These internet pets are probably living a better life than you

For many animal companions, anthropomorphising their pets serves a deeper purpose than simply raking in hearts on Instagram—it’s to ease some of the heaviness in their actual beating hearts. Experts believe we’re going through a loneliness epidemic, exacerbated by an overdependence on digital connections that aren’t always as fulfilling as they seem on the surface. These feelings of isolation become aggravated in deracinated South Asians who either grow up far away from their homeland or have trouble assimilating in a new country after they emigrate. For Shaikh, who moved from Memphis to Nashville in October last year, his cats more than fill the friend-shaped hole in his life. “I’ve only made one or two pals from work, so spending time with the cats is pretty much all I do. I’ve also got a stroller to take them into the city,” he says, grinning self-deprecatingly. Shahzad, on the other hand, has no qualms about bailing on plans with his friends to hang out with his bunnies. “After I finish work, I just want to chill with my pets and get in some self-care with them,” he confesses. “It feels like I’ve split fractions of my personality into my five rabbits. Coming home to them feels like returning to my safe space.”