A pet plant? Surely not, you say! Why not, I ask. After all, what is a pet?
A pet is defined as a “domestic or tamed animal kept for companionship or pleasure.” When we think of pets, our four-legged furry friends probably come to mind first. But animal pets are not just dogs and cats. Pets come in all shapes and sizes, and not all of them can be considered domestic or tame. For pet owners though, even those with exotic animals, those animals must afford them some companionship or pleasure. If not, why have them around as pets? When I think of a snake, and I try not to think of them, neither companionship nor pleasure comes to mind. But even if they are kept for companionship or pleasure, most will agree that they are neither domestic or tame.
But let’s not stop at animals, either tame or exotic. What about the inanimate objects folks call pets? Remember the pet rock? And the chia pet? But why stop there? We live in a digital world so, naturally, we should have digital pets. Tamagotchi, anyone? It appears that just about anything may be considered a pet, so why not plants? At least plants are living things. You may not be able to cuddle with them in your bed as you would a dog or cat, but you cannot cuddle with any of those exotic pets either, not if you want to live.
So, it’s not a stretch of the imagination to see that plants can be pets. I am even prepared to go out on a limb and say that plants are great companions. Plants give pleasure, both for the beauty they bring to a room as well as for their potential health benefits. Like those other pets, both living and not, you can talk to plants, give them names, and do whatever is necessary to take care of them. And since plants are relatively low maintenance, the pleasure one receives tends to outweigh the care they need to grow and be healthy. Of course, if you are looking for zero maintenance, there’s always the pet rock.
So, what is a pet? I would say that it is something that brings joy and pleasure into the lives of their pet parents. Check out my pet plant Calypso.
