Pet Discussion #4

[Prof. Gustavo Flores]

December's Pet Discussion:

Now that you have learned more things about toads, cats and owls, which kind of pet would you like to take to Hogwarts? Which one do you think is the easiest to take care of? Which one would be the funniest to have?

There is no right or wrong answer, just please explain the reasons behind your wishes. At least 100 words for full marks. Please post your answer in the correct thread in our Class Forum.

As usual, replying to this discussion will give you 10 House Points

[Prof. Tarma Amelia Black]

If I was at Hogwarts and if I was a student there ... if I had my druthers, I'd have both an owl and a cat. I'm not very interested in having a toad as a pet!

Cats have a mystique about them which is rather awesome. They are not one to be trained into doing things ... yet I've seen some cats do remarkable things but it was because they wanted to. Also, there is a certain level of intelligence that many cats have -- your 'cat' lesson points to that. There is a lot more in the way of upkeep for a cat, though, if compared to having an owl. One must make sure they have a place to stay and food to eat and litter boxes (even if the House-elves take care of that).

An owl, on the other hand, can and will take messages for you to almost anywhere. They have the ability to fly ... and soar ... and are regarded as creatures of great magic. They are practically maintenance free when you are at the school since they stay in their own tower, in a place specifically built for them and are fed by someone (the owl-keeper?).

I think, for funniest -- that would be totally on the personality of the cat or owl!

Alas, a student may have an owl OR a cat OR a toad. If I answer as a student, I'd say a cat -- and hope it is at least half kneazle!

If I answer as a Professor .... both. Although, practically speaking, I'd probably have a cat Kneazle.

Was about to post this and then realized it might be moot -- sort of like wands choosing their person, I think that a cat or an owl would choose me and that would be that.

[Shiloh Adlar]

Out of all the pets we have studied, I think my favorite pet to take to Hogwarts would still be a cat. While cats are very independent, they are also very loving and comforting by sitting on laps and trying to make one feel better. Owls are quite wonderful to have as well however, especially if you wish to send letters to your family outside of school. I do not think I would be interested in having a toad. They do not seem to be the kind of pet that one would want to cuddle with and they are also rather boring in my opinion.

I think the easiest pet to take care of would be the owl and that is simply because they are extremely intelligent and mostly take care of themselves. With cats, you still have to change their litter box and they are very picky about cleanliness. Owls are as well as you do have to keep the cage clean, but they still look after themselves without much help. Both cats and owls are excellent hunters and can probably feed themselves just fine though owls have an advantage unless Hogwarts has a lot of critters running around for a cat to prey on. Both animals require one to trim their claws/talons and cats dislike it very much. I think owls would be easier to do so with because of their heightened intelligence.

The funniest to have would probably be the cat because cats do some really silly things. I know my kitty makes me laugh a lot just by chasing his tail. He's so cute when he does that.

[Prof. Astrid Black]

As much as I would love to have an owl, I’m so much a cat person that I wouldn’t be able to have an owl if I couldn’t also have a cat. The owls would have a place in the Owlery and be able to hunt and perch and eat and socialize with other owls. However, I would want a constant companionship that a cat offers. I could have a furry cuddle buddy at night and have that quiet presence of a cat with me almost all the time. Not to mention the fact that a cat’s purrs actually make a person feel better when they are down or sick. Toads aren’t for me, I’m not a huge fan of them to start with so as a pet that would not make any sense for me. So, while I would love to own my very own owl, the pet I would choose to have at Hogwarts is a very wonderful cat.

The easiest to take care of depends. Owls are taken care of while at Hogwarts in the Owlery. Cats have the same concept as at home, which is minimal. Toads usually live in terrariums and are low maintenance. The funniest of them for me would be the cat. They can be so playful and chase after the most random of things. I’m constantly getting a laugh from the antics of cats. So, it’s all cats for me!

[Arianna Stonewater]

I think an owl would be the best pet to take to Hogwarts. Owls can be trained to do all sorts of fun tricks as well as delivering messages for you. Plus, I think owls are probably the easiest to take care of. They have a wide diet and can go out to hunt their own food. Owls might require a little more attention or playtime than a cat, but they’re not as temperamental or slimy as toads. The also don’t need a special habitat like toads or special toys likes cats. Owls just need the open skies and they already have a nice place to rest and eat at Hogwarts in the West Tower, the Owlery.

[Amanda P. X. Sim]

I would most certainly like to take an owl to Hogwarts. I wouldn't quite mind what breed it is, although we must at least have a connection at first sight before I choose to buy that particular owl as my companion for the rest of my wizarding learning years. Breeds that I quite like include the Eurasian tawny owl, Northern Saw-whet owl, and barn owl. Miniature owls are cute too but they seem to be less useful when it comes to owl post, due to their small size they might not be able to carry large packages. Toads are out of the question for me, so among owls and cats, I think cats would be easier to take care of due to their independent nature, but I still prefer to have owls. I think both creatures have their own personality and behaviours that would probably cause laughter from time to time, so either pet would be funny enough for me.

[Sky Marsh]

Honestly I have been on the fence wether I should have a cat or a owl and because of our owl lesson I picked a owl. I picked a owl because they have a amazing ability at communicating with their owners, sure cats are cute and all. But I feel like you will have a bigger bond with an ow than a cat you know? I think a cat would be easier to take care of than an owl but ultimately I think a owl will love you more in the end which is what really matters. I would also pick an owl because they can also deliver mail for you and do practical things for you. Compared to cat that just sits there and snuggles with you. (No offense Crookshanks, you did more than just snuggle.) I feel like owls can do more for you in a sense. I think it would be so fun to have a owl as a pet because of the big bond you will have with a owl because of their communicating ability. I would pick an owl because you know your going to have a great time with them and that they will love you back if you are kind to them.

[Iverian Gnash]

This is a hard question because, while I'd like a cat, owls serve more of a purpose for sending letters and such. While a cat would be ideal (I'd love to come back to my dorm and find a fluffy furball there who'll give me attention), an owl will carry letters for me. However, an owl may have to be put in the owlery though I'd potentially try to figure out a solution so she could stay with me. I'd prefer to have them both obviously but I could always use one of the owls from the owlery if I needed to send a letter which probably wouldn't be too often. With that said, I'd most likely go with a cat for the attention and overall personality of cats.

Cats are probably the most difficult to take care of, so I think owls are the easiest because of what they eat. A toad would probably be the funniest pet to have because they're the least popular.