INTP pets

[Architect]

What pets do INTP's prefer, if any?

My favorite are cats. My INTP son prefers cats. One INTP friend also has cats, another doesn't have any pet.

Our familiar is supposed to be the Owl. I find Owls fascinating, I just saw a Great Horned Owl in a park museum. It stared at me unblinking, I swear it was mentally talking to me. I'd love to have an owl, but I don't think they should be caged.

EDIT: I should say that cats are as far as I'd go, and I don't have any. Too much bother, I can't imagine owning dogs. However I grew up with lots of animals so certainly don't feel the need now to have them.

 

[intpz]

If you won't cage it, you might wake up and wonder why you think that there's no eyes in your eyesockets anymore.

I prefer no pets, too much bother. I want silent environment when I'm doing something. I don't want to have to get up to take "it" for a walk, give it food, hear noises, etc..

I also dislike dogs due to their aggressive nature, they seem quite violent to me. And I'm not a big fan of big fat cats either, this is what quite a lot people have around here.

 

[Vidi]

I like pets when they are someone else's pets, not mine.

But if I had to choose I would like a parrot. African Grey or any other speaking variety. Only I would prefer it trained into his vocabulary by someone else, with me he would know same amount of words like any common canary.

 

[Jennywocky]

What pets do INTP's prefer, if any?

My favorite are cats. My INTP son prefers cats. One INTP friend also has cats, another doesn't have any pet.

I have a cat.

I don't hate dogs, but they are typically far too needy and time-demanding for my personality.

Our familiar is supposed to be the Owl. I find Owls fascinating, I just saw a Great Horned Owl in a park museum. It stared at me unblinking, I swear it was mentally talking to me. I'd love to have an owl, but I don't think they should be caged.

I enjoy owls too, but I would hate to cage one. My roommate has a parrot, and I feel bad for him that he's stuck in a cage much of the day.

I would probably have a more exotic pet, if I could afford it and felt I could provide a decent living space. Like a lemur, or a hedgehog, or a capybara. I'm also fond of ravens; when our local zoo had them (the big ones), I'd go see them and stand outside the cages over lunch, watching them.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Dogs for me, I'm used to German Shepherds, but there are some others I wouldn't mind. The only other pet I think I could have is a wolf.

I have a cat.

I don't hate dogs, but they are typically far too needy and time-demanding for my personality.

I thought that's what people said about cats. (and that dogs require no effort)

 

[kantor1003]

I thought that's what people said about cats. (and that dogs require no effort)

Whoever told you that was greatly mistaken.

 

[intpz]

Cats merely require you to change the sand once every couple of days. Dogs require to go out at least twice a day, more commonly trice a day, to take 23 pisses and a good long shit, along with a long walk with something annoyingly pulling your hand and stopping to take another piss. Nonetheless, to my knowledge dogs leave more hair behind than cats do. Most of the time they are also bigger, they make more noise, and if it's rainy outside, they fuck up your carpet and floor.

 

[Etheri]

I don't have pets. Too much hassle, too much bother.
We had lots of pets when we grew up, however, including cats, birds, rabbits, hamsters & guinea pigs and fish. That being said, we lived on some kind of farm, thus half of the animals never got inside. My little brother looks / looked after them.

I'm particulary fond of one slender red cat. I enjoy the company of cats. They're quiet, they'll beg you for attention but won't occupy your mind, they'll sit next to you, lay on your lap getting fondled by one hand, while my other hand can still browse the vast information of the interwebz. If I end up being foreveralone, it's likely i'll get a cat. That being said, I don't plan on letting them inside 24/7.

[mention]EyesSeeCold[/mention] : Most our cats at my parental home have never been inside the house. We place food just outside between daily and every three days. That being said, the cats don't mind hunting down mice, rats, small birds or newborn rabbits. Since they don't get inside, and can't exactly dig in the actual garden, there's no sand to replace either. Whenever anyone wants the affection of the cats, you take one (typically the most domestic one), take it inside and give it attention. Then a few hours later, if she's jumping around begging for more, kick her out.

 

[Architect]

Dogs are harder to deal with when you go on vacation. Cat's can take care of themselves with a pet door and food/water, dogs require human attention.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Whoever told you that was greatly mistaken.

Well it comes from both cat owners and dog owners. From the former, that cats are great because they're more complex than dogs and thus are more time consuming(which is a 'some bad with the good' sort of thing).

