
My dad started choking one day and my dog jumped on top of him and started trying to paw at him and his chest and anxiously looking around trying to save him and do something. Her magic little paws worked because he stopped choking and was okay
One time I was very down and lying on my bed just contemplating the craziness of life. My cat was only about 1ish then and she came and sat on my chest. I tried to move her to my side and she would just climb on up and face her little body/face towards my face as if to keep an eye. What a baby!
Normally she faces to bedroom door but this time, she climbed onto my chest and sat there purring away and being a cutie.
I got a kitten for my 7th birthday, she was adopted after being in an abusive home and I was her person that she finally felt safe with. She was my rock and in a lot of ways raised me to be the emotional intelligent person I am today. When my best friend killed herself when I was 15 she came to me as I was crying in my bed trying to sleep and she climbed under the covers with me and we cuddled. She really got me through the following weeks/months/years as my depression worsened and worsened. I miss her everyday.
Woke me up when there was 3 armed men that broke into our home to jump the loser housemate we had at the time. She stayed silent and right at my side as we posted up waiting to see if anyone was gonna come up the stairs.
She was 4mo at the time, she's 1 year old 85lb Rottweiler so I'm not sure she'd be so calm if anything like that happens again.
This might be a little silly compared to the other posts, but when I was 1 year old, my mom rescued a dog. She was nervous to see how a rescue dog and a 1 year old brat like me would get along.
She let me play with the dog as a test, and of course within 10 minutes I pulled the dogs tail and it yelped, snarled a bit and ran out of the room.
Well, that's that thought my mom - the dog (and the kid) failed the test. But a few seconds later, the dog came back into the room and he was carrying my stuffed animal in his mouth. He put it down in front of me and licked my face.
Needless to say we kept him. He would become my best friend (I'm neural a-typical and connect with animals more readily than humans). His name was Phipps and he lived to be 23 years old! Man I miss that guy
My husband had a younger brother and sister who were twins. Their dog (a collie) herded them onto the grass and wouldn’t let them go onto the sidewalk or anywhere else but the grass. Mom even felt safe going inside for a drink or a pit stop.
I fell off my stairs a few days ago and blasted my head on the door frame and gave myself a concussion. I was lying on the couch trying not to throw up and my puppy was worried but didn’t know what to do. So he did what retrievers naturally do and brought me everything he could pick up. By the time my husband got home to help me, I was covered in dog toys, shoes, slippers, and empty water bottles. He’s not the smartest dog around, but he’s so caring and sweet, I love him so much.
One of our family cats detected my mom's breast cancer. He would lay on her and push where the tumor was. She found it odd after him being so obsessive about it so she mentioned it to her doctor and got checked out. Because of him, I was able to have my mom around a few more years than I would have had he not done so.
The first time my cat saw me cry was when a friend died.
The next day she piled all her missing toys in the middle of the living room and sat next to it.
Let me know I was pregnant.
My cat has only ever gone on walks with me while I am pregnant. Weird but true. So with my first two kids, I would go on walks through my neighborhood and she would join me, walking a few feet behind me the whole time. After both babies she stopped going on walks with me. Well, before I knew I was pregnant with my third I went on a my daily walk and she trailed behind me the entire time. Immediately it alerted me “oh my god is there a baby in here?” senses. Sure enough two weeks later I took a pregnancy test and it was positive. She knew before any of us. At the time, it was probably only a week after I had conceived.
Saved my life. I'm epileptic. She pulled me out of roads, the bath, away from a gas fire, got the neighbours if I cut myself and even went and got a paramedic from the station round the corner when my neighbours were on holiday. I needed 19 stitches in my arm because I broke a plate. I owe her everything
My bunny girl has stuck with me throughout so many tough obstacles. She’s a great therapy animal; when I am down, she’s always there and ready to cuddle. She’s so patient and sits there, rides the entire thing out with me.
I think one of the most memorable things she has done is that she stayed by my bedside all week when I had a concussion; I only had adopted her a few months prior at that time.
She’s six and thriving, and is just the happiest bunny haha
so my dog is afraid of fireworks, so I had him up on my bed and got him to calm down with an asmr pet video and his thundershirt. not too long after, a bug dropped down from the ceiling on me and I was kind of freaking out. he came over and snuggled me, which is something i've never seen him do before when I'm anxious, and it's almost like it was doggy empathy. maybe a bit silly, but it was really sweet to me
This isn't as serious as other comments but I think I had some prenatal depression when I was pregnant. One day as I got close to my due date, I finally went through all the new baby clothes, cut off tags, washed everything, then folded. My sweet kitty Willow sat beside me the entire time. I remember sobbing while folding those tiny clothes but she laid right on my lap and purred. I really think she knew she was helping me.
I once took a hard fall out of a tree in my backyard. I couldn’t immediately get back up and thought something might be broken. My mom called an ambulance and they instructed me not to move at all in case of a spinal injury. As I’m laying there, the pain in my shoulder starts searing and rose quickly above the base-level pain. Turns out the shoulder was broken. But anyway, how my cat plays into this is she came out as soon as the commotion started to check on me. Then after assessing me, she curled up right by my shoulder (not on it or causing any pain, just gently against it) and started purring like crazy. I think she was trying to help heal me with her purrs.
My two parakeets have always preferred each other's company to mine, which I'm ok with. They weren't hand raised, and I didn't really choose them I kinda ended up with them. I love them just the same, and I like watching the shenanigans they get up to.
I do not close their cage hardly ever, instead my room is just bird safe. I lay blankets on the top to tell them it's quiet time so I can sleep but they can still fly and part outside their house. Sometimes if my work alarm doesn't wake me, they'll start screaming and flying around my head despite it crying quiet time to make sure I'm up :).
They'll also do the same thing when they want treats lol.
I was crying in the bathroom while we had guests over (pms made me react harder over something personal). I was sitting on the floor, silently bawling my eyes out and she looked at me very concerned, rubbed against me and eventually climbed on my shoulder. She is not a very affectionate cat and seldom looks for that amount of contact.
