Pets teach us patience, care, and hard work

On National Pet Day, we asked our students to share stories about their favorite pets.

Alexandra Larionova

Filya is my first pet.

My cat, Phil, is already seven months old. Since his arrival, our home has become even cozier and more cheerful. Doors are no longer closed, as they used to be, as Phil doesn't like everything hidden from him. I've become more responsible, as this "baby" requires care and attention.

I had many sleepless nights when he was just a baby. He came to me during quarantine because I had a lot of free time. One day, he started rolling around on the floor while sitting, pushing off with his front paws, and it was incredibly funny.

Music is my cat's hobby.

Filya demands a lot of attention; he's playful and affectionate. He's a very smart cat: if he wants something from me, he comes to me, gently taps my leg, as if knocking, and shows what he wants. My sister plays guitar every evening, and he sits next to her and listens the whole time. If she stops playing, he starts asking for more.

I think pets are for love. Who (if not them) will cheer you up and make you happy in difficult times?

Alexandra Igosheva

I have 5 Annamite stick insects living at home.

I didn't choose them; they came about by chance. A friend of my boyfriend's gave them away when she moved, so I took them in. When I first got them, I was a little afraid of them, but later I realized they're the most harmless creatures on the planet. I haven't given them names, but sometimes I say to them affectionately, "You're my Mashas."

Stick insects are like children; they need quality care.

Stick insects are very docile. Sometimes they'll remain motionless in one position all day, only stirring at night. They sometimes play dead, this is their characteristic, a defensive reaction to environmental influences. Otherwise, Annam stick insects are completely harmless: they don't bite or inject venom. They're not picky eaters, feeding solely on dried raspberry leaves. The key is to mist their enclosure with water every day, as they're tropical insects and require a humid climate.

I learned a lot of interesting things about them.

Stick insects are hermaphrodites, meaning females don't need a male to lay eggs. They can lay between 50 and 300 eggs. Male stick insects rarely hatch, and they are easily distinguished from females: they are much smaller and plumper.

I am very glad that I got such easy-to-handle, but such unusual pets.

Of course, not everyone loves animals or insects. But those lucky enough to have one are true heroes, taking on a great responsibility. Pets teach us patience, care, and hard work.

Anna Pogorelskaya

Curly, clumsy, cute

That's how you could describe my beloved Ty. He's been with me for 12 years now. I pet and cuddle him constantly. My Ty is a fussy dog: he likes to go for walks three times a day, and we can't let him come home too late, because he won't go to bed without us.

Sometimes Tai tries to grab passersby by the pant leg

The funniest thing happens when we go for walks with him. He's always eager to meet other dogs, but when they approach him, he usually runs away. If you pick him up, he'll hug you with one paw.

My dog ​​always improves my mood.

Sometimes he tries to jump on the bed and misses. We once bought him a new ball, and within two hours he'd chewed it in half. Now he has two halves of the same ball, and he continues to play with them, which is really funny.

Arina Davydova

Zephyr the rabbit has been living with me for 4 months now.

I got him for my birthday. I brought him from Chuvashia to Yekaterinburg, not entirely legally. Pets were prohibited on the train we were traveling on, so the rabbit was in my backpack the entire journey. I often went out into the vestibule to feed him grass and vegetables.

Zephyr has both good and bad traits.

He's very attentive, hearing and feeling absolutely everything. He's friendly and playful. Zephyr can easily jump onto a sofa or shelf, despite his small paws. He chews up anything in the house that's not in the right place. For example, I've already chewed up three phone chargers, a modem cable, and a bag. He also loves to eat.

Zephyr brought patience into my life

I hand-feed him every day and brush his fur every evening, and then I play with him. He, like no one else, knows how to create an absurd situation that, despite all its seriousness, suddenly turns out to be funny and not worth the frayed nerves. I've learned to take life more seriously.

Besides the rabbit, there is also a dog running around my house.

I have a pug named Boss. He's been delighting me with his presence for over four years now. Boss understands everything and is a very loving boy. He loves to be petted and held. Pets make our lives so much brighter and more fun.

Ulyana Shustina

I love sharing love with animals

It's been six years since my cat, Marquis, came to live with me. We adopted him because we couldn't live without pets and had grown accustomed to them. Marquis became part of our family, and we still give him love and care.

When Marquis was one year old, he surprised us very much.

He learned to use the toilet on his own, not the litter box. We're still wondering how that happened. Despite his intelligence, he still makes a mess from time to time. His favorite place is the kitchen cabinets; he loves to break things there. We replaced our slow cooker because he dropped the last one.

When Marquis was a kitten, he foolishly jumped onto the stove

When we lived in a private house, we often lit the stove. And one day he jumped on it. Since then, the pads on one of his paws are pink, and the other three are black.

I love Marquis and I cuddle him all the time, and he calmly endures it.

My cat constantly asks me to pet him, to give him a little of my affection. He won't leave until he gets what he wants. Marquis also helps me deal with stress. I think people get pets to be able to share their love with someone else.

Conclusion

National Pet Day reminds us that every story, whether about a playful cat, a loyal dog, a quirky rabbit, or even stick insects shows how deeply animals enrich our lives. They become companions, teachers, and little daily sources of joy. If you also have a furry, feathered, or unusual friend who makes your life brighter, we invite you to share your own experiences and write for us pets because every pet’s story deserves to be told.