When it comes to pets, who owns whom?

I would venture to guess a majority of U.S. households has pets of one kind or another. These pets range in size from little mouselike critters to cattle and horses. Some are kept in the house, some kept outside, and some are inside/outside pets. Some are in fish tanks.

Most of our friends have pets. Tonya in Cape Girardeau has Winston, a small, fuzzy dog. Vic's family has Baxter, a cocker spaniel. Rod has a wiener dog. Glen has huskies. Jane and Tim have a wiener dog, I believe. One of our neighbors has a yellow Lab. Terry and Liddia have a couple of dogs that have the look of one who ran into the door. I'm not sure what they are called. Good dogs. Tonya in Scott City has a pit bull and blue heeler mix. Mick has an English shepherd, I believe. Natalie has a cat or two. A couple of Marge's friends have those little potbellied pigs. Maybe they are miniature pigs. They are cute. Doris and Craig have Charlie, the spoiled cat.

My wife and I probably make pets of every critter we have. We have one inside dog, and she is spoiled rotten. She and I go to bed long before Marge. When Marge comes to bed, Marge has to fight for a spot on the bed.

We have one inside cat that is going on 18 years old, and she is nicer now than she ever was when young. When she was young, she was ornery and mean. But we had lots of mice back then, and she took care of them.

We have a bunch of outside cats, from little to full grown and some in between.

Our calves are pets as well. These range in size from just weeks old and 50 pounds up to over 2 years old and 1,000 pounds. I can scratch most of them behind their ears.

Several years ago, there was a young doe deer that kind of became a pet. I could get fairly close, and she wouldn't run or act scared. That summer she had a fawn, which was really neat. I'd sit and watch them as they fed on pecans or acorns. They both made it through deer season, but I lost track of them through the winter.

There is a site on Facebook devoted to Highland cattle. They are a long-haired, medium-frame-type of cattle that can be milked or just raised for beef. Most of the time, the horns are allowed to grow long, so they are a good-looking cow with the long horns and long hair. Many raise them and then sell or butcher them, but it seems quite a few just turn them into pets. Now, that's a big pet.

Pets are big business. We have a local Farmers Supply store that devotes quite a section to dog and cat and other pet foods. There is rabbit food and chicken food, along with duck and turkey and on and on. There are rows of toys for the pets or leashes and such.

They even have live pets you can purchase. Chickens and ducks and turkeys and such are just waiting for you to come by.

One store is just a pet store. They have everything for the smaller pets. You can even buy some fish there, along with all you need. They probably even have snakes. I haven't checked and don't want one.

Some of our vets focus on small animals, while others focus on being more large-animal friendly. I would imagine the school they attend helps them focus in one direction or the other.

Pets, when you get one, are not a six-week or six-month venture. When you adopt a dog or cat, it should be for the long haul. When I got my dog as a pup from Johnne, it was until something happened to me or my new dog. That's how it should be. And my dog, Dutchess, became a member of our family.

I'm sorry if this offends you, but Dutchess is as welcome or maybe even more welcome than you are in our house.

I don't like people who mistreat their pets or treat them wrong. With winter coming on, our outside dogs and cats and other critters need shelter and food and water. No matter how cold the weather, our pets or livestock still need drinking water. The colder the weather, the more food they will need. Some critters, such as cattle, need a windbreak so they can stand or lie down without the wind bearing down on them.

Watch your cats when the weather turns cold, especially around vehicles. Cats like to warm up next to your vehicle's exhaust or even the motor. I don't know how many cats have met a violent death by getting under the hood of someone's vehicle. Also, be careful with your vehicle's antifreeze. It will seriously poison your dog or cat if they should drink or lick it up.

If you decide to adopt a pet, check with your local animal shelters. They have pets of all sizes and descriptions that are needing a forever home. And once you have that special new one home with you, make them a part of your family.

Be smart about the pet you adopt. Small dogs are way better if you don't have a place for them to romp and run and play. Check the personalities of the dogs or cats you are thinking about. Some may have personalities that might not fit you and your family.

Have a good one.

Until next time.