For me, doing a PhD is totally incompatible with having a pet - I'm out every day from 7.30 until 5.30, and much as I'd love to have an animal friend, I can't think of any that I wouldn't feel guilty about abandoning all day - or 'confining' (cage, tank, whatever) for that matter.

I have big fat lop eared rabbit who absolutly adores my slippers It can be off putting when I am trying to write to find a rabbit attached to my leg... He also runs around the garden trying to make friends with (or shag??!) cats who are scared of him. Much fun to watch instead of working....

aww so cute

sue, how about 2 cats? They love playing together, they won't feel lonely. You can put a cat flap if possible, for their independence. And their feeding time can be just before you left in the morning and when you come home in the evening etc...

Sue - the two fish in the tank have each other for company to satisfy their schoaling instinct, and don't need stimuli from me. Goldfish only take seconds to feed, and as long as the tank has a filter the water needs only changing partially on a weekly basis.

well i like birds. mostly different chickens. of late i have two ausralian small pairs of parrots (love birs)back at home and they are very beautiful and viewing them in the cage is so relaxing. when i came here in uk i forgot every thing. few days back my wife told me one female bird died. Alas! can't tell u what were my feelings about that one. these birds are like children to me. when i was kid the first toy my mom gave me was a small real chick.

We have a black cat, he is cool, if he was a person he'd be a rapper with lots of jewellery and a flash car, swaggering about like he owned the place!

When I as writing up he used to sit on me knee while I was at the computer, it was lovely having him there

404, yes, okay, cats are pretty independent. I had one when I was younger. I also had goldfish - I know it's silly but no matter how big the tank they still hit (hopefully not literally) a glass wall at the end...

I have two cats, i got them as kittens from my mum's cat. They get on so well together and so funny to watch. The boy is a big tabby and likes eating and sitting and purring loudly and thiats it. the girl talks to me (i've taken this post to a whole new level haven't i?) if i say something to her she will meow back (usually its 'do you love me?' or 'are you beautiful?' and she will meow a yes). she insists on sitting on any importnant looking papers so when i was reading through piles of papers i would have a special 'princess' pile for her to sit on. The boy likes sleeping on satin-like throw on myh bed or diretly on the sheet - not the duvet - and sometimes under the covers in his 'bear cave'. The girl has taken to sleeping round my head and insists on snuggling between my boyf and me in the morning and nuzzles all hands so that they are stroking her.

I never want children - they are responsibility enough. Besides they get in right strops if you go away! Oh the girl also likes chasing the mouse pointer on screen and trying to catch it from behind, stupid thing!

They sound lovely coastalchick. Cats look happier when they live with another cat, don't they?

One of my cats started to say MUV! (in one quick syllable) recently. I don't understand what it means, but it makes me laugh each time.

404, I hope the attached "Cat Translator" will help you to understand the meaning of "MUV":

http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/translate.htm

my cat once said 'hello'

I think it might have been a meow, cough and sneeze all at once, but it sounded pretty funny.

my parrot can say hello, she has an old woman voice. She also has a funny cackling laugh.

I miss not having a pet at uni
I'm really jealous, I want a cat or a dog

I miss my cat. It was great company and stress reliever to me during my undergraduate - but now i'm in a different city.
I quite like working at night (its just how my timeclock is) and he would snuggle up on my knee once everyone else had gone to bed.

I used to work really long hours doing my experiments and it wouldn't have been fair to have a pet. Now i'm writing up, i'd really like the company - but its against my tenancy agreement.

Its nice to hear about all your pets though. Give them a cuddle (or a splash maybe for fish??) from me.