32 Cute Kids and Their Pets

Colton, 11, with his dog, Sully, 1

1. We have to spell b-a-c-o-n because Sully gets too excited if he hears the word. He loves to eat it.

2. He’s a klutz and always slips and falls off the couch.

3. I tried to get Sully to push my wheelchair, but so far it’s not working. He can’t focus.

4. In the winter, we open the door and he runs out and jumps. His face gets covered in snow!

5. Sully falls asleep if you rub his nose.

“You can kind of push Sully’s hair into a mohawk.”

Greer, 9, with Cupcake, 5 months, one of her two pet mice

1. I’m a cat person, but I love Moose and Cupcake. I got the mice as a reward for doing well in school.

2. My mom didn’t want them to have babies, so we got two girls. Females like to live with females, but males can’t live with males.

3. They poop a lot—my mom calls them “pooping machines.”

4. I put strawberries, lettuce, and blueberries in their cage once, but they never ate them. Their favorite treat is carrots!

5. Sometimes they run on their wheel together, but Moose is faster, so Cupcake flips over. The sound of their spinning wheel helps me sleep at night.

“When I first got them, they were dancing in their cage.”

Jackson, 5, and his grandpa’s cat, Mimi, 9

1. If Mimi went to summer camp, her favorite activity would be fishing.

2. I have pet rabbits, but they don’t talk like Mimi does. She says, “Meow, meow, meow.”

3. Mimi’s favorite kind of music is love songs.

4. She has cat friends, like this orange one that lives nearby.

5. Sometimes Mimi lets me tickle her.

“I can make Mimi dance when I hold up a string.”

Mimi was one of four kittens found in a shed near Jackson’s grandparents’ home.

Maya, 8, with her bulldog, Chunk, 1

1. Chunk doesn’t bark at people or other dogs—he just barks at trash cans and flowerpots.

2. At first I could hold him in my arms, but now he weighs more than I do!

3. He tries to eat leaves. We call him a walking vacuum cleaner.

4. He used to come with me to the bus stop and try to get on the bus.

5. Chunk has his own couch by the patio door, so now he’s not on our couch all the time.

6. We brushed his teeth for this photo shoot!

“Chunk isn’t a guard dog—he licks people too much!”

Ethan, 7, with his cat, Jack, 14 weeks

1. I play tag with Jack after school. He even tags me back by raising his paw.

2. If I went on vacation with him, I’d take him to the beach and bury him in the sand. I’d leave his head out so he could breathe.

3. If he had human clothes, he would wear a T-shirt and jeans.

4. Jack can sort of do magic. He actually pulls coins out of my hair when I’m asleep and then hides them under the couch.

5. He sometimes licks me, and it means that he loves me. I’d do anything for him.

Rescued as a kitten in Bloomfield, New Jersey, where he was found under a car with the rest of his litter.

"I want to save 100 cats."

Lemon, 11, with his pigeon, Altz, 4

1. When we found Altz, she was just a tiny baby who didn’t have any feathers yet.

2. We didn’t know she was a girl until she started to lay eggs.

3. Our landlord wasn’t too happy when he found out we had a pigeon.

4. We used to have a cat named Spicy, and Altz kind of had a romance with her. Altz loved to sit right by her all the time.

5. Our family eats organic food, so Altz does too.

6. When she’s upset about something, she starts making noises like an owl. She goes, “Hoo! Hoo!”

Rescued by Lemon and his mom in Clifton, New Jersey, where they found her injured after falling out of her nest.

“People always think we’re joking when we say we have a pigeon.”

Kila, 8, and her tabby cat, Lilo, 4

1. When you pour yourself a glass of water, he just sticks his face in it and starts drinking.

2. He lies on my artwork. One time I built a mini puppet theater from cardboard, and Lilo just kept on sleeping on it.

3. He likes to jump on top of the counter, then hop inside of baskets. It’s his way of doing cat parkour.

4. When he’s outside on our patio, he stares at the pigeons.

5. Lilo loves lasers and flashlights. He’s always amazed when the light disappears.

6. He thinks that my bed is his bed.

Lilo was found on the street with a broken leg. He was adopted from the Place for Cats rescue group, in New York City.

