As a cat lover and part-time caretaker of a 2-year-old Tuxie named Hippo, there are habits I've adopted to better suit her needs versus mine.
But I don't even mind because I would do anything for this feline.
However, it's not just me, people! Recently, Reddit user u/Bb345687 asked, "What has your pet accidentally conditioned you to do?" Pet parents everywhere will be able to #relate.
Here are some of the best replies:
1. "Change the water in her bowl frequently. It can be all the way to the top and she’ll stand there staring at it until I take the bowl, dump it, and refill it with fresh water."
2. "I open the tinfoil as quietly as possible. My cat loves tinfoil balls, and whenever he hears it, he runs over and looks at it longingly — despite him having at least 24 tinfoil balls already. You can't call him with a treat bag or food, he only comes for the foil."
3. "I check the mail every day. My dog gets so excited to walk to the mailbox with me. Even if there's no mail or packages, we still check."
4. "I sleep with my legs a cat-length apart. She likes to sleep between them."
5. "Before I run in the morning, I usually scarf down a banana. Ever since we got my sweet dog, I now only scarf down about two thirds of my banana and he gets the last part. It's become our little thing — an unspoken agreement."
6. "I was riding around with my dog the other day and Mötley Crüe's 'Girl Girls Girls' came on the radio, but he likes it better if I sing it as 'Squirrels Squirrels Squirrels.'"
7. "Whenever I get up to get ice, my dog Rusty always begs for a cube, so now without thinking, I always toss him an ice cube."
8. "I now calm down immediately when I start to lose my temper or get frustrated. Whenever he hears me sigh or swear, he runs to me, rests his chin on my arm or leg and looks up at me with concern. This has made me so aware of how my energy can impact those around me, and I have really gotten my anger under control since he started doing this. He's one of the goodest boys, and I am grateful for him every day."
9. "My girlfriend's older cat makes me pick her up to drink running tap water from the bathroom sink. I also gotta pick her up and place her on the dryer to eat her food, even though she can easily make the jump herself."
10. "I have a cat that loves to play fetch. She brings me her toy mouse, and if I don't throw it for her, she sits on my laptop keyboard. Of course, this all started when I would throw the mouse to keep her from sitting on my laptop."
11. "I yell, 'Floor food!' whenever I’m cooking and I drop something. Or, 'Cronch cronch cronch' when I’m chopping veggies, so my dog knows I have extras for her."
12. "My mother's dog tells her when it's time for her evening meal. As in, my mother's evening meal. The dog knows she eats after my mother, so when she starts to get peckish, she goes and bugs my mother to start cooking."
13. "I leave the toilet seat up for my cat so she can pee. Otherwise, she will pee down the sink and that feels wrong."
14. "When I come home, my dog comes to the door all excited, wagging her tail, making this 'woowooowowoo' sound. It’s not quite howling, but it’s not barking either. I started to 'woowowooowoo' back to her because it amused me. But now if I don’t, the sound she makes will turn into barking (which is very noisy and unpleasant)."
15. "Whenever I get up to go to the bathroom, I stand in the doorway and wait for my elderly cat to come in before I close the door. He likes to keep me company."
16. "I had fish and its tank rested on top of this cabinet, so I would always be really really careful when closing it so it wouldn't disturb them. I haven't had fish or any other pet in five years, but I still do it."
17. "My cat sleeps under the blanket snuggled up to me. Even when I'm at a hotel, I instinctively raise the blanket a bit so he can crawl in."
18. "My cat Luna likes to know where I am at all times. So she will call out to me and expect me to answer. I know the meow that means 'Lisasimpsonfan, where the hell are you?' She won't stop until I answer her."
19. "My dog Snoopy had a weird obsession with lettuce. He would go absolutely nuts for it, so whenever I had a sandwich or a burger, I would give him some of my lettuce. Over the years it became a ritual that whenever I prepared any food for myself that involved lettuce, I would grab some extra lettuce for him, so I could toss it to him as I ate. He passed away five years ago, after nearly 17 years together, but I still find myself grabbing that bit of extra lettuce for him."
What are some weird quirks and habits you've adopted because of your pet? Let us know in the comments below!
Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.