Housepets!
Encyclopedia
Housepets! an anthropomorphic webcomic
by Rick Griffin. The comic is loosely based upon a series of sketches created in Griffin's childhood about a dog
named Bino, who also appears as a supporting character in the comic as it exists today. Griffin came up with the idea of expanding his sketches into a full webcomic in 2006, drew up a few rough strips in 2007, and unveiled the comic itself on June 2, 2008.
Housepets! won the Ursa Major Award for Best Comic Strip for 2009 and 2010.
(the strip itself does not specify the exact location of Babylon Gardens, although Griffin states that the Sandwich house was based upon a former residence of his in North Carolina
). In the Housepets! universe, most animals are sentient; mammals with paws are fully anthropomorphized, having bipedal motion and the ability to talk. Mammals with hooves (and all other animals) retain their usual forms and modes of locomotion (birds, for instance, can talk and fly and have even threatened to unionize in the zoo
if cats were not kept from entering their enclosure). All pets
in Housepets! live double their normal lifespan, though whether this entirely applies to all other animals is hard to know. Animals also enjoy certain rights (for example, a police dog
can arrest humans), but wild animals not kept as pets have no legal status. Most pets are regarded much like surrogate children, referring to their owners as "Mom" and "Dad" as well as adopting their surnames, and may be kept by humans who opt not to have children of their own.
The action of the comic centers around the different characters in Babylon Gardens; though, the comic starts with Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly, pets of the Sandwich family, other characters have been the focus of other arcs
, often adding depth and breath to the world. Most strips adopt a "slice of life" approach, depicting pets dealing with common problems such as coping with boredom, visiting the vet
, and interacting with other pets in the neighborhood. The faces of most humans in the comic never seen, in the same style as the adults in Charles Schulz's Peanuts
.
. Not yet five years old (in human years), Peanut has a young, playful personality and an enthusiasm for game
s of all kinds. Good-natured and loyal, Peanut's youth is a boundless source of energy, but also makes him immature; he is somewhat socially awkward, and quick to cave to peer pressure. An artistic spirit, he is the creator of his own crudely drawn comic strip titled The Adventures of Spot (Superdog) about an invincible dog hero obviously based upon Superman
. Despite his naiveté, Peanut is nonetheless intelligent and an avid reader, and can often be found with his nose in a book. Peanut has a physical attraction toward cats, a fact that has caused problems in his social life (as interspecies relationships are considered a taboo
). To further complicate matters, Peanut lives with Grape and has what Griffin calls "a mild crush" on her; he made an aborted attempt to confess his feelings to her, and has not tried again since.
Grape Jelly Sandwich, a cat
. Despite being younger than Peanut, Grape typically acts as his big sister; of the two of them, she is the more mature, level-headed, and laid-back. She is largely uninterested in the complex politics of the neighborhood dogs, preferring a simpler (and usually violent) approach to solving problems; when not in conflict with them, she spends most of her time taking catnaps or lazing around the house. She's a dedicated fan of Pridelands, a popular fantasy
book
series. Griffin always intended Grape to be female
, although early strips give no indication of her gender one way or the other; her tomboyish attitude led to the general assumption that she was male
. The truth would not come out until two months into the comic's run, when she revealed to an astonished (and smitten) Peanut that she was, in fact, a girl. As a kitten, Grape was rescued from an animal shelter
by the Sandwiches after being abandoned by her original family; a painful experience that continues to affect her. Perhaps as a result of this earlier trauma, Grape is somewhat introverted, and has few companions other than Peanut himself, whom she considers her best friend; as such, she is rather protective of him and often engages him in shared make-believe adventure. Over the last year, Grape has attempted to be more outgoing, socializing with other cats in the community and even dating her neighbor Maxwell.
Mr. & Mrs. Earl Sandwich are Peanut and Grape's owners and "parents." Seldom seen, and even then, only from the neck down. They got pets because they weren't sure they were ready to have children of their own; they moved to Babylon Gardens due to the pet-friendly neighborhood and their mutual fondness of animals. Mr. Sandwich works as an auto mechanic, Mrs. Sandwich's job, if any, has yet to be mentioned.
