Ever since we humans have put down stakes, we’ve taken up with pets. Whether we seek companionship, a hunting partner, a vermin eliminator, a food source, or spiritual counsel, our pets provide and oblige. And it’s often our pets that provide the kind of love and support that can instantly turn any house into a home.
Research suggests that consciously or not, we as people choose pets that reflect our own physical characteristics and that, given time, and for better or worse, pets adopt aspects of their owner’s personality. And dude, it tracks, consider Neville, Marc Jacobs’s doppelganger dog.
Often, we are our best and most authentic selves around the watchful, grateful eyes of our animal familiars, but what pets are the best match for each zodiac sign?
For you typical types, you can read about which dog aligns with your zodiac sign here, and which cat is an astrological match here.
ARIES (March 21 – April 19)
Pot Bellied Pig
Spruce Pets maintains, “A pig’s high level of intelligence means it will become bored and potentially destructive when it doesn’t have enough activities and social interaction. They are generally a bit headstrong and sensitive. A person must earn their cooperation through lots of positive reinforcement, especially treats.”
The same applies to Aries. The fire sign will respect and relate to the obstinate nature and insatiable appetites of this porcine pet.
TAURUS (April 20 – May 20)
Dog
Taureans expect radical levels of allegiance and affection from everyone in their lives. Fortunately for them, loyalty and a pack-pleasing mentality are established survival strategies among canines. The requirements of a domesticated dog—to be consistently fed, adored, housed, and praised for basic behaviors—are in line with the people of the bull, whose hierarchy of needs is very much the same.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 20)
Pet rock
Geminis are noted more for their keen intellect than caretaking prowess. Prone to forgetfulness and outright acts of disappearance, the world is a better place when they choose an inanimate object rather than a warm-blooded creature to keep as company.
CANCER (June 21 – July 22)
Succulent
Cancer takes loss harder than any other zodiac sign, so it is best for them to tend to a low-maintenance plant with a high chance of survival. Many species of succulents have sharp leaves or barbed exteriors that reflect the defense strategies of this cardinal water sign. These people love deeply and are exhausted easily, so it’s best for them to save their strength for the demands of interpersonal human relationships and enjoy the benefit of air-clearing, room-beautifying succulents.
LEO (July 23 – August 22)
Cat
Feline feels feline and Leo respects anything or anyone that makes them work for attention. Both pet and sign conceive of themselves as demigods in spite of mounting evidence to the contrary. In terms of breeds, the impossibly fluffy, wild-haired, warm-hearted Maine Coon makes for an ideal pet and/or co-ruler.
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VIRGO (August 23 – September 22)
Goat
Like Virgos, goats require a lot of personal space and are equal parts curious, intelligent, and spiteful.
It is essential that goats have a companion and that affection is evenly distributed between them, as an emotionally wounded goat will lash out with sudden aggression if it feels favoritism is at play.
Like Virgos, goats require a lot of personal space and are equal parts curious, intelligent, and spiteful.
Virgo, who loathes being left out and fears being picked last, can relate. In addition, Virgos are fastidious about their food habits and in kind, goats are picky eaters that “prefer to eat food that has not been soiled or fallen on the ground.” Standards and a side-eye, blessed be them both.
LIBRA (September 23 – October 22)
Parrot
A Libra likes their pets pretty and their cages gilded, making a bird the ideal companion and home accessory for this cardinal air sign. Amazon parrots are quick learners adept at imitation, just as Libras are socially fluent creatures that understand the power of mirroring tone, style, and temperament when trying to hold court or take flight.
SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21)
Snake
There is no sign more maligned or misunderstood than Scorpio and no reptile more storied than the snake. Depending on who you ask, both sign and snake are synonymous with evil. For those in the know, however, the commonalities between the two are more related to death and rebirth. Just as a snake sheds their skin in order to live, a Scorpion must cast off the heavy husk of who they were to become who they may yet be.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21)
Horse
Sagittarius is aligned with the myth of the centaur, half man, half horse, and higher in form and function than either. For a Sag, owning a horse is a bit like coming home to themselves. In addition, archers are always down to party, and horses sleep standing up. Freedom-revering Sagittarians will appreciate and relate to this fact: horses that we regard as “wild” today are actually feral horses whose ancestors escaped captivity. Punk rock, dude.
CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19)
Chicken
As a cardinal earth sign, Capricorn is about the bottom line and the tangible benefit. If a sea goat is going to bother with pet care, then god****it that pet better produce. Enter the noble, egg-laying, tick-eating, scrap-composting, dawn-declaring backyard chicken.
AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18)
Ferret
The logic here is simple; Aquarians are the wonderful weirdos of the zodiac and there is no weirder pet than the ferret. Like their water-bearing compatriots, ferrets (Latin for “little thief”) are most active at dawn and dusk and tend to secret away small bits of useless detritus just as Aquarians stockpile trade secrets, the fingernail clippings of dead celebrities, and emotional subjectivity.
PISCES (February 19 – March 20)
Rabbit
A rabbit’s teeth never stop growing, just as the heart of a Pisces never stops hoping. In addition, both form bonds easily and view cuddles as currency. According to Spruce Pets, rabbits “don’t tend to bite, but some might scratch if they feel they’re being improperly handled…A rabbit that is deprived of toys and socialization often becomes destructive”
Likewise, Pisceans make for companionable lovers and dangerous exes.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the star
- The 12 zodiac signs
- What are the astrology houses
- Here’s what each planet represents
- Sun, moon, and rising signs: Get to know your Big 3
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience.
