Pets: A Reflection of Their Human Companions
Written & Photographed By Emily Baadsgaard
Modeled By Emily Baadsgaard, Autumn Adams, & Rikki Clay
Do pets really look like their owners? This idea has circulated for a long time and has recently gained traction on social media. You might see a video of someone with a very round face owning a pug or someone who likes the goth aesthetic owning a black cat. It is a funny juxtaposition, though, when a particularly masculine person has a bunch of cute little bunnies. Still, pets can be a reflection of your lifestyle, or personality. A content creator, Aqib (@aqibra on TikTok, @officialaqibra on Instagram) is a prime example of this. He makes videos of cuddling and pampering his bunnies, as well as doing his own skincare routine, even though based on his looks, we might expect him to have a dog.
If you have seen “101 Dalmatians,” you may remember the scene where Pongo, the Dalmatian, watches out the window, trying to find a human/dog pair for him and his human. He calls each lady who walks by a different “breed.” He judges each of them like we tend to do with dogs, calling them short, old, fancy, or any number of traits. Each lady is walking with a matching dog. They would be in the same color, have the same body type, and walk with the same posture. Although their similarities are exaggerated, there may be some truth to this idea.
When you picture a show Poodle or a Persian cat, does its owner look like a tough MMA fighter? Likewise, does a huge tarantula or snake come with someone who frequently wears pink sundresses? Usually not! These are stereotypes associated with pets. An aspect to consider, however, would be a chicken and egg situation. Do people pick these pets because of the stereotypes or are the stereotypes based on real preferences? Some people likely will not get a Bichon Frisé simply because they do not want to seem too “posh.” Others might avoid a very loveable Pitbull just because of the stigma associated with them. Nevertheless, the biggest factor in choosing your companion is lifestyle. As a busy college student, some pets fit that lifestyle more than others. A guinea pig is easier to fit in a little apartment than a pony.
Along with matching your lifestyle, pets often match the physical traits of their owners as well. They can have the same eye or hair color, body type, or even jawline. There are different face shapes on most pets, just like humans. Even cats have differences in how pointy their ears are or how narrow their face is. Someone with very soft features might have a pet with soft features as well.
Even if it is hard to pinpoint physical attributes that match your pet, the general vibe or personality usually matches. Someone who is more introverted tends to have a shy or anxious pet, as opposed to a more adventurous, outgoing person who might have a high-energy pet. There are endless personality pairs, and a few YouTube channels have even created challenges where you try and match the pet to its owner. “Jubilee,” “Cut,” “Houseparty!,” “Awesome World” and “Kevin Langue” are some of the most popular ones. A channel, “Nectar,” even made videos about blind dating based on pets. It is fun to play along and see how there is a vibe that matches the pet to its owner.
Whether you match your pet’s lifestyle, physical traits, or personality, it is always fun to play dress-up! There are endless costume and grooming competitions for pets, and some owners even choose to sport matching outfits on the regular. Some folks take it to another level and get their pet’s face or paw print tattooed on their body — a few have even copied their pets’ unique pattern or shape made in their fur for a more abstract or aesthetic way to carry their pet with them.
Many of us have a photo library overrun with pictures of our pets sleeping or being goofy, capturing memories to make them last forever. Celebrities are no different. Michelle Obama, Reese Witherspoon, Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian and so many more can be found with photos of their pets. Taylor Swift even included her cat in her Time magazine Person of the Year cover shoot. Even if you do not have millions of followers, a creative photoshoot with your pet can highlight your similarities and spruce up your Instagram page, photo wall, and Christmas cards.
Do you think you match your pet? Or are you one of the rare “opposites-attract” pairs? Did you choose your pet based on what is expected or primarily based on lifestyle? Did you change an aspect of your appearance to match your pet or express your love for them? These are the kinds of questions that are fun to think about when trends like this arise. Regardless, we love our furry, feathery, scaly, or slimy sidekicks. They hold a special place in our hearts whether they match our vibe or not!