Bino, the de facto leader
of the neighborhood dog club
, The Good Ol' Dogs' Club, but only when Fido is not around. Scheming, obnoxious, petty, and in Griffin's words, "downright mean", Bino is bitter about being constantly overshadowed by his more successful (and more popular) older brother Fido. He takes out his frustrations upon the other dogs in the neighborhood in order to make himself feel superior; however, Bino has a tendency not to think his schemes through, and they often end with him getting hurt.
Joey, Bino and Fido's younger brother. The runt
of his litter, he is often ignored. He copes with his isolation by often partaking in both tabletop and live-action roleplaying sessions, the latter in which he dresses like a cat
. It was during one of these sessions that he met his live-in girlfriend
, a mouse
named Squeak. Joey has also expressed great artistic abilities. Somehow, in his cat suit, he is not recognized as being 'Joey' by other pets.
Fox, Fido's best friend and the most intelligent member of Bino's clique
. Fox was briefly abducted by PETA members who wanted to "set him free" from his life of bondage as a pet, but since his owner also happened to be a police officer, he was swiftly rescued. Fox expresses reservations about Bino's hostile behavior toward other dogs (such as picking on Peanut), but usually follows Bino's lead for the sake of their friendship.
Rex, is Bino's friend and muscle
in his clique. Though not the brightest of the dogs, he is strong and apparently has great cooking skills and discerning taste (or, at least, can taste subtle differences in coffee blends). His owner adopted him because he was supposed to be a great watchdog, but it turns out he's just great at picking out watches.
Maxwell, Bino's housemate, identified by the distinctive ragged bite mark in his right ear. Like Grape, he thinks poorly of the neighborhood dogs' complicated social structure and enjoys tormenting Bino about it. Quick-witted and snarky, Maxwell has a reputation for being annoying, although he is friends with most of the other cats in the neighborhood. He was shocked to discover that Grape was a girl, but soon tried to ask her out. Ultimately Grape and Maxwell ('Maxie') started dating, much to Peanut's dismay. Like Grape he is a fan of Pridelands.
Sasha, a dog who has an on-again-off-again relationship with Bino depending on his standing with the neighborhood dogs and whether or not she feels like it. Although friendly and well-intentioned, Sasha is something of an airhead
, and her mind has a tendency to wander. Sasha also comes from a broken home; her owner is an abusive, beer-swilling woman-chaser who locks her out of the house as "punishment" for his own failure to find a date. According to Pete, Sasha is "protected", but he did not elaborate upon what this means. Sasha has surprisingly been proven to be a virtuoso at the piano. When Bino gave her a mini-piano as a late Valentines gift, she composed a piece in her head without using a piano for reference, and then proceeded to play it perfectly, despite never playing the piano before. The title of this song is: "Sonota for My Boyfriend Who, if He Ever Regifts He Again, Will Wake up With His Ears Stapled to His Eyeballs, in D minor."
Daisy, a black Labrador Retriever
who seems to be more dense than Sasha. She appears randomly and her only quote is, "Hi, I'm Daisy!"
Fido, Bino's older brother, a K-9 cop, and the "official" leader of the Good Ol' Dogs Club. Fido is the "top dog" in the neighborhood, a role model
whom all the male dogs want to be like, and all the female dogs want to be with. Modest
and well-spoken, Fido is more well-adjusted than either of his siblings. He is in love with Sabrina, one of the neighborhood cats, but must keep it a secret for the sake of his flawless reputation and position as community leader; although Peanut and Grape are aware of their relationship
, their affair is not public knowledge.
Sabrina, Fido's cat girlfriend. Good-hearted and pacifistic, Sabrina has a soft spot for rescuing feral animals, which she then passes along to Fido to be safely relocated. Sabrina wears an ankh
on her color while Tarot has an Egyptian
eye symbol, indicating the two may belong to the same owner. She and Fido were photographed kissing by Peanut, though they are both unaware of this.
