Cats and dogs are so endearing. I fall in love with strays all the time, in addition to the ones I've owned. When the strays stop visiting or the housemates die, it's a horrible feeling. I don't know if I could handle something like a parrot, though a hatchling now would probably outlive me. Turtles, definitely. Interesting how some animals that are made into pets can outlive the original owner by decades while others die within a couple.