“He’s kind of like a teenager because he sleeps a lot.”

Olivia, 10, and her hermit crab, Pincher

1. We don’t really know how old he is.

2. He eats a lot of garbage. Once I built him a cardboard bridge for his tank, and it disappeared because he ate it! He also eats his own poop.

3. He sheds his skin to grow bigger and changes his shell in super secret.

4. I hear him dragging things around the tank at night when I’m in bed. I turn on his little light and watch him.

5. He doesn’t like my younger brother. He only likes me!

Corey, 6, with his snow-leopard gecko, Raquel, 5

1. We thought she was a boy for a long time.

2. I named her after my mom’s best friend.

3. When she’s scared or sick, she changes color.

4. I don’t know her real birthday, but I think it’s June 3 because my birthday is June 1 and my mom’s is June 2.

5. I like to play games with her, like trying to run faster than her.

6. We have another gecko. Her name is Shaquel because it rhymes with Raquel.

Aya, 7, with her cocker spaniel, Henry, 14

1. I try hard to make sure he’s safe, especially when he’s crossing the street. He takes a while.

2. He sounds like he’s laughing when you rub his tummy.

3. He gives good kisses. You don’t even have to ask for them!

4. If he had a job, he’d be a mailman because he’s so friendly. He’d say hi to everyone!

5. He used to be afraid of thunder, but not anymore because now he can’t hear!

Brooke, 5, with her red-eared slider turtle, Akuma, 26

1. Akuma was my dad’s pet, but he gave her to me when I was 4.

2. She doesn’t like cookies.

3. My favorite song is her favorite song. It’s “Havana,” by Camila Cabello.

4. Sometimes she sounds like a bird.

5. She’s actually fast. She follows us when she’s out of her tank.

6. She has a little baby tail, and the bottom of her shell is very soft.

Dylan, 4, with his cavachon, Max, 10

1. He likes to eat meat like tigers and lions do!

2. When there are animals on TV, he barks at them.

3. I play “Rock, paper, scissors” with him.

4. Sometimes I put raisins in his fur, but my dad takes them out.

5. If I don’t like my food, I give it to Max!

Caroline, 9, with her guinea pigs, S’mores and Chloe, 2

1. We chose the name S’mores because she looks like ... a s’more! And Chloe because we just liked it.

2. They’re nervous all the time, but they’re so sweet.

3. They have a little wooden house in their cage. When they’re both inside, they look like sardines.

4. I always wanted a bunny, but I changed my mind once I saw these two.

5. They “popcorn” a lot, which is when they jump and flip. It’s gymnastics for them.

Jaliyah, 6, with her Chihuahua, Pikachu, 1

1. I named him Pikachu because I think he looks like the Pokémon.

2. My grandpa drove eight hours to bring him to me after he was adopted.

3. We give him doggy mouthwash because he gets dog-food breath.

4. I’m teaching him tricks, like how to roll. We roll on the ground together a lot.

5. He doesn’t like my stuffed animals. He thinks they’re real, so we hide them in high places.

6. He’s feeling playful when he wiggles his tail.

Chloé, 5, with her French Bulldog, Chase, 10 months

1. He’s very protective. Whenever my mom cuts my nails, he barks.

2. Everyone loves him, but he doesn’t have many dog friends. He’s too big for small dogs and can’t keep up with big ones.