Spo, a mouse. Spo was given to Fido by his girlfriend Sabrina to be released since she abhors violence
. This apparently is not the first time Sabrina has given Fido a 'charity case'. Though Spo makes off-color remarks aand seems to be deliberately trying not to make friends, the opposite is true: he desperately wants a friend but lacks appropriate social skills. Fido feels sorry for Spo and somewhat 'adopts' him, ultimately allowing Spo to hang out behind his ears
, even on investigations (though this is rare since Spo tends to have a big mouth).
Tiger Arbelt, a dog with an unfortunate name
. When he was adopted as a pup, his owner was not aware that being named after a cat was a social h-bomb for dogs. The other dogs will not let up on this, and it’s driven Tiger to become aggressive
and paranoid. Additionally, he has an eating disorder, which stems from his constant emotional problems.
Marvin Arbelt, Tiger’s feline housemate, who is more patient and understanding with Tiger than the dogs. He and Tiger seem to have a relationship based very loosely on the Garfield
comic strip. Their usual routine was disrupted by Zach's presence.
Zach Arbelt, is the newest member of the Arbelt family. He's a rabbit
rather hyped up after being in the pet store since he was a kit, but now he’s not sure he likes being a pet. Oftentimes he feels alienated
by the other pets. He once ran away from home and during his time in the woods
he managed to accidentally free Pete from his imprisonment.
Mr. Bigglesworth (+10), a bunch of Siamese cats who share the same name (even the girls). Reson being, their owner is an old lady who can't tell them apart.
The Milton Ferrets, Keene, Lana, Duke, Pit, Rock, and Simon are the beloved pet ferrets of Henry Milton, the founder of Babylon Gardens. After Henry passed on they inheirited a great deal of his estate and fortune, much to the displeasure of other relatives.
Miles, A wolf who decides to live in society, with his pack (His mate, brother and three cubs). He is friendly and tries to do the right thing. However, he and his pack are having a bit of trouble adjusting to human life.
Tarot, a Pomeranian
who mysteriously appeared to comfort a heartbroken Peanut after Grape began dating Maxwell. Tarot is a powerful psychic medium
who can summon spirits, cause telekinetic phenomena, use mental projection into other people's minds (to create a very realistic illusion), communicate telepathically, and foresee the future
; her eyes glow a bright green when her powers are in use. Some of her powers, like telepathy and reading minds, seem limited to Peanut. Why this is the case is, so far, unmentioned.
Joel/King, a former PETA
member who participated in Fox's abduction
. When he was a child, Joel's pets were abused by his parents; when they decided to run away, they took Joel with them. However, after a few nights on the street, Joel's pets became feral
and turned on him, an experience that led him to conclude animals could not be trusted. Despite this, he joined ASPCA though he was later kicked out for unspecified reasons. He joined PETA after this because they do not do background checks. While awaiting trial for dognapping Fox, Joel was taken from his prison cell by Pete, who turned him into a dog for reasons that are unclear (at first it seemed like this was to help him learn some sort of lesson, but later events call this into question). While he would ironically end up befriending Fox, Joel also experienced Bino's cruelty first-hand, and remains deeply resentful of what he regards as petty animals who "can't see the world past their own noses". In his canine persona, Joel is known as King and has the form of a Pembroke Welsh corgi
. He lives with Pete as his "pet".
Pete, the assumed name of an extradimensional entity of "unspeakable power" who typically appears in the form of a blue gryphon
. Pete first appeared to Grape in a dream, although she woke up clutching one of his feathers; this started a chain of events that would later involve Grape (accidentally) helping to release Pete from his imprisonment
. He is capable of (among other things) flight
, teleportation
, and shapeshifting
(both himself and others), and is currently living in Babylon Gardens in the guise of an elderly human man. Tarot claims that Pete is "neither kind nor good", "is actually sort of a jerk", and is somehow linked to her visions of doomsday. His true motives are unknown and his only known actions so far are to turn Joel into King and move into Babylon Gardens.