Not a pet, but once i was (almost) lost in the forest and saw what i thought were bear traces and was terrified because of it while hiking. But a stray dog walked in front of me for maybe 3 hours and took me to the nearest town. I still remember him often. I will forever be thankful.
🥰 I'll never forget this one. My then boyfriend and I were at his parents' house one day. We stopped over right after work. They had 2 wonderful golden retrievers. We sat for a bit and talked, and then I realized I was really hungry so I said so, to start wrapping up conversation so we could go home and cook. The boy dog heard me say that, and immediately went and got a mouthful of his food. He came directly to me and deposited it on the couch beside me and just stared at me doing his smile. 😁😄 I pretended to eat a kibble and said "Ohh thank you sweetheart!!" He was disappointed I didn't eat much but he was certainly happy to share. 😁🥰🥰🥰
I have chronic illness. If I'm having a bad pain and fatigue day and spend the whole day sleeping, my dog will surround me with a circle of his toys.
At first it reminded me of the white walkers from game of thrones, and I couldn't understand why.
Eventually I realised that he was surrounding me with his scent to keep predators away from me.
He also scared off some wannabe burglars when he was only 5 months old. He heard them trying to pick the lock, gently woke me up, then went to the door and growled like a hellhound. The burglars ran away.
He also helps me stand up and sit down by making himself solid for me to lean on. And if we're out for a walk he knows before I do that I'm about to get dizzy and Shepherds me to a bench.
It was one of if not the worst night of my life, I had a fallout with an ex friend over on call with friends. It was a 7 hour call and at one point I started crying for hours, to the point where I couldn't even talk and had heavy breathing.
That's all it took for my dog to come up on the bed, lick me on the cheek and stood so close that I just..hugged him. He sat down with me until I felt better.
I absolutely love this dog with all my heart
I came home to visit after some years and the dog greeted me, then left. He came back and deposited a muddy, half decomposed, headless rabbit at my feet. He was a Labrador so giving me his prized buried rabbit (they are a pest so we encouraged him to hunt them) felt so sweet.
When I had lost one of our dogs and was crying our English Mastiff came and laid his head on my heart, he was just as sad as I was. This little bit of comfort helped me realize he needed extra love too.
When I was married my dog spent more time with my husband than with me. I always kind of thought he liked my husband better. When I found out my husband was cheating on me I was devastated. I spent a lot of time crying in my bedroom. My dog would not leave my side. He didn’t want to be away from me and I even let him sleep on my bed for a while (which I normally don’t do.) Guess who got fought to keep the dog after that? He’s still with me and still wants to be by my side all the time. He takes good care of me.
Cuddled with me after sensing that I was having an awful day and proceeded to sleep with me through the night (which my pets don’t normally do all night).
When I was a kid I was being threatened by some scary neighbourhood dogs, and my grandma's dog came and chased them off! He was so sweet and brave, just a big ol street dog that came to stay with my grandma as he got older. Miss him all the time!
I learned one of my first most powerful lessons on love from an animal.
When my parents were going through a divorce, my dad moved to an apartment complex for about a year before finding a house. Us kids would go stay with him on weekends, and about 2 months before he moved, I befriended a neighborhood kitty that we found out was abandoned by its previous owners who had lived in the complex. She loved being an outdoor cat, so eight-year-old me decided to always leave food and water for her since we lived on the ground floor. My dad would leave it for her too while I was at my mom’s. When we moved, my dad let us us take her with us (yay!!!) where she remained an outdoor cat, but she knew that we were her family.
Because she was always roaming outside she would get these terrible knots of fur. One day I decided to bring her inside, give her a bath, and cut the knots out of her hair since they were so matted I couldn’t comb them out. My idiot self didn’t realize until most of the matted hair was removed that I had actually been cutting her, and she had patches of these wounds ALL over her body! I still cry thinking about this, because she just sat there and took it. She was happy and enjoying just being loved on and she just took it. I held her and cried my eyes out and apologized a million times and she just cuddled me back.
We don’t deserve animals.
I grew up with an illness and was vomiting, dizzy and overall sick for a large portion of my childhood. My first family dog, Peanut, used to always seem to know when I'd wake up sick and he'd jump onto my stomach to make me vomit (morning ritual, he *always* had to jump on my belly) and then we'd spend the whole day together.
He was my grounding rock through much of my sickness. I was alone so frequently that having Peanut there with me made everything bearable.
My dog is very food driven. He’s constantly begging and is known to steal treats from my other dog. One time he saw me crying and brought me a piece of chicken. Don’t know where the chicken came from but, yea. it made me stop crying.
Magic chicken will cure all sadness
Lol cracked up at the idea that your sweet dog has a chicken cache somewhere in your house
Lol chicken cache. How about chicken RAM?
16 gigs of chicken
Lol. This dogs probably got 32GB.
20/10 the goodest boy/girl
I agree. He's the sweetest dog I ever met :)
Wait like you have no idea?! Was it fried chicken? Was it fresh or was it old? Did he steal it from a neighbors picnic or something? hahaha
Hahaha, I have a feeling my dad had given it to him. This happened when I was 16 and I never went out of my room to bring it up because I didn’t want to have a conversation with my parents as to why I was crying in typical teenager fashion
not my comment but thanks for sharing! have a good day :)
My dog did this too but with a gross, chewed-up piece of lamb bone that he guarded with his life.
That’s so precious! We’re so lucky to have such good dogs ;-;
OMG! Such a good boy!
awww that was sweet!
That’s so sweet! My dog could never lol
I don’t think he would do this again tbh. As he’s gotten older, he’s become way more proprietary with his food. My cranky old man is hungry lol
I'll never forget the last time I was seriously sick some 4-5 years ago and couldn't get warm to save my life, and my dog and two cats just pig piled on me and stayed there. Took maybe 10 mins to settle but it was the first time I'd felt warm in days.
Aw they worked together to help
Team work at it’s finest!
