Usually, I’m telling FatCat:
“Stop singing! Stop singing. Stopit-stopit-stopit! Stop! NO singing! Stop it!”
Eventually he stops singing.
Then he starts to flush the toilet.
“Stop flushing! Stop it! . . .”
Repeat as nauseum.
No! Not ETF’s critters…
::shielding eyes from mega-cuteness::
How odd; no, I don’t.
I scratch their chins, and rub foreheads, and say good-bye when i go to work, and explain I have to go to work to make money to buy them food (her catliness, the viscious killer, is not impressed), and call them ‘baby’ and ‘evil spawn of Satan’, and let them on the furniture, and tell everyone else I love them.
But I never say ‘I love you’ to them.
Too late for me, Blonde. I’ve already put the mega-cute picture of ETF’s pensive Nicky the Pickle on my desktop. 
Heh – thanks, Blonde. The fuzzy boy is curled up between me and the keyboard as I type this.
There’s also a story about his name in this thread (a thread I started and apparently killed, simultaneously…)
And EddyTeddyFreddy – love the “Bandito” picture!
Sam is affectionately called birdie-butt, and he manages a fair statement of “Love You”.
Had a kitty named Max, and he was my buddy. Also had hernia surgery and came home to convalesce. It was springtime, and a sneezing fit came upon me. In fetal position, lying on the floor of the hallway in my apartment, the sneezing finally stopped.
Max stood next to me and wailed, sharing my pain. Then he reached out his paw and squished a tear that was running down my cheek. I loved that kitty-he was so cool.
BTW Blonde, your kitty is lovely!
I tell them I love them and how cute they are and how beautiful Sulu’s eyes are and how fuzzy Sisko is and how round Tabby’s belly is getting and tell them how sweet/smart/fast they are. I say goodbye when I leave and hello when I get home. They always run for the door when I come in (especially Sulu - he usually ends up -behind- the door, peeking thru the crack to outside)
I think I’ll go cuddle em now.
Absolutely. I tell my dog this often. Hell, I tell Lucy everything. I often tell her where I’m going if I’m heading out, and I tell her to watch the house if she’s being left alone. If she’s being impatient, I’ll explain my side of the story (i.e. “I can’t play ball with you right now, Lucy, you know I’m in my bathrobe. Maybe after I shower.”). That sort of thing. I explain the dog food/people food thing often even though she HAS to know it by now. 
I tell my birds that they are dirty and selfish, and that I’m going to catch them and cook them. I tell my fish that they smell. And I tell the dog he is handsome.
I once had a cat named York, who was a lovable klutz and Big Dumb Guy. I used to address him with the most horrible insults, said in the most syrupy loving tones, and he’d purr and snuggle and just wallow in the affection.
He didn’t know the words, or care; but he for sure knew what the tone meant.
Certainly do! I just spent 5 minutes on the dining room floor saying to my cat: “who’s a lovely Moogly! Who’s a lovely Moogly! Who’s the best little Moogly in the world” and kissing her ears. I did also call her an obese idiot with a walnut brain who vomited a hairball on the bedroom floor at 5 this morning. In an affectionate way, of course.
I kiss my Suzi’s (Susie’s) ears too! She’s got me trained, what can I say? 
Q
Enipla, sorry to hear about your dog. 
Yes, I tell my dogs I love them. Actually I am pretty disgusting. I have conversations with them. I talk to them in baby talk. “That’s my babies, my babies want a treat. Okay kiss momma and I’ll give you a treat. You need to go outside? Momma take you outside, momma loves you, now you come back in like good little boys and girls and I’ll get you a big treat, that’s right, I’ll come off of some of that big fat t-bone momma had last night if you just go potty and come back in”. If someone heard me they would think I was insane and need to be put in the pyscho ward. Oh well. Here’s a picture the babies…
Right now I usually say things like, “How did you get up there?” and “Stop singing at the mirror!” but yes, I do tell Baileykitten that I love him and he’s beautiful and snuggly and unbelievably stupid. Which he is. If he runs headfirst, wailing, into the mirror tonight I’m going to skin him.
But I still love him very much.
i talk to all my pets. one of the cats has a bit of a problem with me going to work in the mornings so she sits on the toilet lid and we chat while i get ready. the other cat likes to talk to me while i work on the ocmputer. and the dog…well, he just likes to hear me say any old thing at all. they all gather around the door when i leave in the mornings to get their i love yous and be good while mommy’s away. and they are there waiting when i come home for the big hug and snuggle and to tell me all about their days.
i just realized i might be really weird. :o
Quasimodem - loved your photo album, you and Suzi-Q look SO huggable!!
Here’s a pic of me with my 10 year old red Doberman (she was the runt of the litter, and is very sweet to our 3 kitty-cats). Her name is Scarlett (heh) and she is one pampered dog.
http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/psvaughan/vwp?.dir=/Me&.dnm=Picture+050.jpg&.view=t
I tell Zen I love him every single day.
Animals may not precisely understand our words but they most certainly do understand our inflection. Zen knows perfectly well that when I tell him I love him it is a specific endearment, just as when I call him “smartypants” or “smartypup.” Zen is approaching mid-life and has become everything I could hope for. His incredibly good behavior commands that I love him and let him know it. His devotion and loyalty are worth more than gold.
Good question and a great thread, Quasi!
Zenster, - I must demand pictures.
Get a digital camera and share some images with us, or else.
By the way, we are thrilled that you’re back, cowboy!
I talk to my Princess Puppy everyday and she responds. We sing together, dance together, sleep together and it is great. I love this dog more then any pet I have ever had in 40 years. I tell her all the time.