A RUBY NOIR PROMPT |ANIMALS

My House is an Imaginary Zoo

And I’ve got the fictional wildlife to prove it

I’ve owned many animals in my lifetime, or should I say, many animals have owned me. At first, I shared accommodation with pets because I loved them, but as I aged, things shifted, and I lived with them, hoping their presence would improve my mental health.

It was an unfair burden I placed on them and resulted in my often not keeping them for their lifetime, but that’s what decreased mental health creates. An unstable home, an unpredictable future.

Today, our kitten lives in a single-cat household. Ed and I couldn’t love him more. I’d say he lives a happy life.

But Ruby Noir 😈 wants me to adopt more pets. I’m asked to invite at least twelve animals, mostly wildlife, into my home and state why for my choices. Then, she asked me to name them according to a theme and to let you know these reasons, too.

As a person suffering from extreme anxiety, it’s no surprise many of my choices speak to improving my sense of safety while offering nurturing love. I haven’t researched the true personalities of these species, but I have selected them for the animals they represent to me.

It’s my choice. My fantasy. I, therefore, get to choose how this story of creating a home zoo pans out.

Come. Let’s visit my menagerie. Enter my world of make-believe.

If I had an imaginary zoo, here are the animals (wild and domesticated) I’d invite into my home. Each has a name after the loveable children’s toy, the Care Bears. The animals I’ve chosen speak to my heart, so why shouldn’t their names?

While each toy bear has the name bear in its name, my animals' names don’t.

Two Grizzly Bears (Always There and Noble Heart):

I was an insecure child and often fantasized about hugging a bear. I don’t remember ever having a stuffed teddy bear, but imagining the real thing walking side by side with me down a trail offered me great comfort. The bear epitomized a father figure — one filled with overwhelming love, providing a sense of calm.

To be cuddled in the arms of a soft, fuzzy bear meant having a strong and dedicated father who deeply loved me. It was everything this daughter hoped her disabled father could be.

I imagine in my zoo, two grizzly bears sitting upright in front of the television. Ed and I would use them as chairs while munching on popcorn and drinking coffee in style.

Ruby wants to hug a bear. I understand the appeal.

Siberian Tiger (Superstar):

No one can deny the beauty and power behind this majestic creature, but more than the tiger representing protection, this animal represents the mysterious, sexy cat I am. Where I lack the muscular strength and agility once found in my youth, I still carry with me a healthy dose of sensual appeal, at least to Ed.

Having a Siberian tiger in my zoo would keep me erotic and stealth—the perfect combination for feeling youthful and alive.

Doberman Pinscher (Watchful):

In a therapy session one day, I told my doctor that if he were a dog, he’d be my Doberman, and I'd be his cocker spaniel. It showed the power difference I felt in our relationship—my view, not his. I was always playing what if and whose who games at his office when straightforward talking became too much to bear.

My former husband’s family owned a Doberman, and she was a perfect sweetheart. Loyal, genuine, and sweet, she wasn’t a breed you wanted to mess with should you want to harm her people. If I had a zoo, I’d add a Doberman to my menagerie, both for protection and sentimentality.

Echo carved a warm spot in my heart for her memory. If there were no Doberman puppies available for adoption, I wouldn’t mind switching the breed to a King Shepherd (a similarly protective but more docile and family-oriented breed than the German Shepherd.)

Two Shetland Ponies (Harmony and Calming Heart):

Before you say it, I’ll say it for you. I’m too fat to ride a Shetland pony, so why in heaven’s name would I want two? It’s because they’re adorable. I’ve always had great admiration for horses. They’re beautiful and command great respect, and despite years of riding them, they always scared the heck out of me. Having two miniature ponies would similarly give me the benefits of owning an equine without the towering size that I find intimidating.

Why two?

Isn’t two always better than one with anything favourable? That aside. I have young grandchildren who could ride them for the next several years.

Arctic Fox (Dream Bright):

Is there anything cuter than an Arctic fox? With these other animals being too large to hold, I needed a companion who could sit in my lap. I suspect the Doberman or King Shepherd would consider themselves my lapdog, but I’d still want something smaller that wouldn’t cause my sciatic nerve to fall asleep under the weight.

Besides, playing with an Arctic fox in the snow would be fun. Snowball chases, anyone?

Orangutan (Laugh-a-Lot):

When I dug deep to decide who to include in my imaginary zoo, a gorilla came to mind. I sneered and quickly threw the notion out. I HATE gorillas and their pompous behaviour, but then the Orangutan popped into my head. Still large enough to give me a heartwarming hug with its extraordinarily long arms, this ape looks less frightening, and I love its shaggy coat.

Together, we could spend weekends sharing bedhead, cuddles, and playtime. Who wouldn’t want that?

Flemish Giant Rabbit (Sweet Dreams):

Who doesn’t love rabbits if you grew up with Bugs Bunny? The aptly named giant rodents are cute and soft, and most believe they make a desirable pet. However, I assume many are wrong by the number of rabbits found at the shelters. Supposedly, rabbits aren’t a suitable alternative to having a dog, yet many people think they’re interchangeable.

Desiring to add a Flemish giant rabbit to my collection is likely an impulsive grab and one I shouldn’t try because they’re huge. I’m low on lifting power, so carrying around one of these bunnies would not come easily, but I hear they make great pets. So, who am I to argue?

I always have the orangutan who could help tote the rabbit from place to place if it decided not to hop along.

Peregrine Falcon (TenderHeart):

I’ve gone twice to watch medieval knights engage in a duel. While ripping chunks off a chicken drumstick, I “oohed” and “aahed” at the falconer and the falcon that put on a mesmerizing show. But I’ve never wanted one until I read Marthese Fenech’s trilogy about the siege of Malta. In her books, a lovable character, Katrina, nurses a falcon back to health and their bond is beyond moving.

My falcon would have the freedom of the night sky with an open-door policy anytime he visited.

Lynx (Dare to Care):

There’s something incredibly attractive about the lynx—the cute tufts of hair, the tiny tail, the huge paws. I know little about the wildcat, but she’d make a perfect visual addition to my stunning collection.

This exercise was fun, but we can’t forget about number twelve. The most important animal in my household. The kitten who already has turned our household into a zoo.

I introduce you to none other than Huey. The kitten, whom we almost named Houdini because he tried to escape his shelter box the day I brought him home. But the name Huey was more fitting. It reflected our kitten’s playfulness, curiosity, and humorous personality.

No home should be without a “Huey.”

He’s the coolest cat in town, and sometimes, a one-cat household is more than enough.

If you’re looking for prompts, Ruby concocts weekly deep-thought and animal ones. Here’s this week’s. Inside the link, you’ll find this story’s full prompt.

Here are the participants and supporters of the pub’s challenges. Please show their stories some love. (Please let me know if you want your name removed from or added to the list. Either is easy to do, per your request. All you need to do is ask in the comments or a note.)

Ruby Noir, Randy Pulley, The Sturg, Harry Hogg, Susie Winfield, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Trisha Faye, Bernie Pullen, Michelle Jimerson Morris, Paula Shablo, Brandon Ellrich, Ravyne Hawke, Pat Romito LaPointe, Karen Hoffman, Vincent Pisano, Michael Rhodes, Bruce Coulter, Rachella Angel Page, Pluto Wolnosci 🟣, Lisa Guard, Dixie Dodd, Adrian CDTPPW, Leigh-Anne Dennison, barry robinson, Jerry Dwyer, Jennifer Dunne, Lynn L. Alexander, Julia A. Keirns, Emma Vincent, Frances A. Chiu, John Welford, Misty Rae, John Hansen, Zaq Cass, John Hua Technology ☕️