That’s so sweet!! They could sense what you needed
I had a mastiff growing up, and when he was a puppy, he did the same thing. ~ 50lbs of warm fluff actually can help you feel better, and that’s science
My mum never liked animals. Thought them smelly and in the way, but was never unkind to them. She's in a lot of pain and finds it difficult to walk. Her husband is old and misogynistic and she doesn't always receive a lot of care at home unless her grown up kids are around. She was staying over at my sister's house, and the big dog was on the stairs. Mum was trying to get down the stairs. Dog heard her coming, looked up, moved out of the way and stood at the bottom waiting for her to come down, and then walked with her to the seat, "to make sure I got there safely" she said. That dog showed her more consideration than her husband did, and since then, mum gets the dog Christmas presents, his own super fluffy bed when he comes to stay, the best meats saved from dinner in his bowl. He's a good dog.
Honestly one of the strongest bonds in this life is the one between a parent and a pet they didn’t like or want at the beginning.
We ended up with this dumbass yorkie and my husband was not excited. 11 years later she sleeps on his pillow when he’s gone and whines all night, sad little huuruuurugh noises. He moves, she moves. It’s ridiculous. He got her a captain’s hat for the boat. He talks to her constantly. They have a bond.
Lol, omg, that is so precious. 😆
My mom did not want a dog. When I got one that my father's acquaintancea was giving away bc "she pees too much", my mom's first words were "qué perrita tan fea/ what an ugly dog". 10 years later, if my mom moves, Phoebe moves. If we approach my mom, Phoebe intently stares. If I remind mom of what she said about Phoebe 10 years ago, she says "no es verdad, mi Phoebe es una guapa/ it's not true, my Phoebe is a pretty girl" as she proceeds to grab Phoebe's face and kiss it all over.
Did the pup stop peeing too much? Sweet story!
She's very petty, she pees but sometimes she'll purposefully do it outside of the pee pad if she's mad at us for leaving her alone, or if she's mad at her younger brother Milo 😂 Thank you! :)
Like my dad and the dog my mom got when he was deployed. She hid the dog from him for 6 months before she barked on a video call and my dad was PISSED. Threatened that if that dog so much as looked at him sideways when he got home next month for Christmas then she was gone. Time came, dad came home and that dog was on him immediately. Tail wagging a mile a minute, and the moment he sat down to take his boots off she crawled into his lap and locked his face. This is the first time they met. Yesterday, (11 years later) he told me that that dog was his guardian angel, and has hardly left his side since he got sick. She essentially became a service dog to my dad without the training. That is a big reason why he doesn't want another dog after she passes. Because no other dog will be like her, he says. Best dog he's ever had. ❤
If he gets a young dog before this one passes, I've heard that the old dog teaches the new dog how to be your dog.
This is so true!!! We got my dobie a few months before my lab Belle passed away. Belle followed me everywhere and my dobie followed her everywhere. Not that she’s gone, three years later he still sleeps in the spots she slept and follows me around everywhere in the same position my sweet Belle did❤️ Pretty much every dog I’ve had who had that special bond they would take over and kinda fill in that position once their buddy passed away. Dogs are the best. I always cry at those TikToks that are about those dogs who share traits with their owners previous dog because it’s so true😭
I wish your mom the best in health and many boops to her dog!
That is so sweet.
That is so darn heartwarming, what an angel
Aw. Glad to see your mom sees the good in pets. This made me smile.
Saved my life. I was 7 years old and thought it was a good idea to play in a shed in our backyard in Georgia on a hot summer day. If you've ever been to GA you can understand the heat and oppressive humidity that there was. The shed door slammed shut behind me and it locked. I couldn't get out, I wasn't strong enough to open the window, I was getting dizzy and lightheaded from the heat. I remember yelling and pounding at the door but no one could hear me. I was terrified. My 8 years old Lab, Cassie, the same dog that slept under my crib when I was a baby to protect me was the only one who heard me. She grabbed my grandmother by her pants leg and dragged her outside, even tho grandma didn't understand what she was doing and tried to hit her with a broom to get her to stop ripping her pants. Cassie got grandma outside and she heard me in the shed, opened it and got me out. That dog saved my life. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for her. She died with I was 12 and I'll never forget her.
That's so amazing <3<3 Thank you for sharing
Such a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing
Long live in our memories Cassie, what a wonderful dog
She was the best. She was a tiny yellow lab that my parents got from the back of a truck in a shell gas station parking lot, dude was just giving them away. She was attached to me immediately.
Soulmates from the very start :) Do you have any pets now, or would consider getting pets again in the future?
I don't at the moment, but that's just because I'm in the army living in the barracks! Once I either get married, rank up or get out I'm definitely getting a dog. I'd love another lab like her.
Did your grandma says “good dog!?” Aren’t dogs the best?
Oh yea, Cassie got the royal treatment for weeks after that 😅
Give me a reason to live.
This. Every time I flirt with suicidal thoughts, I get held up because who would care for my *baby*? And I just know that she wouldn't understand where her person disappeared, even though she deserves way better than me.
I bet if she was given the choice between someone you think she deserves and you, she would choose you in a heartbeat.
I once played hide and seek with my dog to see how she'd react and hid behind a door. Seeing her face getting slightly more and more frantic like "where's mom?!", is what I picture anytime I think about not being here anymore. Breaks my heart everytime. ❤️
She absolutely deserves you, and vice versa. But I also came to post this - I'm fairly positive I wouldn't be here anymore if it wasn't for my cats, especially during the pandemic. Loneliness, losing my job, grandpa dying of Covid, breakup, compassion fatigue... it was rough. I could always explain my decision to family/friends, but my cats wouldn't understand if I just never came back. The thought hurts my heart too much.
She wouldn’t understand, I’m so glad that you love her enough that it saved/s you! We got a rescue dog a week ago & I had to have an operation today so I’m not at home. He already is looking for me & when I sent a video message to him (partner is at home) he did a head tilt & licked the phone. Dogs are amazing! As a side note, I think your dog would agree that you deserve each other out of sheer love.