3. He tries to get in the bathtub with me.

4. Keep babies away from him—he likes to smell their diapers!

5. We play dress-up. He has a tracksuit, or I put headbands and sunglasses on him.

6. He can jump really high—higher than me!

7. I hide my Play-Doh from him. He tries to eat it if I don’t!

Chelsea, 10, and her Sphynx Cat, Sipriano, 7

1. He’s like a chameleon! He’s pink when he’s warm and white when he’s chilly.

2. He does have some hair—on his paws and around his face.

3. He can’t stay outside, since he can get sunburned fast!

4. He cries if we leave him alone, so he sleeps with me at night.

5. He likes to crawl inside my mom’s shirt, like a kangaroo.

6. He loves to snuggle, because he gets cold easily.

Moraya, 4, and her Basset Hound, Swiffer McPickles, 1

1. He’s named Swiffer because we hoped he’d clean up after us.

2. He loves to watch Cinderella with me.

3. Sometimes I’ll share my mac ’n’ cheese with him.

4. I hold his paws so we can dance to Taylor Swift.

5. We celebrate the day he came home—we don’t know his birthday.

6. I don’t like pickles, but he needed a last name!

Salvatore, 11, hams it up with his Potbellied Pig, Oscar, 1

1. We got pet pigs because one of my brothers is allergic to cats and dogs.

2. Oscar loves to sunbathe. We put sunblock on him so he doesn’t burn.

3. Not only does he squeal, he barks too.

4. Oscar prefers to sleep in piles and piles of blankets.

5. We put him in the pool once. He got so excited, he pooped himself!

6. Pigs can learn hundreds of tricks. So far, Oscar only knows how to sit and how to dance on his legs.

Jaeda, 9, and her Bearded Dragon, Honey, 1

1. I think he’s a boy. We’re not 100 percent sure.

2. He was born in my brother’s classroom on Halloween.

3. He eats lots of kale and crickets—live ones!

4. I watch a ton of YouTube with him. Mostly slime videos.

5. He always bumps into the tank’s glass. He can’t recognize his reflection.

6. He likes to play tag on my bed. I chase him with my hands!

Alexander, 8, with his Domestic Shorthair, Kit Kat, 10 months

1. She’s named after the chocolate bar. That was her name at the shelter.

2. She likes to sit on our balcony, so I use a pot lid and a wooden spoon to call her inside.

3. Her favorite treats are ham and butter. But just a teeny bit of both!

4. She likes her cat toys but loves my sister’s hair ties.

5. I start every day by hugging her.

Lexi, 8, with her Newfoundland, Chewbacca, 2

1. He thinks he’s best friends with our two cats—but they don’t feel the same way.

2. We named him after the Star Wars character because he’s so hairy.

3. Swimming is his superpower. Sometimes he’ll try to save me, even though I’m fine.

4. After he comes out of the water, he looks like a big wet mop.

5. When he stands on his hind legs, he’s almost 5’9”. But he’s afraid of balloons!

6. He’ll demand belly rubs when you give him any attention.

Marcello, 6, with his Duck, Daisy, 10 weeks

1. Before we got her, we watched a lot of YouTube videos to learn about ducks.

2. She sleeps in a chicken coop in our backyard with her sister.

3. Ducks poop a lot, so she can’t walk around in the house anymore.

4. Green peas are her number-one fave treat.

5. We don’t have a pond, but we have a kiddie pool. She needs the water!

6. She walks funny. She always steps on her own toes.

Auden, 7, with his Alaskan Husky, Lupa, 3

1. Her name means “she-wolf” in Latin.

2. She looks like a wolf, so kids get scared of her. She bows down to show she’s not harmful.

3. She’s very quiet, but she’ll howl when I howl!

4. She’s meant to be a sled dog, so she’s obsessed with snow.

5. She likes to sit in the shade. Her skin and eyes are sensitive to the sun.

6. Her favorite movies are The Hobbit trilogy.

7. She’ll chase her own tail for like five minutes.

Brianna, 9, with her Long-Haired Tabby, Coffee, 2

1. He likes to try to eat our food, especially crunchy stuff like popcorn!

