There is a huge value to being able to travel for long periods on short notice in the first half of one’s life. A pet mostly/usually prevents that.
I can second that, my first boss (excluding family cats before I went to Uni and later had my own place) helped me through some bad spots¹ by just existing and being pleased to see me. On days I would otherwise have hibernated, getting up to make sure she had breakfast and a clean tray meant I was up and that made doing something with the day for myself much easier. She was one of my key constants through the ups & downs. And after a bad day at work, being purred at is wonderful, as was just playing around with a thing-on-a-string for her entertainment. I went a bit odd(er) during the covid lockdowns, I would have no doubt dealt even worse with the “stir-crazy” thing without her company.
> with even just a modicum of income.
Though if you only have “a modicum”, I strongly recommend pet insurance.
Gayle was taken two years ago, after ~12.5 years as my boss, by an aggressive case of lymphoma. The diagnosis and treatment for that² cost a goodly chunk of money. I was in a position to handle that financial hit without worry, but someone working minimum wage with few savings would have had little choice but to euthanise considerably sooner to avoid a drawn-out painful end without actually properly knowing what was wrong.
A couple of months after Gayle, I adopted an elderly pair (10 years each) from a local rescue. I wasn't quite ready, but the heartstrings were pulled as they'd been there for months with no interest because of their age and how shy they were, they didn't do well in the rescue & foster environments. Max (the shyest of the two) took quite some time to properly settle in and feel safe, but has since become a most affectionate companion (I am sometimes headbutted & massaged to within an inch of my life!). He unfortunately has developed a minor heart condition and had a little trouble with his waterworks³, again nothing that I can't afford to deal with but that someone living closer to their means might struggle to manage.
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[1] FYI: I am <checks official bit of paper> “prone to bouts of bipolar behavioural activity” and have been suffered from burn out.
[2] Palliative care was the only practical option really, the prognosis was such that anything else would likely have had little effect on the outcome and would have just served reduced her QoL in her final months due to vet stress and side effects.
[3] neither uncommon in older males, cats and humans alike!
I’ll just add the little asterisk: be aware that the more a pet is “pure race” the more they will suffer from in-breading issues.
Expensive instagrammable cats generally come with expensive doctor bills.
The best pets I've ever had have been brown dog and orange cat breed.
sandwich style
My only pet, a cat whom I adopted as unexpectedly as Mii was adopted, very mysteriously ran away (super out of character, she was a happily indoor-only cat) when she was 13 but before her health had become a severe impediment or cost. I missed her terribly and still do, but I admit that it was a great blessing to not have been forced to make such a decision. My hope is that she sensed she was dying and some wild part of her deeply wished to be in nature again and in solitude for that experience.
Most pets love you unconditionally back, as long as you don't abuse & neglect them knowingly. They will look after you and motivate you to continue having this feeling by looking after yourself, too.
Losing a loved pet can leave a scar which can last a life time. I still miss my pet bird, which lived for more than a decade, and died peacefully, and brought limitless joy to everyone in the family, by loving, demanding attention and trolling us.
Animals may look simpler than us, but almost all of them know the language of love and care way better than us.