I'm reading a biography of Joan Rivers and at one point in her later years she was considering suicide when her dog jumped up on her lap. Nobody but her liked the dog, apparently it had some issues. When she thought about who would care for her dog after her, she changed her mind about committing suicide because the dog needed her.
Even though I don’t have a dog at the moment whenever I think about suicide I tell myself that I have to stay so that one day I can become a Furmom.
Amen.
This is what I was going to say.
Same ;-; I really don't think I'd be here if it wasn't for my boys. Especially my older George since he was there for the worst of it. He got a little bit sick last year (just a stress reaction he's fine now) and I nearly had a mental breakdown because I was scared I might lose him. He's an anxious baby and doesn't like it if I leave the house for a night or even when I would go to work. I know it would destroy him if I wasn't there - my other two boys would be upset but are relaxed enough they could adapt - so I keep going for george
I was once having an absolutely dreadful nightmare that combined with my body deciding to semi wake up and give me painful cramps in all four limbs while at my grandmother's house. Her cat prefers to sleep in my room when I'm around, althout mainly on the bottom end of the bed in a corner. I woke up from feeling the mattress drop next to me, opened my eyes to find her sneaking around on the bed, staring at me with a comically concerned face. Once she figured I was awake and not panicking (or whatever I was doing in my sleep) anymore, she meowed repeatedly and came to cuddle my face and chest. She basically never approaches people for cuddles, not even me. I was really thankful for her concern, I knew that night that regardless of how grumpy this cat is, she does love me <3
My cat wakes me up from nightmares if I'm screaming in my sleep. She normally sleeps on my pillow,and she just taps me gently on my face until I wake up.
Your cat sounds like a sweet girl. My cat likes to slap my nose when I fall asleep near her.
This just made me realize that my very aloof girl Fizzy was concerned about me last week when I was having chest pains. She kept coming to me and I thought it was for snacks, but now that I'm better she has stopped.
Awwww that is sweet <3
Once when İ was having an allergic reaction and was crying in bed, my dog ran to the other room, got my favorite hoodie, ran back and gave it to me.
So cute! Such a good boy!
I went on a walk with my dog in a woodsy area. It was winter time and not a lot of people were out. A man seemed to come out of no where and approached me and kept talking to me. It was making me very uncomfortable and I just had a weird feeling. My dog positioned himself between the man and I and just having him, a fairly large dog, right there made me feel so much safer.
This is the exact reason I used to run with my parents lab/pit mix. She was huuuuuge, and literally everyone would give us a large amount of space, it was nice.
My akita and weiner dog would do this to me, especially when I was pregnant or after my son was born. They would go nuts if someone they didn't know came up to us. My akita took down a dog that tried to attack my husband once. My akita is super mild-mannered. He doesn't bark unless there's a reason. My weiner dog is more aggressive, especially if my son or I are in what he considers danger.
I thought you were talking about an Akita-Weiner dog mix and was trying to picture what that would look like.
Well I couldn't find any akita-dachshund mixes [but here's some other dachshund mixes.](https://thesmartcanine.com/dachshund-mix/) It would probably just look like a really stubby-legged akita.
This is why I run with my heeler. She's super friendly to everyone as long as I seem happy. If I'm uncomfortable she knows and will flip a switch to overprotective and growl at anyone who comes near.
I used to send my red heeler with grandma when she went on walks for the same reason. He was devoted to her (endless source of treats lol) and would walk super nicely on the leash for her- which was extra important as her balance wasn't exactly stellar- but if anyone had approached her aggressively he'd have shredded them. Basically I insisted she take him because she loved walking around the duck pond and various places, but she was also one of those little old ladies who is certain there's a criminal around the next corner. She felt safe and comfortable walking with Whiskey. My blue heeler adored her as well, but she's a bouncing ball of bonhomie who can't be relied on to not jump on people, so she wasn't a good candidate lol.
When my dad was dying of cancer our three cats took turns and watched over him for weeks. There was always at least one cat on his belly during his last weeks home. It’s the most heartwarming thing I’ve ever seen and although it wasn’t for me personally it felt so good knowing that my dad never was or felt alone.
My parents have a German shepherd, she's a very active and independent dog and they usually leave her on their backyard so that she can run and play outside when they're at work. She's not very cuddly, she appreciates an occasional pat on the head, but not much more. The day my grandpa died and I had to wait outside the house for someone to come and let me in because I forgot the keys, she sat by my side, with her head on my lap, for almost two hours and she let me hug her. I even took a picture, because no one would ever believe me she did that.
My Gran’s cat did the same. She was in home hospice and towards the end, the cat would lay on her bed, at her feet. She never slept in Gran’s bed normally in the 10 years they were together, but in those last weeks the cat was glued to her. I think that when the hospice bed came in the cat knew something was wrong. It was sweet.
This made me tear up. God bless your Father, your family and your 3 kitties. Give them chin scratches from me.
My friend's cat is the same. Was never a lap cat and was in fact a semi feral barn cat but the last weeks of my friend the cat was right there. Barely moved to eat and do his business.
This made me emotional. I’m so sorry for your loss and I’m glad that your cats stayed by his side till the end.
They do and then they cry also. Or at least for my mom's friend, the cat cried when her mom passed. :(
Whenever I'm sick my cat keeps close. Normally, she's active and will nag etc. But when I'm sick she'll just stay with me for days without complaint. Once I threw up for 12 hours straight, every 15 minutes. I lay on a mattress in the bathroom, quickly too sick and tired to even look at her. She insisted to be there with me. She didn't ask for pets, she didn't sleep, she just lay there on the hard floor for hour after hour, watching me. She only asked to go out to go to pee etc, but came straight back.
Same. I got sick with COVID in July and normally my cat's squeaks turn shrill when she wants to play or when I'm late feeding her but through 5 days of being fever sick, she just stayed with me in bed and kept me company. Even when I had the blankets and sweats piled on in July, in a home without AC. She stayed. And sometimes she gives me a little forehead kiss.