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
by Rick Griffin. The comic is loosely based upon a series of sketches created in Griffin's childhood about a dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
named Bino, who also appears as a supporting character in the comic as it exists today. Griffin came up with the idea of expanding his sketches into a full webcomic in 2006, drew up a few rough strips in 2007, and unveiled the comic itself on June 2, 2008.
Housepets! won the Ursa Major Award for Best Comic Strip for 2009 and 2010.
Premise
The primary setting of Housepets! is Babylon Gardens, a suburban neighborhood somewhere within the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(the strip itself does not specify the exact location of Babylon Gardens, although Griffin states that the Sandwich house was based upon a former residence of his in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
). In the Housepets! universe, most animals are sentient; mammals with paws are fully anthropomorphized, having bipedal motion and the ability to talk. Mammals with hooves (and all other animals) retain their usual forms and modes of locomotion (birds, for instance, can talk and fly and have even threatened to unionize in the zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
if cats were not kept from entering their enclosure). All pets
PETS
PETS may be an acronym for:* Pet Travel Scheme, which allows animals to travel internationally without quarantine* Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act...
in Housepets! live double their normal lifespan, though whether this entirely applies to all other animals is hard to know. Animals also enjoy certain rights (for example, a police dog
Police dog
A police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
can arrest humans), but wild animals not kept as pets have no legal status. Most pets are regarded much like surrogate children, referring to their owners as "Mom" and "Dad" as well as adopting their surnames, and may be kept by humans who opt not to have children of their own.
The action of the comic centers around the different characters in Babylon Gardens; though, the comic starts with Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly, pets of the Sandwich family, other characters have been the focus of other arcs
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
, often adding depth and breath to the world. Most strips adopt a "slice of life" approach, depicting pets dealing with common problems such as coping with boredom, visiting the vet
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
, and interacting with other pets in the neighborhood. The faces of most humans in the comic never seen, in the same style as the adults in Charles Schulz's Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
.
Cast
Peanut Butter Sandwich, a dogDog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
. Not yet five years old (in human years), Peanut has a young, playful personality and an enthusiasm for game
Game
A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...
s of all kinds. Good-natured and loyal, Peanut's youth is a boundless source of energy, but also makes him immature; he is somewhat socially awkward, and quick to cave to peer pressure. An artistic spirit, he is the creator of his own crudely drawn comic strip titled The Adventures of Spot (Superdog) about an invincible dog hero obviously based upon Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
. Despite his naiveté, Peanut is nonetheless intelligent and an avid reader, and can often be found with his nose in a book. Peanut has a physical attraction toward cats, a fact that has caused problems in his social life (as interspecies relationships are considered a taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
). To further complicate matters, Peanut lives with Grape and has what Griffin calls "a mild crush" on her; he made an aborted attempt to confess his feelings to her, and has not tried again since.
Grape Jelly Sandwich, a cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
. Despite being younger than Peanut, Grape typically acts as his big sister; of the two of them, she is the more mature, level-headed, and laid-back. She is largely uninterested in the complex politics of the neighborhood dogs, preferring a simpler (and usually violent) approach to solving problems; when not in conflict with them, she spends most of her time taking catnaps or lazing around the house. She's a dedicated fan of Pridelands, a popular fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
series. Griffin always intended Grape to be female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
, although early strips give no indication of her gender one way or the other; her tomboyish attitude led to the general assumption that she was male
Male
Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...
. The truth would not come out until two months into the comic's run, when she revealed to an astonished (and smitten) Peanut that she was, in fact, a girl. As a kitten, Grape was rescued from an animal shelter
Animal shelter
An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless, lost, or abandoned animals; primarily a large variety of dogs and cats.Parrots, for example, are the third most common pet owned by people...
by the Sandwiches after being abandoned by her original family; a painful experience that continues to affect her. Perhaps as a result of this earlier trauma, Grape is somewhat introverted, and has few companions other than Peanut himself, whom she considers her best friend; as such, she is rather protective of him and often engages him in shared make-believe adventure. Over the last year, Grape has attempted to be more outgoing, socializing with other cats in the community and even dating her neighbor Maxwell.
