LONELY ANIMALS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 17 September 1924, Page 7

LONELY ANIMALS

DESIRE FOR COMPANIONSHIP

Animals appear to suffer from that feeling of loneliness which nearly all children experience. If we need the companionship of pets, they also need ours.

"Wie all,know how our dogs follow us about. Tliey may be stretched beneath the table apparently sound asleep, but the moment we move they are after us. The cat has been called the animal which walks by itself, hut that is not my experience of cats (says a writer in the London Daily Mail). Of course, all cats prefer to be free at night to range the roofs and make the darkness hideous with their noises, but the moment anyone appears in the morning in comes the cat with a. friendly "brr-rr-rr” of greeting. And from that time onward through the day the cat. like the dog, says in effect: ""Where thou goest, I will go.’’

The dove who has been a domestic pot of our household for 23 years is ills O' intolerant' of '.being alone. He scolds loudly if he thinks he is going to be left to enjoy his 1 own company. He will wake up in the night to greet any human being who enters the room. That was how it came about once that he gave a burglar the fright of his life. A dog a., burglar is no doubt prepared for, but vlio would expect to he greeted by the loud "laugh” of a cooing dove ?

The desire for human companionship is what makes ducks so much more interesting to keep than hens. Ducks know their owners, and will separate themselves from the company at the brook to follow them hon\e. Hens do not mind whose hand it is that- feeds them, hut ducks will mope and leave off laying if a- different person gives thrnn their meals.

O'nce when we had been away from home, we returned on a Sunday evening, just «.s the people were coming °ut of church. Not only were the dogs waiting to greet us, but also the cat, with tail erqot. while five ducks quack°d loudly at the gate. ‘ T)ogs are so dependent on companionship that although they are always eager to go out, they never attempt to- so. for walks alone.

Th osp breeds that like to so a-hunt-ing always so in couples. You know perfectly well who is the „moving spirit, too though how he communicates his desire to the other dog it is impossible to tell.