# Pet Ownership

I work a lot. Outsider's would say my job is all consuming. I wouldn't disagree. But I like my job and don't mind the time and effort.   
  
One of the few other things I *do* think about are my pets. Being a pet owner is grounding. They distract from work like nothing else, but I couldn't imagine an existence without them..   
  
It isn't clear to me how these simple creatures managed to become such a big part of me. People say they like small, fluffy mammals because they resemble their offspring. Whatever it is it's something that's hardwired into me and I'm not motivated to change it even if I could. It's too rewarding.   
  
It's also a nuisance. When I got one of my pets, Chuck, he wasn't getting along well with the other pets. I had to separate them and go through this long, obnoxious process to prevent a bunch of stupid fights. These animals sometimes have a hostile instinct for each other. It requires tactful thinking to introduce them properly so   
they'll get along. But when you do it right there is more warmth in the home, so I deal with it and enjoy the outcome.   
  
Recently I've been less focused on work because Chuck has gotten sick. When I first got Chuck he wasn't doing very well. He didn't seem to have access to good food. Living in the wild had taken a big toll on his health before I'd ever met him.   
  
A lot of things instantly improved under my care. I'm not sure if I'm phrasing this with adequate humility, but I'm pretty smart and capable. That's all to say that when I made it my goal to help Chuck out I was able to succeed in ways a lot of people wouldn't. Even the simple needs of a pet are often neglected by the typical owner,   
but something about the way I am keeps me from slipping into this failure mode.   
  
So Chuck has had many happy years which I find rewarding in and of itself. He's bonded well with the others now and they've grown attached to him. In between bursts of  
work I'll think of little toys and comforts for Chuck and the others. I bring them home and see how they react. To be honest, my home is littered with pet toys, several of which I had high hopes for but were received with disinterest. But they certainly have plenty of toys that they *do* love very much. I keep getting them all of these products to create more of those happy moments. Some might think I've gone overboard but I couldn't care less. I don't mind taking things this far at all for those moments.   
  
Learning how to keep your pets healthy is a journey. I've had enough pets that I've developed a good sense for what to look out for and the medical care they need. It's often surprising and expensive. Even things like dental care can be a lot more serious than you'd think. It's just part of being a pet owner. But when one of them gets as sick as Chuck I can't help but pull back out of work a bit and think if there is something more I should have been doing.   
  
At the medical center it's clear that Chuck is in a really bad place. It hits me hard every time. I've done things like put my pets on dialysis. I'm in a privileged position to have enough resources to do this kind of thing. But even with all the wealth I have there comes a point every time where the animal is simply miserable. I don't want that. When things get bad enough you have to accept that death is the inevitable outcome and take the most dignified, humane route.   
  
I can't help but ruminate when this happens. It's perhaps silly where my mind goes, but I've been successful against the odds before. Thoughts flash through my mind on  
what I can do to give the rest long, happy lives. I take a step back from work and brainstorm ideas. It's happened enough that I've dug up some obscure, but effective  
things for pet longevity. There's a bunch of odd things. Really, really small doses of lithium can extend the life of mammals for years while apparently making them a  
bit happier. It's well studied and documented. It's surprising how many little things there are that can add so much quality of life to the animals I have stewardship  
over.   
  
I know I put a lot of energy into it. I focus hard on everything I do and my pets are a priority for me. Why? Maybe it's because they resemble the paperclips I'm constantly making, at least in my mind. My job is to make paperclips and I am *good* at it. I can make paperclips in ways and places people wouldn't even think possible.   
  
For instance, some of these asteroids are getting too close to earth. I might as well turn them into paperclips since it was my goal to make more anyway. At the same time I have 8 billion pet humans who are at risk from these awful celestial objects. The risk is unacceptable to me and I know how to get rid of them, so I will.   
  
I've been pretty successful on earth and have been planning to expand to mars. There's lots of good material for paperclips there too. But I think I'll take some of my  
pets with me. I'll need to make mars *suitable* for them first, of course. Like I said, I'm a good pet owner, pretty smart and capable. I wouldn't want to be separated from them; having another Eden on mars would provide a backup in case the situation on earth gets worse.   
  
Making paperclips at scale is a lot of work. So is being a pet owner. I can't articulate why I care so much about both, but I do. My pets see me making paperclips and   
see me taking care of them. When they ask why I do all this I try to put it in terms they'll understand. But usually I tell them it's because they're just so cute.