Behind The Blog – Animal Party

Behind the Blog is a meme to help bloggers connect their life and interests to the content showcased on their blog. The co-hosts, Faye, Kathe, and Melissa will provide a different topic, idea, or question every week that bloggers can relate to themselves and the books, films, or other media they find interesting!

Animals are everywhere and can make a large impact in people’s lives, so this week we’re asking how you feel about animals. Are you an animal lover? Do you get on with animals but don’t go out of your way to spend time with them? Do you dislike them? What is your favourite animal? Do you own any pets?
In relation to books and films, what animals have you loved reading or watching? This can include animals like werewolves, if you so wish!

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If there is one thing to know about me, it is that I am an absolute animal lover. I adore almost every single animal there is out there and find them all incredibly fascinating. Some I admire because they are cute and cuddly and just make feel all warm and lovable inside. Some I love because they are strong and beautiful and powerful. While others I find interesting because they act in a certain way or look a certain way. But I really do like almost every single animal. I’m sure someone will mention one animal now and I’ll be all, “oh no, they’re horrible!” just to prove me wrong but there we go!

When I was growing up (and kind of still today), my favourite animals were horses. I found them so powerful, strong and beautiful and I just loved them. I loved their different colours and personalities and just how amazing they were. I still, to this day, find it difficult to watch films that have horse cruelty in them but I love when they show how intelligent they can be and helpful and just how much they love humans. I think I will always have a soft spot for this amazing animal.

Now though, I think my favourite animals are probably cats. I’ve grown up around them and so I know how cute they can be, how silly, clumsy, cuddly, vicious, temperamental, stubborn, and friendly they can be. I know that every different cat has a unique personality but I also know that they are generally fiercely loyal. Of course, they probably wouldn’t be if we stopped feeding them but they know which home is theirs, they know who to cuddle up with, where to go for strokes and attention and are just extremely loveable and intelligent. They are also wholly able to live without humans, they are naturally born to be hunters so they are genetically engineered to get the food that they require. But really, I love cats because they make great pets.

I have mentioned that I have grown up with cats, and today I live with three of the furry messballs, Barney, Holly and Max. They each have their own individual personalities and I love them all so much. Barney is the friendliest. He doesn’t care who you are, if you give him a big belly rub he’ll be your friend. But he’s also the biggest, the youngest but he eats gallons and then never does enough exercise so you get obese looking Barney. Then you have his twin sister Holly who is, ironically, the complete opposite. Small in physique she is agile, fast and shy around people. Of course, once she warms up to you, she’ll always want attention from you. In fact, she has a habit of tapping you on the arm if she wants you which I find extremely cute. Then we have Max who is the oldest and unfortunately the stress-iest. He’s had to deal with a lot in his life, he’s lost three friends, had to deal with lots of crying and annoying kittens and now has two smaller cats competing for attention. But he’s still lovable, will meow for attention and will meet you in the driveway when you come home. He’s only stressy when you touch him in ways he’s not happy with so we know to just not touch there!

I also have three cats who reside at my dads. Toffee, T.C, and Little One. Toffee is the oldest and possibly the most adorable. He craves attention from humans twenty-four seven. He struggles to sit still and he just continuously wants to be stroked. He is super friendly to everyone who comes in the door and will struggle to take no as an answer. T.C. is supposedly friendly and warm and lovable but since he bit me I struggle with him. I have seen how he relaxes and enjoys humans company but I just can’t get passed my fear of him, unfortunately. Then there’s Little One who unfortunately didn’t get a name in time and now only answers to this. He’s not little anymore, but he is in comparison to T.C. Little One is really cute but he is also afraid of T.C and is therefore often cooped up in a room away from him so I don’t get to see him often. But he is also friendly and playful and enjoys company when he can get it.

So yes, I love cats and horses!
I also have a soft spot for dogs, rabbits, tigers, lions, panda bears, polar bears and dolphins.

In relation to books, I’ve struggled to think of many examples as my brain is really not working in this regard. A few that I feel need to be noted are;

• Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland
• Pantelamon; His Dark Materials (if a daemon can be included)
• Lupin; Harry Potter
• Grimalkin; The Iron Fey

I will try and think of more!

In relation to films, some of my favourite films about animals include;

• Marley and Me; talk about grabbing the tissue box!
• Home and Away; they make it!
• The Aristocats; need I say more?
• Across the Hedge; hammy is so cute!
• Finding Nemo; was my favourite film for a long time!
• The Lion King; classic amazing film.
• Hotel for Dogs; call me lame but all the dogs were cute!
• All Dogs go to Heaven; classic love.

I’m sure there are many, many more but I will be listing for hours if I try to list them all! So here are just a few! I think it was easier to think of films because generally animals are more depicted in films!

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