Mr. & Mrs. Earl Sandwich are Peanut and Grape's owners and "parents." Seldom seen, and even then, only from the neck down. They got pets because they weren't sure they were ready to have children of their own; they moved to Babylon Gardens due to the pet-friendly neighborhood and their mutual fondness of animals. Mr. Sandwich works as an auto mechanic, Mrs. Sandwich's job, if any, has yet to be mentioned.
Bino, the de facto leader
Leader
A leader is one who influences or leads others.Leader may also refer to:- Newspapers :* Leading article, a piece of writing intended to promote an opinion, also called an editorial* The Leader , published 1909–1967...
of the neighborhood dog club
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
, The Good Ol' Dogs' Club, but only when Fido is not around. Scheming, obnoxious, petty, and in Griffin's words, "downright mean", Bino is bitter about being constantly overshadowed by his more successful (and more popular) older brother Fido. He takes out his frustrations upon the other dogs in the neighborhood in order to make himself feel superior; however, Bino has a tendency not to think his schemes through, and they often end with him getting hurt.
Joey, Bino and Fido's younger brother. The runt
Runt
A runt is a smaller specimen in a group of animals, usually of offspring in a litter.Runt may also refer to:*Runt , a 1970 album by Todd Rundgren, originally credited to the band Runt...
of his litter, he is often ignored. He copes with his isolation by often partaking in both tabletop and live-action roleplaying sessions, the latter in which he dresses like a cat
Fursuit
Fursuits are animal costumes made from various materials. They range from simple tails and ears to full costumes cooled by battery-powered fans. Fursuits can be worn for personal enjoyment, work or charity....
. It was during one of these sessions that he met his live-in girlfriend
Girlfriend
Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-romantic friend that is closer than other friends....
, a mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
named Squeak. Joey has also expressed great artistic abilities. Somehow, in his cat suit, he is not recognized as being 'Joey' by other pets.
Fox, Fido's best friend and the most intelligent member of Bino's clique
Clique
A clique is an exclusive group of people who share common interests, views, purposes, patterns of behavior, or ethnicity. A clique as a reference group can be either normative or comparative. Membership in a clique is typically exclusive, and qualifications for membership may be social or...
. Fox was briefly abducted by PETA members who wanted to "set him free" from his life of bondage as a pet, but since his owner also happened to be a police officer, he was swiftly rescued. Fox expresses reservations about Bino's hostile behavior toward other dogs (such as picking on Peanut), but usually follows Bino's lead for the sake of their friendship.
Rex, is Bino's friend and muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
in his clique. Though not the brightest of the dogs, he is strong and apparently has great cooking skills and discerning taste (or, at least, can taste subtle differences in coffee blends). His owner adopted him because he was supposed to be a great watchdog, but it turns out he's just great at picking out watches.
Maxwell, Bino's housemate, identified by the distinctive ragged bite mark in his right ear. Like Grape, he thinks poorly of the neighborhood dogs' complicated social structure and enjoys tormenting Bino about it. Quick-witted and snarky, Maxwell has a reputation for being annoying, although he is friends with most of the other cats in the neighborhood. He was shocked to discover that Grape was a girl, but soon tried to ask her out. Ultimately Grape and Maxwell ('Maxie') started dating, much to Peanut's dismay. Like Grape he is a fan of Pridelands.
Sasha, a dog who has an on-again-off-again relationship with Bino depending on his standing with the neighborhood dogs and whether or not she feels like it. Although friendly and well-intentioned, Sasha is something of an airhead
Airhead
An airhead is a designated area in a hostile or threatened territory which, when seized and held, allows the air landing of further troops and material via an airbridge, and provides the maneuver and preparation space necessary for projected operations. Normally it is the area seized in the assault...