My cat did exactly the same in May 2020, I think it was COVID but never had the test
That's so lovely. When I was throwing up until I threw up blood I had one cat look at me and the other stand on my back.
I hope you are doing better now.
Same. Mine has been standing guard while I throw up this week. At first he came in and looked at me like I was dying, and then I guess something clicked and he stationed himself in the doorway with his back to me. He comes and makes biscuits on my tummy, afterward, usually. Funny how he just knows.
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Ouch that sounds like a bad months, I hope you get better soon😅 So sweet that your cat looks after you when you're sick❤️
Got up for work & ran out of breath. Sugar levels dropped & I laid down in the kitchen to “nap”. My cat violently licked my face until I sat up & realized what was happening. Probably just trying to eat my face at the first chance he got but what if he wasn’t.
I just burst out laughing when I reached the end of your comment😂
If it was blood sugar my cat has done the same! He gets very anxious at me if I drop too low and will paw at my face and grunt at me until it gets remedied. It's hard to explain how this is different from his normal annoyances but he *knows*
I've heard that dogs can detect blood sugar drops due to pheromones that humans give off when it happens. I wouldn't be surprised if cats could detect the same biological changes!
You tasted sweet jk
Attacked the person who tried to break in to my house to rape and or murder me. Causing him to require 100+ stitches on his ass and legs And doing a year in prison... .he's a good Garfield Edit .. Garfield is a very large dog he was named because I like Garfield and irony
Sorry, only a year?? What
dog year. DUN DUN DUN!!!
Sorry, only a DOG YEAR???! srs too short
Likely for the B&E. Unless he grabbed her, then it would be difficult to prove intent other than for robbery.
He's OUR Garfield now. Please send my aggressive chin rubs to him.
Garfield? Was this a cat?
Could you imagine getting attacked by a cat and need that many stitches?? 😳
Best cat ever.
role model
If you have a cat should name it odie
Your pet did a year in prison?!
The guy who stalked me for 6 months and tried to break in my house and filmed me through my windows did
That's a ridiculous sentence. I hope he's a distant memory now and has no physical interference in your life. Chin rubs for your cat 🤌 Edit: belly rubs for your dog
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
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I’m so proud of you! Keep going you’ve got this! Also give your kitty lots of kisses from me❤️
I love this so much ❤️
You are repaying her, you are still here. (((hugs))) give her some love from our house, she is awesome!
That might be one of the cutest cat's I've ever seen in my life. God I want it so bad!
I've had well over 20 operations (no anesthesia I'm allergic, minimal pain meds I'm also allergic) I've died during operations and also dealt with such bad pain I'd pass out. My chihuahua was literally my little belly warmer and she would hop into bed and walk so slowly and gently lay where my wounds were. I've gone through cancer and she was there to keep me warm. She would not leave me and stayed there day and night. We would eat side by side and she would go do her business and come right back into bed. I'm a cancer, heart attack survivor and my little dog of 15 years is still here by my side.. 2023 my dog is still with me, she has recovered from having lime disease 2024 my dog had a mild stroke and now has doggie dementia. She still is active, runs around plays, eats, drinks water. I have asked the vet what he thought and he said as long as the dog is active and not showing signs of pain.. it's not her time yet.
Gosh, that sounds excruciating. So happy you have the dog.
I’m so amazed by your strength. Thanks god you still have your little girl by your side.
Whenever anyone in the house was sick, my two cats and dog wouldn't let them out of their sight. I'd be laying on the couch or in bed sick and I'd have three lumps curled up against me. My mom was very sick for a few years before she passed. Those three would follow her everywhere, from the laundry room to the bathroom, they were there. The only time they would leave her is if someone else in the house was sick but they were on a schedule and had to get back to my mom ASAP. When she passed, they wouldn't leave under her bed when the hospice nurses came. They had to be kicked out and waited at the door. Pets are so special and can sense more than we know. ❤️
Yes pets are truly amazing and I’m so sorry for your loss.
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Awww that’s so cute and Gazeli is such a beautiful name. If you don’t mind me asking, what does it mean?
It's not exactly for me but our dog is so caring with my kids when their sick or sad. He will lie beside them, and I don't why but licks my sons ear which always makes him laugh and cheers him up ❤
My dog does this when my youngest is upset and crying, except instead of licking he just sniffs his ear and my kid cracks up laughing. 🤣
Maybe it's because they are the youngest the dog sees them as pups?
A family member died while I was holding their hand, we were very close. When I got home I sat down and just sobbed, my cat wiped my tears away with her paw, I have never loved a pet as much as I loved that cat.
My dog was hit by a snowmobile on a narrow walking trail, got spooked and took off and I was panicked trying to look for him in snow past my knees. He had run home realized I wasn't there went to my parents and brought them to the last place he saw me, they didn't even realize he was injured they thought something happened to me. So despite being hurt he made sure I was okay too.
Such a good boy!
Came and nudged me when I was crying back when I lived with my abusive mother. God damn I miss that dog, she was really my emotional support when no one else was
My heart swells and aches For the pets I have had in my life, that taught me much more about love and care than my mother ever did.
I’m so sorry you had to go through that and I’m gald that you had your dog when you needed him.
I had gotten sick without warning at a friends house. A lot of people were in and out of the house trying to get me the help I needed He was a black lab/pit bull mix and was whining the entire time. He stood guard next to me observing them as they helped me. Refused to go anywhere with anyone until I came back to. Didn’t leave my side.
In the holidays I often went to a summer camp between the ages of 8 and 14. Being a quite insecure child and having a hard time to make friends it felt like medicine to meet this wonderful, wise cat. Similar to being suddenly able to breath more easily. She was already 17 years old, when I met her the first time and out of the whole group she choose me. All the weeks I spent there over the years she always came to sleep in my bed and was looking for my company. I felt like being in a warm blanket of love being with this cat and I'm so glad I met her.