Dogs are harder to deal with when you go on vacation. Cat's can take care of themselves with a pet door and food/water, dogs require human attention.

I think that's true in general, but overall people you know may be less willing to take care of a dog while you're away, and depending on the size they'd be an inconvenience in taking them with you.

Still though, that's not much of an issue for me.

 

[P.H.]

Cats

We have two.

 

[Jennywocky]

I thought that's what people said about cats. (and that dogs require no effort)

Funny, I've never heard anyone ever say that about dogs, nor has it been my experience with dogs (either with my own dogs or watching other people care for dogs).

I mean, with dogs, you even need to walk them for their bathroom breaks (or lock them outside); the cat is self-sufficient.

Cats usually are a little too aloof for me, but I tolerate them anyway.

 

[TriflinThomas]

I love my dog as if he were my child; he's a good dog, he walks at the same pace as I do, always listens, and he's a bit bigger than a cat

 

[intpz]

How do you know that he listens? And besides, you get no reply anyway, so what's the point talking to it? I never understood people talking to their pets...

 

[Cognisant]

I used to have a pet snake that a friend and I caught in the garden and his uncle told us it wasn't poisonous, well actually they are, just not dangerously so, not that it mattered, I kept it for a few weeks before letting it go and handled it regularly, it never tried to bite me.

http://www.wildlifeqld.com.au/White_Crowned.html

I would like to get another one, people are iffy about snakes but they're beautiful creatures and you couldn't find a cleaner low-maintenance animal, this species in particular seems to have a very placid temperament, once it got over it's fear of me (and I of it) it would ride in my pocket and come out every now and then to explore.

My mother made me get rid of it after it decided to explore the dinner table

 

[crippli]

No pet for me. In my appartment in the city by the sea it would just make a mess. Enough with one pet, me. But we have had several dogs at my parents farm in the mountains. But they are not pets, hunting dogs. They don't require much. They have their own territory fenced in where they can run and bark as they like, some big trees for shade and a few smal houses to sleep in. They require water and food. That is about it. And of course training if they are to become skilled at tracking. Their requirement for human contact depends what they are used to. The last dog got to sleep inside the main house at night, as she didn't like to sleep out alone. If they are two, they have each other company, and little need to take them inside.

I like cats too, we have had a few of those. But they will require more, as they would want to be more inside the house. In general I would not want pets in the house. But if they are not to become human hostile, some house time is usually needed for most pets.

I would like an eagle or a falcon. As I also fly, it could be adventitious to train a bird like this to track thermals for me. I'm not sure though if I'd be able to do that. Would be a proper challenge. I play with this idea now and then.

 

[intpz]

Didn't the barking bother you? Even in the house you should hear it, unless they are far away.

 

[crippli]

No. I am like dead when I sleep. So the barking at night was not a problem, for me. The hound did not bark much at day time, occasionally at strangers, or strange sounds and smells in the air.

 

[EditorOne]

We have three big dogs and three cats, six separate demeanors. The solution to "walking" is a big yard, plus a state gamelands nearby with several thousand acres where they can run once or twice a week. I tried walking them on leashes in the neighborhood; too much energy, I can't handle 260 pounds of dogs on 12 legs.

Dogs are kinda fun. Ours are roughhousers. Even at eight and nine years old, they are puppylike in their play. They try to play with almost everything. The only thing they haven't tried to play with is a 350-pound black bear they found in the stream ahead of them one day when we were taking a walk. Instead of running in and out and in circles, I found all three dogs at a halt ahead of me, all looking back and then ahead with their tails going slowly, like they were asking me 'Um, this thing is kind of big, can we play with it or should we run?" I directed them to ignore it (by simply walking and looking straight ahead, the bear was cornered in the creek under a rock overhang and that's when you definitely don't want to excite them). Amazingly, they abandoned the bear and galloped ahead.

I hold my dogs in higher regard than I do a great many people. I'm sure this is a sign of an emotional shortcoming on my part, but I don't really care.

The dogs and cats get along or not in various combinations, but they do amuse and occupy each other.

The penalty, besides vets bills, is that I have to lightly vacuum the house at least once a day to keep up with the hair. No big deal, really, takes a few minutes.

 

[intpz]

We have three big dogs and three cats, six separate demeanors. The solution to "walking" is a big yard, plus a state gamelands nearby with several thousand acres where they can run once or twice a week. I tried walking them on leashes in the neighborhood; too much energy, I can't handle 260 pounds of dogs on 12 legs.

