Pretty much this. Though they have a doggie door and have pretty much the run of the mountain, creeks or whatever else they choose to do during the day. It was a big step to let them out of the fenced in area, but we have no choice in the winter anyway as the snow gets so high they just walked over our 6 foot fence.
They do get walks every day, and often sleep with us or anywhere they like.
My Wifes walking them up the mine behing our house right now. It’s about a mile. Later today they will be with me when I put the beetle block packets on the trees.
All of my pets are shelter animals and I am pretty sure that the cats were close to being euthanized, so I think I’d get points for adopting them in the first place. I do try to take good care of my pets. All of them get expensive food, lots of toys, lots of snacks etc.
My dog is one of those happy all the time ones. From how she jumps around doing the wiggle butt dance any time I come back after leaving the room for only 30 seconds, I am pretty certain she would give me an A+.
My cats are not too crazy about the dog so that probably knocks me down a bit. I’d expect a B with my chubby male (who I think would still appreciate that I let him free feed despite his chunkiness - the big guy just loves eating so much). Maybe a C with the female cat who can be a bit crankier but still has it pretty good.
My dog would start to give me an A, but then lose interest and start doing something else, so I’d really get something like " / ". Sometimes she gets as many as 5 meals a day. My wife and I will feed her, thinking the other has not, so she’ll get 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, and 2 dinners. The dog always eats it though like she hasn’t eaten in days. We realize this isn’t very healthy for the dog, so we’re trying to communicate a little better on it. In the meantime, the dog loves us even more.
I think Georgie (2 1/2 yo pit bull/GSD mix) would give me an A-. I don’t take him everywhere, every time I go out and I know he hates it. Other than that, he lives like a king.
The dog would give us an A. She gets fed and walked twice a day, she has dozens of toys to play with, she has kitties to harass and she sleeps in the bed with us.
My cat Joey would give me a B. He doesn’t like the dog and feels like the faucet isn’t on nearly often enough, but he sleeps in the bed with us and gets belly pettings at night before we go to sleep. My other cat Oliver would give me an A- because I just kind of let him do whatever he likes (except go outside) and I don’t make him sleep in the bed or do any of the other stuff the rest of the animals do. He is a loner and is happiest if he has full run of the house at night. He actually only wants to be petted if you are going to the bathroom or if you are taking a nap during the day, otherwise you aren’t to touch him and he will let you know that by flipping his ears back and giving you a pseudo-bite.
Both of the kitties would say I don’t pay enough attention to them, and Luna would say I don’t give her enough food. Every day we either leave and go away for a long time, or else breakfast is unacceptably late. They’d like the early breakfast with their humans around all day, please.
Minerva, would give us a B. She thinks I should change the litterbox more often, and visit the vet less often pulls down the score a little. However, being able to lounge on the balcony, or enjoy air conditioning inside, and the fact that her FAVORITE person ever (our teenaged son) lives here, helps to boost the score.
Hai, is the neediest little half-feral rescue who sees me as MOM. I get an A from her, as long as continue to let her sleep with me, cuddle and dry her off when she’s wet, let her inspect the shower after I’ve used it, laugh when she rips open the new bag of dry cat food, feed her 1/2 can of wet cat food every night, play with her and generally spoil her. She’s not fond of the visits to the vet, but they don’t seem to traumatize her the way they do 'Nervy.
I get an A. Both my cats adore me in a way that’s almost absurd. But I spoil the crap out of them, so I think I deserve it. Right now, I’m buying peanuts in the shell to put on the fire escape to lure the squirrels over by the window… just so the cats have enjoyable things to look at.
The squirrels would probably give me a C. Their eating is ruined by the presence of hungry-eyed cats, after all.
Apparently the rabbits adore certain greens and lettuces far, far more than others, and have been turning up their little noses at the latest offerings like radish greens, turnip greens, and “weird” lettuces. Meaning they’ll eat it eventually, rather than rushing up and stuffing as much of it down their little gullets as they can. I’ve probably fallen to at least a B-. One is going to the vet on Saturday to get two maloccluded teeth ground down (under the effects of a little gas, so that won’t bother him, just the whole going-to-the-vet part will), so I’ll surely be at a C with him for a couple days.