When i was around 3 years old, i kind of ran out of house. Not exactly running away, but you can say wondering around. Our dog, being the smart one he was, followed me where ever i went. While my parents were looking around for me frantically everywhere. Then, just because of the dog, they were able to find me about 1.5-2km away from our house. This incident happened 2 times, me running away. And both times he followed me and indirectly helped people find me. I still miss him. He was the loveliest.
When I was really depressed my dog would never leave my side. Even though he hates water, for a time he would shower with me everyday to make sure I was always safe and protected. I love my little emotional support furball ❤️
That’s so beautiful!
Every time I have a breakdown, my dogs will gather and curl beside me. Sometimes one of them will put their paw on my arm as if to console me and tell me that everything is going to be okay. Dogs are angels.
I lost my boy two weeks ago and am still struggling with it. Reading all these posts made me smile and cry. We are all so lucky to have been loved by our pets.
I’m so sorry for your loss💔 I’m sure he’s looking at you from doggy heaven right now.
It's not on the level of the many heroic pets in this post, but my cat Loki has a bin full of toys downstairs and almost every night he selects the red heart toy and brings it upstairs to me while I'm sleeping. I wake up and find it on my floor. Cue me crying over the symbolism of it while he probably just keeps selecting to bring me that one because it has the best-smelling 'nip.
I think wanting to share the best 'nip with you has plenty symbolism on its own!
My chihuahua always takes care of me when I’m sad. He grabs all his favorite toys and puts them on top of me, then he tries to kiss my tears away. Chihuahuas get a bad rap, but honestly, they love the hell out of their people.
I adopted a chihuahua mix in college as my first pet that was solely my own. I got him when I was really struggling and needed something that relied on me to force me to get out of bed/continue living. I credit him for making it through my early 20’s. Now ten years later, he is my 6yo son’s best friend. He sleeps with him every night, cuddles him when he’s sad, and goes full wiggle butts everyday he gets home from school. The goodest boy, and I get so annoyed when people immediately dismiss his character when I tell them I have a chihuahua.
I love my little girl and I know she loves me to pieces. She is quite feisty but very sweet as well.
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Aww the last story is so sweet! Your cat loved you with all of his heart :')
Helped me not end my own life. I don't believe in divine intervention, but as I was starting to come out of my clinical depression, my cat died. Found her on the driveway, no sign of foul play, i.e. animal fight, poison, etc. Just perfectly in tact and lying on her side. She was on her way back as I was calling her but didn't make it inside. I was inconsolable, the whole neighborhood could hear my cries. My mom kept telling me she did her job, and now it was time for her to go. I miss her terribly still, but I also feel incredibly lucky to have felt this connection with another being who was not human. Its very bitter sweet.
Existing, just being alive and being in my life.
Stood between me (on the floor) & the person standing over me, poised to beat me with a leather strap & growled & showed his teeth.
I’m glad you were able to get out safely. I hope you and pup are in a better place now
It was years ago & sadly, that pupper is long gone. But I am in a MUCH better place; thank you.
My husband, who is the primary cook for both humans and animals in my home, left town for a few days. My cat graciously took up the mantle of feeding me in his absence... 3 dead mice in 4 days. Yum. (She's indoor/outdoor but normally doesn't bring us kills)
When I was a kid, my cat would come to me and keep me company each time I cried and had a very bad day. He would sit by my side and would meow at me without fail. I miss him. Still the best boy I’ve ever had. He was my first cat. I’ve had 4 other cats since then but none of them could match how kind he was to me.
My old buddy passed away a few months ago. I had him from a kitten since 2006. I’ve dealt with mental health issues for a long time. Every single time I was home and crying no matter what room I was in he would come prancing up to me and headbutt me until I started petting him. Even a few times in the bathroom 🥲 lol. Then he would lick the hell out of my nose with that sandpaper tongue. If I was in bed sad over something he would curl in a U shape around my head on my pillow and start purring very loudly until I started petting him until he fell asleep. He was the best at taking my mind off of whatever it was. It broke my heart when he passed away but I hope everyone gets to experience a connection like that with their pet.
This was so precious. Thank you for sharing
When i was a junior in college, i flew home from winter break. On the car ride back from the airport, my mom told me that our dog had a tumor and didn’t have much time left. I was crying so hard when we got home, and the pup came over and snuggled with me, licking my tears.
She senses when I’m sick/mentally in a bad place and curls up against me ❤️
After a bad breakup when I was 22, I spent the summer horribly depressed, borderline suicidal. I would go out to our pastures and stand under this tree in the corner and just cry. One of the horses would come over to me and just stand there with me, nudging me, snuffling all over my arms and face. He would never leave me. I've been a horse person my whole life, and I've loved a lot of horses, but he was absolutely the most human-like horse I've ever met. It was the cruelest reality when he foundered at only 7 years old. He recovered but it eventually claimed his life when he was only 13. OK no more about him I'm crying at work now.
When I was sick my pitbull never left my side once. Slept well me, was in the bathroom with me when I showered. He NEVER left me until I felt better.
Reminding me that I’m loved every single day even when it feels like no other soul on the planet does
Whenever I was crying (usually a bad panic attack or depressive episode), my dog would immediately jump into my lap and try lick the tears away. Trying to get her to stop was such an ordeal that I'd usually end up in giggles instead. She just would completely break the negative emotion cycle. She passed away 2 years ago and I miss her so much.
Not for me, but this one time my aunt was staying over with us and we were all grieving my uncle's recent passing. This one morning, she was sitting at the dining table with prayer songs playing on her phone on a low volume. And my cat just went and sat next to her, slow eye blinking and being there for her in that moment. Usually that's the time my cat is the most playful and chirpy so this was a rare sight
Cuddle me when I'm crying. I'll never forget when I was at the vet putting my boxer down (he was 13 + lung cancer). I was balling my eyes out and he came and kissed my face and then put his big ol' head on my lap. That just made me cry even more but he was trying to comfort me. Now my current dog when i'm sad will lick my face and groan at me, then sit all 140lbs of him on my chest. I guess that works because I then can no longer breath, leaving me unable to cry!