Doesn't the yard gets filled up with shit and piss in the evening?

 

[TriflinThomas]

How do you know that he listens? And besides, you get no reply anyway, so what's the point talking to it? I never understood people talking to their pets...

Sit, stay, etc. He listens (or "obeys"). Dogs can glean an awful lot of meaning from human body language, tone, pointing; he may not understand my words, but he gets the gist of it.

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2004/06/63792
http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/how-dogs-read-human-body-language/278

 

[EditorOne]

Doesn't the yard gets filled up with shit and piss in the evening?

Big section of the yard, and I fenced in a big section of forest to go with it. There's probably a perimeter of 250 feet or more, in an irregular shape. It's not where you'd want to have a picnic, yeah, but it's big enough for nature to degrade material before it accumulates to the level of being objectionable. It is exclusively the domain of the dogs, except when a bear smashes the fence looking for food.

 

[Cheeseumpuffs]

I'm incredibly interested in one day owning a pet fox. They are seriously some of the coolest animals.

Until then, though, I'll have to settle for my two dogs.

 

[intpz]

Are bear trap legal?

 

[EditorOne]

Nope.

 

[intpz]

That's not really fair, they destroy your property, you lose money and time over them, and yet you can't do anything about it...

 

[kantor1003]

I've grown up with many sorts of animals (cats, budgies, rabbits, rats, a turtle, hamsters, fish). My family seems to have a particular weak spot for them in general and I'm pretty much in the same boat. As EditorOne, I tend to like them better than a great number of people (most people actually). Currently, all we have is two cats walking around (our budgie recently past away). If I were to have a pet on my own, it would be a bird: most likely either an african grey, or a sun conure. Both are pretty high maintenance (highly intelligent animals usually are), so I will have to wait for a point in my life where I at least know where I'll be living the next 2 years, what I'll be working with, and whether my future lifestyle would be compatible taking up such a commitment.

[bimgx=300]http://conurecommunity.com/images/sun/pooky.jpg[/bimgx]

 

[Ink]

I grew up with a cat, I maybe noticed her once a month or so... I did enjoy her presence though, they will like you without expecting anything in turn.

 

[Polaris]

I adore cats. Our cat back home is now over 17 years old, I'm worried he won't be around next time I visit.

I don't own any pets as I believe a pet should be just as important as any other family member, i.e., you don't go to work all day while leaving your children unattended at home. I am too busy to look after an animal.

I would love a cat or a Welsh Corgi, if I had to pick a dog.

I did look after a scorpion for a while as I was doing a science project on arthropods, but I set her free as I found it difficult feeding her appropriately, and also the aspect of reproduction....even a scorpion has a sex-life.

Spoiler

Edit: ^Pembroke Welsh Corgi, very bright dogs. Crikey, that picture is huge.

^Australian Wood Scorpion (they are tiny, <20-25 mm)

 

[Minuend]

@Melkor is my favorite INTP pet

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

I prefer my critters wild.. Have had cats, dogs, fish, various herps et al in the past though. Cats especially enjoy licking my head for whatever reason... I'm assuming the sodium in soap and shampoo makes me a veritable salt lick.

Our familiar is supposed to be the Owl. I find Owls fascinating, I just saw a Great Horned Owl in a park museum. It stared at me unblinking, I swear it was mentally talking to me. I'd love to have an owl, but I don't think they should be caged.

@Architect

You should consider falconry or possibly volunteer for a falconer. It's unique in that although the birds are caged, they're absolutely wild, as in they're literally using the human as an easy food source and can go free at any moment, but choose to stay for the food. Even the bells are made so that they rot and fall off in a short period of time if the bird decides to leave. There's plenty of information available on the net.

Becoming one is a very involved process that takes a lot of time for apprenticeship and training (and given that I have no idea exactly how much free time or space you have available) and isn't for everyone, but I can tell you it's a unique feeling to have a hawk perched on your arm

Regulations vary in different states, but the most common birds are red-tailed hawks and American kestrels, although others are used. Owls actually have a reputation of being extremely stubborn and difficult to train, which is apparently an INTP thing as well

 

[Architect]

You should consider falconry or possibly volunteer for a falconer. It's unique in that although the birds are caged, they're absolutely wild, as in they're literally using the human as an easy food source and can go free at any moment, but choose to stay for the food. Even the bells are made so that they rot and fall off in a short period of time if the bird decides to leave. There's plenty of information available on the net.

