Aside from family pets, which I shared the responsibility with my siblings, I also took care of the dog of a family friend a few weeks out of the year for a handful of years. In the beginning, he would scarcely eat, so I sat by his bowl and hand-fed him until he began eating on his own. AS for cats, I have a small amount of experience consisting mostly of stopping by to feed them, change their litter, and play with them. Though I don't have quite as much experience with cats as with dogs, I love them just as much, if not more (if that's possible)!