My dog is a cuddler, lies on my lap and is a Daddy’s boy. —Ralph, 80
Friendship and companionship. I lost my foot-long, 13-year-old goldfish after he got sick, rolled over and swam around upside down for about a week. After his sad demise, my son gave me two new goldfish. Little ones. I named them Thelma and Louise but discovered the next week that one was male, so I renamed them, Bonnie and Clyde. —Glenda, 90
Sunshine, my cat, offers companionship that gives me a feeling of being loved. —Doris, 88
I love my cat, Oscar’s loyalty and willingness to forgive. —Robert, 84
Shatzi, a cat, likes to be with me. She follows me around and sleeps with me. She’s my baby. —Penny, 90
The love they give back. —Paul, 66
We are captured by our cat Aruba’s sweetness. She’s a lapsitter and a talker, who never fails to greet us at the door. —Nancy & Bob, 82
Ari is a great walking companion. —Randy, 58
My cat’s sociability. The short chirp she makes when she jumps into her bed next to my desk is just a little nod to let me know she’s nearby, not asking for anything, just making her presence known. —Kate, 85
That he’s our cat and he jumps in my lap sometimes. —Greta 4
I love hugging her and kissing her, and that she comes and wakes me up in my bed. —Sophia 4
I love it when she purrs. —Emi 6
She eats my fingers and toes! —John David, 4
I love to play with Mr. Cuddles and dress him up in my clothes and jewelry. He’s patient and makes me laugh. —Hannah 7
That I can ride him. —Lately, 4
She plays hide-and-go-seek with me. —Tyler, 5
Her ears, her snoz, her fatness…just her in general. —Jaidyn, 13
When he notices that I feel sad and crawls in my lap to make me feel better. —Zoie, 11
Love my co-workers who play the in-and-out game with me all day long. —OutreachNC Co-editor Jeeves, 3