Our emotional attachment to pets

I'm not sure that everyone is like this or not, but me and a vast majority of the people I know all seem to have an emotional attachment to their pets. I've lost three amazing ones in the last four years.
Pete was actually my grandparents dog but when they went off to Florida each year in the winter we would take care of him. I know that most golden retrievers have an awesome disposition but Pete was nothing but a big baby. He loved to lay with you and have you pet him, he was playful and sweet and he loved everyone. He was about 13 when his hips quit working and he lost his bark and my grandparents decided it was time to put him to sleep.

Webster was my first pet and I got her when I was 4 years old. She was a from a litter of barn cats and my grandparents neighbors and followed me around. One day my grandma decided I needed a pet and gave her to me. She was an outdoor cat for about 10 years of her life and wasn't always the most affectionate cat but she was fun. When we moved she became and indoor cat and her personality changed a little, she wanted to sit with you and she begged like a dog - she loved cheese and would even eat potato chips! She was almost 22 when we had to have her put to sleep and no one believed it. She developed a horrible limp and wasn't using the litter box anymore.

Priscilla came about 5 years after Webster and she was a runt and the only kitten that survived her litter. We got her from a guy my dad worked with and she quickly took a liking to my brother and my mom. She was a really small cat and her markings were beautiful. She was playful and sweet and always wanted to be around you. She got sick very suddenly and we found out she was in kidney failure and had to be put to sleep - she was 15 years old.

Its amazing to me the bonds that we create with our pets. A good friend of mine from college just lost her cat to a sudden illness, I had gone with her to the shelter to pick her out and she was a cool cat. If something ever happened to Bessie or does happen I don't know what I'm going to do or how I will be able to handle everything. I guess when you don't have kids your pets are your children, your family and your life. I mean really, I talk about my dog like she is a person and baby her like no tomorrow. Anyone else like this with their pets? I know I can't be alone!