Back in the days of my old campaign, a scientist PC found a cute little critter on an alien world, and adopted it as a pet. The critter kind of stayed in the background, as the "Muffled Phosphor" went from one adventure to the next. Over time, it grew somewhat. Until it turned into a monster that went rampaging through the ship. Pistol in hand, Captain Sir John Lightning led the hunt, with Kirk-like enthusiasm. The scientist was not amused, demanding "You must stop this inhuman hunt!" To which the Captain replied "We're not hunting Inhumans!" Eventually, after it had accounted for several Redshirts, the monster was shot by the Captain and the Aslan Ambassador, and ejected out an airlock. (The Aslan suited up, and went EVA with a jetpack and blade, to take its head as a trophy!) When, later in the campaign, another PC brought aboard a black rescue cat named Sable, the housecat came under some scrutiny. Sable proved to be something of a Weirdness Magnet, and virtually indestructible, but no monster. Back in those days, of course, none of us had heard of Flerken, or Eagle's pedigree might have proven to be truly unusual!
they are very therapeutic (and as I work from home, make sure I am not working too hard as they do love to sit on keyboards, then stare at me daring me to move them during their mandated rest periods).
