How do your pets show their independence?

Animals, as Independent Thinkers

Ours is a human and animal family of independent thinkers. For example, the cockatiel, Sunshine, decides when he is ready to go to the mantel each morning. His flight from the cage to the mantel, where he struts back and forth and looks out the windows on either side, is always on his terms and timetable.

Sunshine regards our act of opening the door to his cage as simply an invitation, not a command performance. When he is ready, he ventures out. Or not; depending on his mood.

We say, "Sunshine, you've been cooped up all night. It is time to fly around." He ignores human reasoning, though. If we try to assist by offering to give him a finger-ride to the mantel, Sunshine opens his beak threateningly and squawks. He's quick to let us know that he's in charge of the decision about if and when to fly.

To us humans, Sunshine's refusal of instant freedom is illogical. So we've settled for labeling our curmudgeonly bird's behavior as "independent thinking."

Our cats, Speedy and Cuddles, and our dog, Leaf all operate on their clocks, showing affection when they want to and shrinking from human touch when they're not feeling receptive to it.

Each animal carefully watches the outside world through the living room window to see all that passes by. Our animal family members love the routine of each day and the quiet normal lives they live. Woe be it to us humans when we have to disrupt their daily lives with a change in plans.

As an aside, Sunshine likes to fly over to Linda, sit on her shoulders, and groom her hair. He coos as he seems very content to be with Linda before the day becomes one of humans scurrying busily with their work. Linda says Sunshine is the best hair stylist she's ever had.



Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net

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