I hate when people say ohhhh your pets only love you because you feed them. as if that wasn’t the first form of love any of us felt. get real.
So true. Food is literally what we use to tell animals we won’t hurt them. We give them food and then don’t do anything to them and the animal learns you’re a cool dude, and becomes open to bonding. When you bond, you Know your pet loves you. It’s the primary way we get feral kittens to start trusting humans. It’s no different really with people and how we come together, we bond over meals all the fucking time.
Also like. There is no higher praise than knowing an animal feels safe enough to come to you with their basic needs. That’s why I like when it’s cold and my cat comes to sit on my chest. She could go directly to the heater and often does when I’m at work, but does the heater cuddle back? Does it thumb rub her ears and talk to her in a voice she recognizes as contented and pleased?