, and her mind has a tendency to wander. Sasha also comes from a broken home; her owner is an abusive, beer-swilling woman-chaser who locks her out of the house as "punishment" for his own failure to find a date. According to Pete, Sasha is "protected", but he did not elaborate upon what this means. Sasha has surprisingly been proven to be a virtuoso at the piano. When Bino gave her a mini-piano as a late Valentines gift, she composed a piece in her head without using a piano for reference, and then proceeded to play it perfectly, despite never playing the piano before. The title of this song is: "Sonota for My Boyfriend Who, if He Ever Regifts He Again, Will Wake up With His Ears Stapled to His Eyeballs, in D minor."
Daisy, a black Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United...
who seems to be more dense than Sasha. She appears randomly and her only quote is, "Hi, I'm Daisy!"
Fido, Bino's older brother, a K-9 cop, and the "official" leader of the Good Ol' Dogs Club. Fido is the "top dog" in the neighborhood, a role model
Role model
The term role model generally means any "person who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by others".The term first appeared in Robert K. Merton's socialization research of medical students...
whom all the male dogs want to be like, and all the female dogs want to be with. Modest
Modesty
Standards of modesty are aspects of the culture of a country or people, at a given point in time, and is a measure against which an individual in society may be judged....
and well-spoken, Fido is more well-adjusted than either of his siblings. He is in love with Sabrina, one of the neighborhood cats, but must keep it a secret for the sake of his flawless reputation and position as community leader; although Peanut and Grape are aware of their relationship
Intimate relationship
An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate love and attachment, or sexual activity. The term is also sometimes used euphemistically for a sexual...
, their affair is not public knowledge.
Sabrina, Fido's cat girlfriend. Good-hearted and pacifistic, Sabrina has a soft spot for rescuing feral animals, which she then passes along to Fido to be safely relocated. Sabrina wears an ankh
Ankh
The ankh , also known as key of life, the key of the Nile or crux ansata, was the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic character that read "eternal life", a triliteral sign for the consonants ʻ-n-ḫ...
on her color while Tarot has an Egyptian
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
eye symbol, indicating the two may belong to the same owner. She and Fido were photographed kissing by Peanut, though they are both unaware of this.
Spo, a mouse. Spo was given to Fido by his girlfriend Sabrina to be released since she abhors violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
. This apparently is not the first time Sabrina has given Fido a 'charity case'. Though Spo makes off-color remarks aand seems to be deliberately trying not to make friends, the opposite is true: he desperately wants a friend but lacks appropriate social skills. Fido feels sorry for Spo and somewhat 'adopts' him, ultimately allowing Spo to hang out behind his ears
EARS
EARS may refer to:* Electoral software* Electronic Arts, Redwood Shores campus.* Emirates Amateur Radio Society...
, even on investigations (though this is rare since Spo tends to have a big mouth).
Tiger Arbelt, a dog with an unfortunate name
Name
A name is a word or term used for identification. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. A personal name identifies a specific unique and identifiable individual person, and may or may not include a middle name...
. When he was adopted as a pup, his owner was not aware that being named after a cat was a social h-bomb for dogs. The other dogs will not let up on this, and it’s driven Tiger to become aggressive
Aggressive
“Aggressive” is a New York-based Grammy award-winning music video and commercial directing team of Alex Topaller and Daniel Shapiro.Aggressive has been described by Movie Creation Mag as “having a fascination with the wonderful, in the likes of the surrealist Rafal Olbinski” and “tenacious about...
and paranoid. Additionally, he has an eating disorder, which stems from his constant emotional problems.
Marvin Arbelt, Tiger’s feline housemate, who is more patient and understanding with Tiger than the dogs. He and Tiger seem to have a relationship based very loosely on the Garfield
Garfield
Garfield is a comic strip created by Jim Davis. Published since June 19, 1978, it chronicles the life of the title character, the cat Garfield ; his owner, Jon Arbuckle; and Arbuckle's dog, Odie...
comic strip. Their usual routine was disrupted by Zach's presence.
