What do pets mean to you?

I think I have a bias but cats and dogs are considered as family but other pets are just pets. This doesn't mean that we don't take care of other pets as well but I think other pets are rather "impersonal" in nature. I don't talk to my fish or birds or hamster. I can't cuddle them and baby them like I do with my cats and dogs. I used to have chickens and since they would let me cuddle them, they were considered as family. They all died of old age. Not a single one was eaten.