Top 6 Random Acts Of Kindness Our Pets Do For Us Everyday
Random Acts of Kindness Week, Feb. 12-18, is an opportunity for humankind to incorporate just a little more kindness in our interactions with one another. Let’s also take a moment to honor six ways our pets infuse our daily lives with random acts of kindness every day:
Everything today may seem to be going haywire, or just downright bad, but our pets don’t care. They seek our attention anyway. And they seem to sense when we need them most, insisting on extra cuddles when we’re home sick in bed or struggling with grief.
2) They teach us compassion.
The world could always use a little more compassion. Based on how we were raised, and our experiences, it may be harder for some of us to not judge others who are different from us. But our pets love everyone. We can learn a lot about accepting others no matter their differences by taking our pets’ lead.
3) They encourage us to live in the moment.
It’s sometimes easy to worry about the future, or dwell about the past, and forget about all the blessings we have right now. Our pets can get us out of our heads and in the moment by encouraging us to focus on them and all that we have to enjoy right now, in this moment.
4) They forgive easily.
Hopefully we are never harsh with our pets, but there may be times when you come home to an overturned kitchen trash can or chewed up pillow that you may be none-too-happy. And our pets often know they are to blame. But they seek our forgiveness and also easily forgive us for our disappointment in them. We need that forgiveness, and we need that example of how to forgive others.
5) They give us oxytocin boosts.
The hormone, oxytocin, is produced every time we receive nurturing touch with our families and that includes our pets. Stroking our cats and dogs gives them as much oxytocin as it gives us. Deemed the “love hormone,” oxytocin gives us a sense of relaxation and bonding. It feels good and is even essential to our health.
6) They keep us active.
It can be hard to find time to go to to gym or do a daily exercise routine, but our pets make sure we’re at least moving around to get them fed, watered, and cleaned-up after. Cats thrive best when given a daily time to actively play, which means we need to get off the couch to actively move their toys. And dogs — well, daily walks are a must for them and this, of course, really helps us get active and stay healthy.
Rita Brhel is a freelance writer with a huge heart for animals that she's passed on to her 3 children. Rita herself has a cat named Tippy (in photo) and 4 finches. Her 3 kids and husband share an additional 3 cats, 3 small parrots, 3 rabbits, 5 pigeons, 8 chickens, and 2 ducks on their acreage near Hastings, Nebraska, USA. She has experience with a lot of different species of pets of her own, has worked a 1-year stint in a vet clinic as part of a hands-on journalism project, and has been a foster pet parent for an animal shelter. Each of her children dream of careers working with animals, and Rita wholeheartedly supports them!
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