I believe, at times, a lot of people don't realize just how much pets can improve their lives.
Pets make us laugh, make us feel better when we are sick or depressed. They make sure you are never lonely. They can even lower your stress levels, resulting in a lower risk of strokes, heart attacks, and other health problems. 

Having pets in the house also teaches your kids about responsibility, and gives them a forever friend that makes them feel safe and secure while their parents are at work. There are so many advantages to having a pet, it's hard to understand why anyone wouldn't want a pet in the house - and treat them like a member of the family. 

In my home, my cat, Tobey, IS a member of our family. He has proven to be irreplaceable in terms of providing all of us with love and affection and companionship. In my case - one of myself being the main caregiver for my ailing mother and having no real social life - he has proven to be not only my best friend, but a bright spot for my mother too, on those dark, dreary days when all hope seems lost for someone in her current physical condition. 

Cats can sense illness, too. He knows that Mom is in bad shape, and the end could be near at any moment, and on the days are long and hard for her, there he is, lying by her chair or bed, watching over her. 

At the end of each long, tiring day, when I am feeling so lonely, depressed, and, at times, ready to give up all hope, there he is, laying by my chair or sitting on the lamp table next to me or sitting in my lap purring up a storm, reminding me he is always there to comfort me and watch over me - just like I did for him so many years ago. 

This is our story.