People in the Middle Ages did keep pets – dogs, cats, birds, monkeys and many other kinds of animals. Although they often had particular duties – i.e. hunting or catching rats – there are many accounts that showed affection and love between these pets and their owners.
Scattered in various texts and remains from the Middle Ages, and the research by Kathleen Walker-Meikle has uncovered several examples of medieval pet names:
Medieval Pets, by Kathleen Walker-Meikle (Boydell, 2o12)
Medieval Dogs, by Kathleen Walker-Meikle (London, 2011)
Medieval Cats, by Kathleen Walker-Meikle (London, 2011)