2. I walk him around in a special pet stroller that has a net.

3. He plays with my curls every night until he falls asleep. It relaxes him.

4. He loves carrying pencils in his mouth. We don’t know why.

5. We brought him home from the shelter when he was 3 months old.

Brandon, 5, with his Leopard Geckos, Mario and Luigi, 7 months

1. I named them after the video-game characters. I can tell which is which because Luigi has more spots.

2. They are like babies: All they do is sleep and poop.

3. Darkness does not scare them—they love it.

4. You can’t hold a lizard by the tail because it’ll rip off.

5. Sometimes they lie in the water bowl and even drink from it after.

6. They like to crawl under my shirt and sit there. It’s very ticklish!

Jesse, 7, with his Rex Rabbit, Izzy

1. Her fur gets super curly when it’s wet. Like fusilli pasta!

2. Once she tried nibbling on an orange wire. I think she thought it was a carrot.

3. We treat her like a princess.

4. Izzy is usually very calm, but she isn’t if you touch her food bowl. Don’t mess with it!

5. We’ve never seen her close her eyes. I’m going to stay up one night to see if I can catch her sleeping.

6. We don’t know her birthday, but every day is a celebration for Izzy because we love her so much.

Maddie, 9, with her Maltipoo, Chester, 1

1. He brings socks to me in the morning when I’m in bed, so I know he wants to play.

2. When I cry, he licks my tears.

3. I help give him baths. He looks like a rat when he’s wet.

4. He loves being held upright like a baby. Sometimes I wrap him in a blanket too.

5. He can sleep anywhere, such as in piles of dirty laundry.

Sydney, 7, with her pug, Samson Fellini, 13

1. He’s the first child in my family. He’s my big brother.

2. He’s a loud snorer. He sounds like a person!

3. We’re both hungry a lot. I think he dreams of eating.

4. One time I tried to get him to Hula-Hoop, but he just stood there.

5. I don’t want another dog, because he’s perfect. I wish I had a pet unicorn though.

Dylan, 10, with his Boston terrier, Diesel, 2

1. I gave him a tough name because I wanted a tough dog. He looks it, but he's actually not.

2. People said we looked alike when he first came home.

3. Sometimes when I'm skateboarding, he pulls me forward. He does not like getting on the board, though.

4. His favorite thing to do is roll in the mud.

5. We're always together. He waits for me outside the bathroom and scratches on the door if I take too long.

Galaxy, 9, and her brother, Orion, 8, with their Pomeranian, Conzi, 11 months

1. Orion: Conzi is short for Constellation!

2. Galaxy: We also have a golden doodle, and Conzi thinks she’s bigger than him! She’ll lie on top of him like, “I’m queen of the mountain!

3. Orion: Her personality’s like, “I wanna play! I wanna play!”

4. Galaxy: We wash Conzi in the sink since she’s tiny.

5. Galaxy: We pretend we have phones, and when we’re away from Conzi, we pretend to call her because we miss her.

Charlotte, 8, and her Persian cat, Chantilly, 3

1. We named her after Chantilly lace.

2. When she first came home from the shelter, she hid under the bed for a month. Now she’s always near us!

3.  I comb her everyday while my mom combs my hair.

4. She sits on our computer keyboard all the time, but she looks so cute I don’t want to move her.

5. My family calls the two of us Char Char and Chan Chan.

6. I’ve never heard her hiss, and she only meows for treats.

Chantilly was adopted from Happy Homes Animal Rescue, in Old Bridge, New Jersey. She was rescued from a pet hoarder.

Xavier, 10, with his Aussie-corgi, Myla, 2

1. Her nickname is Maple because her ears smell like maple syrup.

2. One of her eyes is blue and the other is brown.

3. Myla can kind of talk. When I was going to bed, I told her that I loved her, and she whined back.

4. She has a Wonder Woman and a chicken costume.

5. She jumps through the snow like a rabbit.

This story originally appeared in Parents magazine as “Animal House!"