Halliday & Matthiessen (1999: 195):
Domestic pets: cats, dogsGeneral category: between 'conscious' and 'animal'.Particular features: alternation between he/she and it; general nouns as 'animal' (she's a stupid creature); individuated by proper names, with attitudinal variants; addressed as if conscious (what do you want?); expanded in talking to children (pussy-cat, puppy-dog).