Having a furry companion by your side is one of the most wonderful things you can experience. There's just something so special about the bond that humans share with animals. I've always been a big animal lover, and there's definitely good reason for it. It's always amazed me how two different species that cannot understand or speak one another's language still manage to find a way to communicate their love for one another.

Look, I'm not afraid to admit that I am most definitely a crazy cat lady. Dogs are a very close second for me, but growing up with only cats has turned me into the feline lover I am today. When I was in the second grade, my neighbors found a stray kitten outside of their lake house. They had contacted my family about it since their father was allergic, and they knew that I had been wanting a cat of my own. We went to meet the cat, and I instantly fell in love. My family didn't exactly feel the same way. The cat was extremely skittish and very unfriendly, but we took her in anyways because they knew how much it meant to me.

We had to keep her in my bathroom at first since she was so small, so I spent my entire time just playing with her and keeping her company. It didn't take long for her to quickly become loyal to me. Despite appearing scared and unloving towards everyone else, she's always shown so much love and affection towards me. In a way, she became almost like a dog. She's grown very dependent on me and follows me wherever I go, even if it is just to get a quick walk. She absolutely hates it when I am anywhere else but my room, as it has become her safe space.

What's so wonderful to me is how animals somehow are able to detect human emotions. Whenever I am having a bad day, I'll lay in bed, and my cat will instantly come right up to me and give me affection. It's just so lovely to have someone by your side who is always there for you. Animals couldn't care less about what you look like or what kind of person you are. All they know you as is their owner, and they give you their unconditional love.

Animals take up such an important place in your life that they begin to feel like family. So when my eldest cat of 20 years died, my whole family was heartbroken. He had been around before my brother and I were even born, and his unconditional love for my mom was a memory that will live with us forever. His death left us all with an empty hole in our hearts. We knew that he was irreplaceable, and while we have moved on after two years, I still continue to miss him every day.

Cats and dogs actually help people relieve stress. There is such a thing known as pet therapy, which is used to calm patients. Some universities even bring in dogs during final exams so that students may pet the pups to relieve their stress. Petting and interacting with animals increases our level of oxytocin, which is the hormone that produces feelings of love and happiness. So if you're having a bad day, go and shed some love on your pet. It will make both you and your animal feel better.

Owning a pet also taught me responsibility. I had something to look after other than myself, which taught me the importance of selflessness. In my opinion, the relationship between a person and their animal is mutualistic. We help by feeding them, playing with them, loving them and making sure they are healthy, while they help us by providing loving companionship. Dogs, for example, only care about their human. They devote their lives to them and give unconditional love. Dogs just want to make their owners happy, which is so selfless and pure. No matter how bad you're feeling, animals always help improve your mood.

Pets help us learn valuable life lessons and make us feel a little less lonely. Even if you live on your own, an animal can really make a world of difference when you're feeling lonesome. The bond between owners and their pets is something so special, and it can't be artificially created or replaced by anything else in the whole world. I really feel like anyone who has never owned a pet is missing out on an incredible experience. Because no matter what happens to you, if you've got an animal by your side, then you've got a friend for life.