Zach Arbelt, is the newest member of the Arbelt family. He's a rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
rather hyped up after being in the pet store since he was a kit, but now he’s not sure he likes being a pet. Oftentimes he feels alienated
Social alienation
The term social alienation has many discipline-specific uses; Roberts notes how even within the social sciences, it “is used to refer both to a personal psychological state and to a type of social relationship”...
by the other pets. He once ran away from home and during his time in the woods
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
he managed to accidentally free Pete from his imprisonment.
Mr. Bigglesworth (+10), a bunch of Siamese cats who share the same name (even the girls). Reson being, their owner is an old lady who can't tell them apart.
The Milton Ferrets, Keene, Lana, Duke, Pit, Rock, and Simon are the beloved pet ferrets of Henry Milton, the founder of Babylon Gardens. After Henry passed on they inheirited a great deal of his estate and fortune, much to the displeasure of other relatives.
Miles, A wolf who decides to live in society, with his pack (His mate, brother and three cubs). He is friendly and tries to do the right thing. However, he and his pack are having a bit of trouble adjusting to human life.
Tarot, a Pomeranian
Pomeranian (dog)
The Pomeranian is a breed of dog of the Spitz type, named for the Pomerania region in Central Europe . Classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size, the Pomeranian is descended from the larger Spitz type dogs, specifically the German Spitz...
who mysteriously appeared to comfort a heartbroken Peanut after Grape began dating Maxwell. Tarot is a powerful psychic medium
Mediumship
Mediumship is described as a form of communication with spirits. It is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Voodoo and Umbanda.- Concept :...
who can summon spirits, cause telekinetic phenomena, use mental projection into other people's minds (to create a very realistic illusion), communicate telepathically, and foresee the future
Future
The future is the indefinite time period after the present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the nature of the reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently exists and will exist is temporary and will come...
; her eyes glow a bright green when her powers are in use. Some of her powers, like telepathy and reading minds, seem limited to Peanut. Why this is the case is, so far, unmentioned.
Joel/King, a former PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
member who participated in Fox's abduction
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
. When he was a child, Joel's pets were abused by his parents; when they decided to run away, they took Joel with them. However, after a few nights on the street, Joel's pets became feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
and turned on him, an experience that led him to conclude animals could not be trusted. Despite this, he joined ASPCA though he was later kicked out for unspecified reasons. He joined PETA after this because they do not do background checks. While awaiting trial for dognapping Fox, Joel was taken from his prison cell by Pete, who turned him into a dog for reasons that are unclear (at first it seemed like this was to help him learn some sort of lesson, but later events call this into question). While he would ironically end up befriending Fox, Joel also experienced Bino's cruelty first-hand, and remains deeply resentful of what he regards as petty animals who "can't see the world past their own noses". In his canine persona, Joel is known as King and has the form of a Pembroke Welsh corgi
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a herding dog breed, which originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is one of two breeds known as Welsh Corgi: the other is the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. The corgi is one of the smallest dogs in the Herding Group. Pembroke Welsh Corgis are famed for being the preferred breed...
. He lives with Pete as his "pet".
Pete, the assumed name of an extradimensional entity of "unspeakable power" who typically appears in the form of a blue gryphon
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
. Pete first appeared to Grape in a dream, although she woke up clutching one of his feathers; this started a chain of events that would later involve Grape (accidentally) helping to release Pete from his imprisonment
Imprisonment
Imprisonment is a legal term.The book Termes de la Ley contains the following definition:This passage was approved by Atkin and Duke LJJ in Meering v Grahame White Aviation Co....
. He is capable of (among other things) flight
Flight
Flight is the process by which an object moves either through an atmosphere or beyond it by generating lift or propulsive thrust, or aerostatically using buoyancy, or by simple ballistic movement....
, teleportation
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
, and shapeshifting
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
(both himself and others), and is currently living in Babylon Gardens in the guise of an elderly human man. Tarot claims that Pete is "neither kind nor good", "is actually sort of a jerk", and is somehow linked to her visions of doomsday. His true motives are unknown and his only known actions so far are to turn Joel into King and move into Babylon Gardens.
External links
- Housepets home page
- Rick Griffin's deviantART
- rickgriffin's FA page
- Housepets! on WikiFur