“It’s an animal. Their loyalty to you ends when the food ends.”
I’m about as cynical as you can get (see my other post on this thread)... but this is not a true statement for all pets. Some yes, absolutely, but some animals, dogs in particular, can be fiercely loyal to their owners, even if those owners starve and abuse them.
this is not a true statement for all pets. Some... animals, dogs in particular, can be fiercely loyal to their owners...
I agree, HamiltonJay. There's a difference between gushing anthropomorphically about a pet as distinct from recognizing and cultivating their unique intelligence and skill levels.
I was fortunate to study a lot about animal behavior when I was young. Cats, in addition to powerful instincts, have the intellectual ability of a two-year-old child and can learn basic concepts and verbal cues about the activities they share with the humans they live with, becoming less anxious and more cooperative as members of a household.
I have trained my succession of cats systematically, chiefly through operant conditioning (with affection and treats as rewards), to respond to as many as 65 words or phrases. They have demonstrated their understanding by "obeying" like a dog, often amazing to my friends and neighbors.
When you lose the companionship of such capable individuals in whom you have invested training and enjoyed an extra level of communication, it's a very sad day. But still, it's not like losing a child.