Becoming one is a very involved process that takes a lot of time for apprenticeship and training (and given that I have no idea exactly how much free time or space you have available) and isn't for everyone, but I can tell you it's a unique feeling to have a hawk perched on your arm

@thd, funny you should mention that. I'm reading Personology , by Keirsey published in 2010. A fascinating book I'll be discussing here. But last night this passage stuck out at me

But Rationals* are rare birds ... * I say 'birds' because the totem animals of the Rationals are the predator birds, such as eagles, owls, hawks, and falcons, said to be descendants of winged dinosaurs.

And quite recently I visited a museum/shelter where I saw the Great Horned Owl, some eagles and a talk about predator birds. In there he discussed falconry.

At any rate in my area we have people who do this, and I hear a falcon cry frequently at my house. Yes my ideal animal would be to do this, but as you say it takes some time and energy to take it up, which I don't have. I'll file that as a to think about when I retire perhaps.

Ultimately I think I'll just stick to photographing them, something I enjoy immensely.

 

[skip]

I prefer rats. They are the best pets ever, they just have tragically short lifespans. I would keep a dozen except I'm horribly allergic to them (- an allergy that I developed in adulthood; I had lot of rats as a kid). Second would be dogs but I'm also allergic to them (although much less so after several years of shots). Next: horses. The vet bills are the big issue there.

 

[intpz]

Ew, rats. Go to the poor neighborhood and get one for free.

 

[kantor1003]

I like rats. I had 3 of them at various points when younger (yes, their short life span is a big downside). Apart from their short life span, another downside is them almost constantly urinating (first time I've used that word on this forum I think, or any forum for that matter).

 

[Absurdity]

I've had dogs, a cat, rats, lizards, snakes, and a praying mantis, but my favorite pets of all are fish. In 4th grade we had a man come into our classroom and set up a fish tank. I took care of them more than anyone in my class, and quickly convinced my parents to let me get one of my own

I'd much rather observe my pet than touch it, which is what is great about fish. I could stare at a fish tank for hours, watching the fish move around and interact. Sounds weird, but don't knock it 'til you try it.

A lot of thought goes into planning a proper tank: how many fish can you keep in it, which fish will get along with each other, what sort of plants or other decorations will be included (I go strictly with real plants and pieces of wood and rocks, trying to recreate natural habitats). There is also a good deal of chemistry involved regarding pH and whatnot. Saltwater is more complex than freshwater because you also have to take salinity into account, and the corals require much stronger lighting than regular plants.

Unfortunately we got rid of my fish tank some time ago. When I have the money, I'd like to get a new one.

 

[skip]

Ew, rats. Go to the poor neighborhood and get one for free.

Uh, gutter/wild rats aren't the same as domestic/pet rats... you know that, right? Anyway you should always get rats from a reputable rattery.

 

[intpz]

Aren't the same, but quite similar. My cousin had two or three rats one after another. I dislike them, always tried to stay away when went to his home.

 

[Hadoblado]

reputable rattery.

Best band name evar!!

As someone said before me, I like other people's pets. I'm actually a bit of an animal lover, but I can barely take care of myself.

 

[Brontosaurie]

pets are a moral hindrance to the goal of transhumanism/singularity.

 

[Architect]

pets are a moral hindrance to the goal of transhumanism/singularity.

@Brontosaurie
Interesting, why?

 

[Brontosaurie]

Interesting, why?

my reasoning is that if we are to dismantle our biology and enter a purely self-made age, pets are the first thing to go since they provide a security and companionship rooted firmly in a more primitive stage of evolution, thus diminishing our incentives to make necessary progress in neurotechnology and philosophy, on a systemic level. we should also strive to be vegetarian but that's farther ahead.

haven't manage to convince anyone of this... people think I'm joking. hopefully someone here agrees.

~

this being said I enjoy a good dog or cat as much as the next guy.

 

[Vidi]

I don't know, I just don't believe in the idea of animals as pets, as in pets kept at home. They have to live outdoors in my opinion. They can be tamed to some degree even some wild ones, but human habitat is still not natural environment for animals, birds, etc.

 

[BigApplePi]

I don't mind animals and can ignore them for a long while.

I have two cats, one dog, an acquarium and a pond with hundreds of fish.