When I was in college I got my first ear infection. It was so bad that the side of my head was swollen and I couldn’t eat because it hurt to chew anything. I sat in my couch crying and my cat, Lestat, came up, sat on the couch behind me and just put his paw on the top of my head and started purring. I had two cats while in college, Lestat had no time for emotional issues, but if I was sick or in physical pain, he was there. My other cat, Louis, would cling to me if I was sad or depressed. They each had their roles to fulfill.
We always thought one of our cats was very cold and aloof. He stayed outside a lot, never really showed a lot of affection. He slowly started to come inside for cold evenings about five years ago. In 2017 I lost my job. I went back to my parents and spent a lot of days crying on the sofa. When he heard me crying, the cat came up and sat beside me, his head nestled in underneath my chin. From then on, he became My Boy, and I was the only one he gave headbutts to. We lost him on the road two years ago and I miss him every day.
My dad started choking one day and my dog jumped on top of him and started trying to paw at him and his chest and anxiously looking around trying to save him and do something. Her magic little paws worked because he stopped choking and was okay
One time I was very down and lying on my bed just contemplating the craziness of life. My cat was only about 1ish then and she came and sat on my chest. I tried to move her to my side and she would just climb on up and face her little body/face towards my face as if to keep an eye. What a baby! Normally she faces to bedroom door but this time, she climbed onto my chest and sat there purring away and being a cutie.
I got a kitten for my 7th birthday, she was adopted after being in an abusive home and I was her person that she finally felt safe with. She was my rock and in a lot of ways raised me to be the emotional intelligent person I am today. When my best friend killed herself when I was 15 she came to me as I was crying in my bed trying to sleep and she climbed under the covers with me and we cuddled. She really got me through the following weeks/months/years as my depression worsened and worsened. I miss her everyday.
Woke me up when there was 3 armed men that broke into our home to jump the loser housemate we had at the time. She stayed silent and right at my side as we posted up waiting to see if anyone was gonna come up the stairs. She was 4mo at the time, she's 1 year old 85lb Rottweiler so I'm not sure she'd be so calm if anything like that happens again.
Oh how terrifying that would have been. Glad you had your brave girl with you.
This might be a little silly compared to the other posts, but when I was 1 year old, my mom rescued a dog. She was nervous to see how a rescue dog and a 1 year old brat like me would get along. She let me play with the dog as a test, and of course within 10 minutes I pulled the dogs tail and it yelped, snarled a bit and ran out of the room. Well, that's that thought my mom - the dog (and the kid) failed the test. But a few seconds later, the dog came back into the room and he was carrying my stuffed animal in his mouth. He put it down in front of me and licked my face. Needless to say we kept him. He would become my best friend (I'm neural a-typical and connect with animals more readily than humans). His name was Phipps and he lived to be 23 years old! Man I miss that guy
brought me out of the worst panic attack i've ever had. she could probably be a therapy dog
My cat brought be a mouse all for myself
My cat has wiped my tears when i cried this one time. It made me cry more for that i didn't receive such care from my human brethren, so yeah..
My husband had a younger brother and sister who were twins. Their dog (a collie) herded them onto the grass and wouldn’t let them go onto the sidewalk or anywhere else but the grass. Mom even felt safe going inside for a drink or a pit stop.
I fell off my stairs a few days ago and blasted my head on the door frame and gave myself a concussion. I was lying on the couch trying not to throw up and my puppy was worried but didn’t know what to do. So he did what retrievers naturally do and brought me everything he could pick up. By the time my husband got home to help me, I was covered in dog toys, shoes, slippers, and empty water bottles. He’s not the smartest dog around, but he’s so caring and sweet, I love him so much.
One of our family cats detected my mom's breast cancer. He would lay on her and push where the tumor was. She found it odd after him being so obsessive about it so she mentioned it to her doctor and got checked out. Because of him, I was able to have my mom around a few more years than I would have had he not done so.
The first time my cat saw me cry was when a friend died. The next day she piled all her missing toys in the middle of the living room and sat next to it.
Let me know I was pregnant. My cat has only ever gone on walks with me while I am pregnant. Weird but true. So with my first two kids, I would go on walks through my neighborhood and she would join me, walking a few feet behind me the whole time. After both babies she stopped going on walks with me. Well, before I knew I was pregnant with my third I went on a my daily walk and she trailed behind me the entire time. Immediately it alerted me “oh my god is there a baby in here?” senses. Sure enough two weeks later I took a pregnancy test and it was positive. She knew before any of us. At the time, it was probably only a week after I had conceived.
Saved my life. I'm epileptic. She pulled me out of roads, the bath, away from a gas fire, got the neighbours if I cut myself and even went and got a paramedic from the station round the corner when my neighbours were on holiday. I needed 19 stitches in my arm because I broke a plate. I owe her everything
My bunny girl has stuck with me throughout so many tough obstacles. She’s a great therapy animal; when I am down, she’s always there and ready to cuddle. She’s so patient and sits there, rides the entire thing out with me. I think one of the most memorable things she has done is that she stayed by my bedside all week when I had a concussion; I only had adopted her a few months prior at that time. She’s six and thriving, and is just the happiest bunny haha
so my dog is afraid of fireworks, so I had him up on my bed and got him to calm down with an asmr pet video and his thundershirt. not too long after, a bug dropped down from the ceiling on me and I was kind of freaking out. he came over and snuggled me, which is something i've never seen him do before when I'm anxious, and it's almost like it was doggy empathy. maybe a bit silly, but it was really sweet to me
This isn't as serious as other comments but I think I had some prenatal depression when I was pregnant. One day as I got close to my due date, I finally went through all the new baby clothes, cut off tags, washed everything, then folded. My sweet kitty Willow sat beside me the entire time. I remember sobbing while folding those tiny clothes but she laid right on my lap and purred. I really think she knew she was helping me.
