Choice
I grew up with cats as a kid. I was allergic.
We had 2 cats before I was born, and they fit together like peanut butter and honey. Perfect pair, never fought. Puss Puss and Sassy.
But <PERSON> suddenly died in our closet.
Later on, we got a second cat. Mango.
I was old enough to want this cat at 11, and I loved cats, but I was not old enough to realize the cats were the cause of my allergies. I suffered, my relationship with them suffered.
I ended up spending 300+ for a fish tank, equipment, setup, food, ect recently. 679
I decided to pursue pet ownership on my own terms. The fish I'm getting is a rescue as well because I don't like the idea of buying from a pet store.
I never had a choice in pet ownership, mostly due to me being allergic to the only animals in our house, and my mother (the true owner) always denying or refusing extremely important QoL practices for these cats even when I provided research.
I did all I could to show her that the ways she's 'providing' for these cats is harming them, but she still refuses. And I always, always hated it.
Refusing to introduce them slowly and properly because they fight nearly daily and have drawn blood, refusing to clip their claws so they don't scratch furniture or hurt each other because ''they can catch rats'' which we don't have, lack of researching food options that can give them proper nutrients (like excluding fillers like grain peas and soy), how to slowly switch food over, enrichment, refusing to look into her aggressive behaviors to solve them, and diet control especially. Puss Puss is so fat because of my mother feeding her 3-4 times a day with no exercise AND treats on top that I need to turn a collar to the largest option to fit her.
She can't even walk around without pain because she was declawed as a young adult.
I realized my desire to have an animal is so I can explore pet ownership in a way where it's up to me. I feel like for once, I finally have the choice to provide an animal I am compatible with (non allergic) and care for a enriching and proper life. Not just a fishbowl with no filter and nothing in it and fish flakes, but a fully floral tank with enough gravel, heaters, filters and air pumps, caves, gravel/sand and enrichment, nutritional food and treats, as well as working through traumas, behaviors and medical problems if they arise.
I want to give my pet the life that I wish the cats could have had. 679