I'm not even aware but at the computer I'll look down and find a cat on my lap. The other one is an angel. Surprise! My dog is convenient. Makes sure I get out there so I can have a nice walk. The aquarium has to be changed every 4-5 weeks and is a pain.The fish (koi) are loads of fun to feed. I hate it when they die, but there are replacements.

 

[Wasp]

My family has a chihuahua. Most annoying little creature ever. it will never stop yipping at everything that moves. Personally I'm a dog person but would rather have a dog like a German Shepherd (it would help me get out of the house more) or a pet that doesn't mind being ignored for a while.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I don't know, I just don't believe in the idea of animals as pets, as in pets kept at home. They have to live outdoors in my opinion. They can be tamed to some degree even some wild ones, but human habitat is still not natural environment for animals, birds, etc.

Agree somewhat, especially so for birds. I wholeheartedly am against caging birds as pets, the parallels to captivity could not be any closer. Birds are flying creatures and should be free to roam the skies.

Also, I'm kind of with "pets are a hassle", but it's that overall I prefer dogs if keeping pets weren't a lot of work.

 

[Minuend]

my reasoning is that if we are to dismantle our biology and enter a purely self-made age, pets are the first thing to go since they provide a security and companionship rooted firmly in a more primitive stage of evolution, thus diminishing our incentives to make necessary progress in neurotechnology and philosophy, on a systemic level.

How are these connected? If this is true, then wouldn't there be a correlation between intellectuals and people without pets?

Why is the "primitive stage" a hindrance for making progress in areas mentioned?
Why is companionship a problem?
Which stages are not primitive? Are not all "stages" born from our "primitive" nature?

 

[Vladimir]

I'm not surprised to see "cat" as the leading option! I've always wanted to have a cat like Garfield, in the sense of having a fat cat, and now I do!! Woot! The other is an ordinary cat. The fat one is a snowshoe cat. I like cats because I perceive them as very intelligent animals.

 

[Brontosaurie]

How are these connected? If this is true, then wouldn't there be a correlation between intellectuals and people without pets?

Why is the "primitive stage" a hindrance for making progress in areas mentioned?
Why is companionship a problem?
Which stages are not primitive? Are not all "stages" born from our "primitive" nature?

there might be such a correlation, but not necessarily. it's more a question of pet prevalence in society.

a reminder of a biological origin that may be perceived as simpler, more natural than the progress which we should strive to make, is a hindrance. the truth is of course that approaching singularity we will find a simpler and more natural mode of existence.

companionship in itself is no problem but getting it from a pet is. disregarding all I've said, pets are also bad because they are submissive by definition and we must abolish all hierarchy.

yes, all stages of course are preceded by our whole line of evolution. but we should seek for gratification in the now, not in our past.

 

[Vidi]

Agree somewhat, especially so for birds. I wholeheartedly am against caging birds as pets, the parallels to captivity could not be any closer. Birds are flying creatures and should be free to roam the skies.

Also, I'm kind of with "pets are a hassle", but it's that overall I prefer dogs if keeping pets weren't a lot of work.

We had a canary/parrot small bird in my teens. It was someone's escaped pet and it landed in our appartment where it remained for about a year. We didn't cage him so the bird flied around the flat where it liked. He made an impression of quite sociable creature, he would follow us arround, 'participating' in our activities. Overall impression was that of an inteligent bird. In spring we would leave windows open, and he would fly outside, untill once he didn't return. To be fair, the bird returned next day, but windows were closed, and he was scared away by all the banging while we tried to open them.

That was the most favourable impression I've ever had about any pet, and I don't mean the disappearing part.
I'm not inclined either a dog or a cat way. However I had some sort of a horror story involving a cat..

My parents acquired a cat, thankfully after I moved out. Once, when I was on my holidays and back at home, I awakened in the middle of the night. I was lying on my back (due to a plaster cast on my leg), when I opened my eyes and suddenly I was staring back into my parent's cat's face ( and very big eyes) which was inches away from my face. Meanwhile, it continued its leaning over from the bed's headboard in some Spiderman act and craning a neck to stare at me. In some schock I just groped for a spare pillow on the side and put it over my face. I couldn't turn over, and seeing how I had to spend another month and a half with the cast on my leg, I thought I couldn't afford to antoganize my parents pet, 'cause with them you never know.

No matter how domesticated they are, they still have one instinct too many for my peace of mind, both on their and my behalf. in addition I agree, there's the hassle. This combo of issues obliterates any wish to own a pet.