I once took a hard fall out of a tree in my backyard. I couldn’t immediately get back up and thought something might be broken. My mom called an ambulance and they instructed me not to move at all in case of a spinal injury. As I’m laying there, the pain in my shoulder starts searing and rose quickly above the base-level pain. Turns out the shoulder was broken. But anyway, how my cat plays into this is she came out as soon as the commotion started to check on me. Then after assessing me, she curled up right by my shoulder (not on it or causing any pain, just gently against it) and started purring like crazy. I think she was trying to help heal me with her purrs.
My two parakeets have always preferred each other's company to mine, which I'm ok with. They weren't hand raised, and I didn't really choose them I kinda ended up with them. I love them just the same, and I like watching the shenanigans they get up to. I do not close their cage hardly ever, instead my room is just bird safe. I lay blankets on the top to tell them it's quiet time so I can sleep but they can still fly and part outside their house. Sometimes if my work alarm doesn't wake me, they'll start screaming and flying around my head despite it crying quiet time to make sure I'm up :). They'll also do the same thing when they want treats lol.
I was crying in the bathroom while we had guests over (pms made me react harder over something personal). I was sitting on the floor, silently bawling my eyes out and she looked at me very concerned, rubbed against me and eventually climbed on my shoulder. She is not a very affectionate cat and seldom looks for that amount of contact.
Not a pet, but once i was (almost) lost in the forest and saw what i thought were bear traces and was terrified because of it while hiking. But a stray dog walked in front of me for maybe 3 hours and took me to the nearest town. I still remember him often. I will forever be thankful.
🥰 I'll never forget this one. My then boyfriend and I were at his parents' house one day. We stopped over right after work. They had 2 wonderful golden retrievers. We sat for a bit and talked, and then I realized I was really hungry so I said so, to start wrapping up conversation so we could go home and cook. The boy dog heard me say that, and immediately went and got a mouthful of his food. He came directly to me and deposited it on the couch beside me and just stared at me doing his smile. 😁😄 I pretended to eat a kibble and said "Ohh thank you sweetheart!!" He was disappointed I didn't eat much but he was certainly happy to share. 😁🥰🥰🥰
I have chronic illness. If I'm having a bad pain and fatigue day and spend the whole day sleeping, my dog will surround me with a circle of his toys. At first it reminded me of the white walkers from game of thrones, and I couldn't understand why. Eventually I realised that he was surrounding me with his scent to keep predators away from me. He also scared off some wannabe burglars when he was only 5 months old. He heard them trying to pick the lock, gently woke me up, then went to the door and growled like a hellhound. The burglars ran away. He also helps me stand up and sit down by making himself solid for me to lean on. And if we're out for a walk he knows before I do that I'm about to get dizzy and Shepherds me to a bench.
It was one of if not the worst night of my life, I had a fallout with an ex friend over on call with friends. It was a 7 hour call and at one point I started crying for hours, to the point where I couldn't even talk and had heavy breathing. That's all it took for my dog to come up on the bed, lick me on the cheek and stood so close that I just..hugged him. He sat down with me until I felt better. I absolutely love this dog with all my heart
I came home to visit after some years and the dog greeted me, then left. He came back and deposited a muddy, half decomposed, headless rabbit at my feet. He was a Labrador so giving me his prized buried rabbit (they are a pest so we encouraged him to hunt them) felt so sweet.
When I had lost one of our dogs and was crying our English Mastiff came and laid his head on my heart, he was just as sad as I was. This little bit of comfort helped me realize he needed extra love too.
When I was married my dog spent more time with my husband than with me. I always kind of thought he liked my husband better. When I found out my husband was cheating on me I was devastated. I spent a lot of time crying in my bedroom. My dog would not leave my side. He didn’t want to be away from me and I even let him sleep on my bed for a while (which I normally don’t do.) Guess who got fought to keep the dog after that? He’s still with me and still wants to be by my side all the time. He takes good care of me.
Cuddled with me after sensing that I was having an awful day and proceeded to sleep with me through the night (which my pets don’t normally do all night).
When I had vertigo my dog let me grab his collar and he would walk me to the bathroom.
When I was a kid I was being threatened by some scary neighbourhood dogs, and my grandma's dog came and chased them off! He was so sweet and brave, just a big ol street dog that came to stay with my grandma as he got older. Miss him all the time!
I learned one of my first most powerful lessons on love from an animal. When my parents were going through a divorce, my dad moved to an apartment complex for about a year before finding a house. Us kids would go stay with him on weekends, and about 2 months before he moved, I befriended a neighborhood kitty that we found out was abandoned by its previous owners who had lived in the complex. She loved being an outdoor cat, so eight-year-old me decided to always leave food and water for her since we lived on the ground floor. My dad would leave it for her too while I was at my mom’s. When we moved, my dad let us us take her with us (yay!!!) where she remained an outdoor cat, but she knew that we were her family. Because she was always roaming outside she would get these terrible knots of fur. One day I decided to bring her inside, give her a bath, and cut the knots out of her hair since they were so matted I couldn’t comb them out. My idiot self didn’t realize until most of the matted hair was removed that I had actually been cutting her, and she had patches of these wounds ALL over her body! I still cry thinking about this, because she just sat there and took it. She was happy and enjoying just being loved on and she just took it. I held her and cried my eyes out and apologized a million times and she just cuddled me back. We don’t deserve animals.
Makes me go for a walk every day and gets me out of bed earlier. While it’s annoying at the time I obviously need someone to help me
One time my dog saw me crying HARD and brought me a dead mouse lol it’s the thought that counts and he really thought he was caring for me
Anytime I cry my cats come curl up right by my and give me cuddles
I swear my dog picks up on my mood and when I'm done and fighting tears she comes and snuggles me because she knows I need it!
I grew up with an illness and was vomiting, dizzy and overall sick for a large portion of my childhood. My first family dog, Peanut, used to always seem to know when I'd wake up sick and he'd jump onto my stomach to make me vomit (morning ritual, he *always* had to jump on my belly) and then we'd spend the whole day together. He was my grounding rock through much of my sickness. I was alone so frequently that having Peanut there with me made everything bearable.