So for pet au, would you say the best way to take care of the pets if you want them to be as stable and healthy as possible is to treat them as pets? It seems they tend to freak out if you treat them well but treat them more as a roommate than a pet, since that’s all they’ve been taught they are. I think it varies (Shu probably is the one who would prefer to be more allowed to do anything he wants), but for mental well being would treating them as actual pets be the best course of action?

Admin Mawile: (‘～`；)

-Yeah, it might be better to stick to treating them like pets. If you’re going to introduce more human-like behavior, you have to do it very slowly. Being a pet is their entire world view, and changing any of that too quickly is just cruel. It’s removing the one thing they’ve been able to rely on for security and self worth, and turning into something totally different all at once. If you want to be as kind as you can, start by being a gentle owner, and move on to treating them like people only once they’re secure in their place with you.