23 Beautiful Pet Tattoos That Show They're Your Friend For Life

    "Looked at my cat one day and had the realisation that this guy was my best friend."

    Flo Perry
    by Flo Perry

    BuzzFeed Staff, UK

    We asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to show us their tattoos inspired by pets. Here are some of their cutest and most touching responses...

    1. "After being dumped and let go from my job within days of each other, I visited my local animal shelter to cheer myself up, and left with my gorgeous girl."

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    "A year and a half later, she still knows exactly when I need a good cuddle to calm my anxiety or cheer me up."

    – Submitted by leenuh

    2. "He was essentially the dog version of me and I miss the derpy little guy every day."

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    – Submitted by robinc4ad46e92b

    3. "I have three dachshunds and they’re my best friends. They have completely changed my life!"

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    – Submitted by benjaminm45dcc5c81

    4. "Looked at my cat one day and had the realisation that this guy was my best friend. One week later I went in and got it."

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    – Submitted by taylora41dad451f

    5. "I got this super-minimalist tattoo for my best friend, Samson, about a week after he passed."

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    "He not only will always be in my heart, but encompasses it. He helped me conquer and cope with my OCD and anxiety disorder. Sammy was the best dog any girl could ever ask for. He was my therapy dog and best friend and a small tattoo is the least I could do to keep his memory alive forever."

    – Submitted by megand62

    6. "We now have seven cats, but Buttons holds a special place in my husband's heart, so he recently got this tattoo of her."

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    "This is Buttons Marie. We got her and her brother, Kyle, when they were both kittens. Kyle and Buttons were inseparable. Shortly after their first birthday Kyle became very sick and had to be euthanised as there was nothing the vet could do to help him. My husband was very close to Kyle and after the loss he and Buttons developed a strong bond, I think because they both missed Kyle so much."

    – Submitted by christam43abd7c44

    7. "For my amazing friend Lucius. One of the most incredible beings I have ever known."

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    "I also have an 18-hour piece on my back dedicated to a special goldfish I lived with for 18 wonderful years. I memorialise my animal friends and try to hold on to a piece of the beauty they placed in my life."

    – Submitted by a4343baacb

    8. "My two dear Chihuahuas, Coffee and Cappuccino."

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    "They are my first two dogs truly on my own, and some of the sweetest I have ever had. They are my pride and joy!"

    – Submitted by katet425487a79

    9. "My cat Margie, who I raised from day one."

    10. "My dog’s name is Iris, and I’ve had her since I was 7 years old."

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    "She’s 15 now, and because she’s older, the hardest part about going away to college at the end of every summer is saying goodbye to her. I got this tattoo so I can carry Iris with me wherever I go, even after she crosses the Rainbow Bridge someday."

    – Submitted by caitlinc49e1c0181

    11. "My bluetick coonhound, Cecil, is my best and kindest friend."

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    "When I moved to Chicago three years ago I sadly couldn’t take him with me, [and] the past three years have been really tough without him constantly by me. On my birthday I decided to make up for lost time with Cecil by getting a tattoo of him on my chest facing my heart. Even though he is currently with my parents, I have him right with me in Chicago and everywhere I go. He’s the most regal doofus and I love him."

    – Submitted by charlied45b0c7898

    12. "I love Snow White and my parrot Maui, who is a rose-breasted cockatoo, so I had my artist whip this up for me."

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    – Submitted by tatdhousewife

    13. "I have a pretty sizeable tattoo of my shih-tzu mix, Birdie."

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    "Her characteristic underbite makes everyone smile and even people who don’t like tattoos love it when they see it. It was actually my mom’s idea."

    – Submitted by kata4af364f3b

    14. "It's not done yet, just got the line work, but it's of my beloved cat Kedis. I had him for about 16 years and got him when I was 5."

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    "He was a barn cat from Missouri who killed so many birds and mice. He was a badass who wouldn't let anyone mess with him but me. My mom was tickling me once and I was screaming and he punched her in the eye, so he was the best, and he’s with me forever now."

    – Submitted by caseyra

    15. "This is my hubby Edd’s tattoo of our tortoise, Elvis. He had it done when we found out Elvis had cancer."

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    "He passed away last week. Now hubby has him by his heart all the time."

    – Submitted by hbinkyk

    16. "Leo was a house rabbit I got when I was 13 and he was my best friend for many years."

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    "He was there when I was bullied through high school, when I was doing exams, when I went through a controlling relationship, and when my parents broke up.

    He passed away of old age a few years ago and I had to get a tribute to the greatest friend I have ever had. And why on my foot? Because he often tried to hump it."

    – Submitted by gemrocket

    17. "I got this tattoo of my beautiful girl, Patches, after she passed earlier this year just short of her 16th birthday."

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    "She spent her entire life with our family after being adopted from a litter of farm cats. We always had a special connection and I knew I had to keep her with me once she no longer physically was. Patches was so unique and full of personality, inside and out, and I cried for the longest time after my tattoo was completed because the artist did such an amazing job of capturing the cat that I loved so much."

    – Submitted by jessin4c2882f0a

    18. "I got this tattoo based off of Picasso’s drawing. It’s of my little chiweenie (Chihuahua/dachshund), Bella."

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    "I’ve had her for seven years and I love her more and more every day."

    – Submitted by kailat49ec32c05

    19. "I got Kitty at a very low point in life."

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    "I was 12 years old, with very few friends. Kitty was a kitten, and in her first heat she ran away. A month later she found her way home, meowing outside my window, [and] we haven’t left each other’s sides since.

    "A lot of my friends think she is an asshole, so my tattoo was kind of a 'fuck you', as well as a way she will always be with me."

    – Submitted by camerond47e9b4be4

    20. "I got this feather on my side in honour of my female mallard named Quinn."

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    "I have had 11 other ducks as pets over the years but Quinn was the one I kept the longest and grew most attached to. She flew away the same day I left my hometown for college. I felt that we were both leaving home and headed toward adulthood."

    – Submitted by amberc455969b8b

    21. "My baby Zoey. I’m in London, she’s in Australia."

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    "I’ve currently got a little part of her travelling the world with me."

    – Submitted by jasminer11

    22. "This is my kitten Kato. I found her at a car shop in Orlando and fell in love with her right away."

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    "Since getting her I’ve become a more mature person, a more responsible person, and a more loving person."

    – Submitted by jjk44a016042

    23. "Thor was 13 when he passed away – he was the best dog anyone could ever ask for, and we never left each other's side."

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    "I mentioned to my tattoo artist that he loved Cheez-Its. The only direction that I gave her was that I wanted it in a frame and I wanted it in colour. She not only captured his perfect puggy smile, and his personality, but I was thrilled that she included some Cheez-Its in the frame."

    – Submitted by seetherfan

    Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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