Why The Heck Do Animals Live In Our Houses?

[Sanguine]

How did a dog get on my bed?
By Grennan Milliken November 7, 2016

Scott Schiller, CC BY-NC

Tuxedo Cat

If you own a pet, chances are you’ve found yourself pinned in place by a sleeping furry companion on more than on occasion. Have you ever stopped, for a moment, and wondered just what the heck they’re doing there? Not how you came to be conquered by saucer-like eyes and a wet nose, but rather, how we ended up with animals living in our houses (and sleeping on our laps) to begin with?

Various revolutions in technology have brought forth waves of change that have altered the trajectory of human evolution, but none have changed Homo sapiens as definitively as the domestication of plants and animals and the advent of agriculture 12,000 years ago. The whole basis of modern society and civilization—large nation states and groups of people living together by the thousands and millions— is built upon humanity's shared interest in avoiding spending the day out looking for food.

Domesticated grains and cereals – crops once collected in the wild that we bred to grow where and how we wanted them – were obviously a big driver in this transition from hunting and gathering. But domesticated animals—that is, livestock—were as well. And it’s easy to see why humans developed such complicated symbiotic relationships with these creatures: it was beneficial for us to do so. Domesticated animals have provided humans with meat, milk products, leather, wool, modes of transport, plowing and military might, and even fertilizer. But how, exactly, did something as impractical as a tuxedo cat come to spend its mornings batting at your face?...

http://www.popsci.com/why-do-we-have-animals-in-our-houses?utm_source=howtogeek&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

[roamer_1]

I don't know how anyone sleeps soundly at night without a dog - preferably a big dog...
And cats are for mice, even yet, around here... I am contemplating getting one. I like trapping mice... brings me back to my glory days... but skinning them requires my reading glasses anymore, and the pelts ain't worth jack.

[GtHawk]

I don't know how anyone sleeps soundly at night without a dog - preferably a big dog...
And cats are for mice, even yet, around here... I am contemplating getting one. I like trapping mice... brings me back to my glory days... but skinning them requires my reading glasses anymore, and the pelts ain't worth jack.

I sleep very soundly and my dog is only 150 pounds, I wasn't so much a cat person until a parking lot kitten and I adopted each other, but then she was more dog than cat, greeted me at the door and played fetch.

[Frank Cannon]

Why The Heck Do Animals Live In Our Houses?

Because I would get arrested if I made the kids sleep outside.

[Wingnut]

Why The Heck Do Animals Live In Our Houses?

Because I would get arrested if I made the kids sleep outside.

Just keep em on a leash. 

[Frank Cannon]

Just keep em on a leash.

We can't. My wife uses the leash for me.

[Wingnut]

We can't. My wife uses the leash for me.

Studded?  er I mean You Stud you!

[Frank Cannon]

Studded? 

You bet your ass. Nothing but first class for me.

[Wingnut]

You bet your ass. Nothing but first class for me.

Woof woof!

[geronl]

But how, exactly, did something as impractical as a tuxedo cat come to spend its mornings batting at your face?...

I lol'd

[montanajoe]

Why The Heck Do Animals Live In Our Houses?

It's cheaper than having the wife's mother move in...

[EC]

It's obvious.

Cats looked around at the world and realized life would be easier with opposable thumbs. Being too lazy to evolve them, catkind settled for domesticating the only animal which possessed them - humans. The dogs saw it was a good thing, but, being late to the bandwagon had to settle for working their way.

[Gefn]

Because they can.

@Hopalong Ginsberg tuxedo kitteh ping 

@rodamala TPB kitteh ping 

Real reason. Kitties and doggies make our lives wonderful. Unconditional love. And they are so darn cute.

And they love us.

And we love them.

Signed,

One crazy cat lady and dang proud of it.

[thackney]

I created loss in our house by forbidding any more dogs in the house after our last two past away.  Too many thousands of dollars of damage by the last one.

We now have a large fenced yard.  Guard duty will include patrols.  I'm having the barn built out to have good shelter for them.  Barn cats will come in with horses soon, stalls are almost done.

[geronl]

The article about domesticated foxes was good.

[Sanguine]

The article about domesticated foxes was good.

I thought so too. 

[Hopalong Ginsberg]

Because they can.

@Hopalong Ginsberg tuxedo kitteh ping 

@rodamala TPB kitteh ping 

Real reason. Kitties and doggies make our lives wonderful. Unconditional love. And they are so darn cute.

And they love us.

And we love them.

Signed,

One crazy cat lady and dang proud of it.

I can't add anything to that.

Crazy Cat Guy

[Idiot]

I created loss in our house by forbidding any more dogs in the house after our last two past away.  Too many thousands of dollars of damage by the last one.

We now have a large fenced yard.  Guard duty will include patrols.  I'm having the barn built out to have good shelter for them.  Barn cats will come in with horses soon, stalls are almost done.

Hopefully you have lifejackets for all involved.   ^-^
@thackney

[mirraflake]

We let our dogs lick the dishes after we eat.   (Then they go to the dishwasher)

We average 2 dogs and one cat in bed with us at night.

We have golden retriever tumble weeds in the house.

[ABX]

Cats reduce blood pressure- http://www.petplace.com/article/cats/behavior-training/bonding-with-cats/cats-a-calming-influence-on-people-with-high-blood-pressure

[thackney]

Hopefully you have lifejackets for all involved.   ^-^

The barn is on the highest ground of the property.