I know what you mean. I've had two strange experiences involving pets. The first ties in with Skeptiko. I used to have a cat. He was a bit of an odd bod, having a habit of making strange chirruping noises instead of mewing. He died in 2012. A few years back, I was listening to a Skeptiko on mediumship when I started pondering the fact that I had never had an experience with a deceased person. No sooner had the thought come into my mind than I felt the the couch cushion directly next to my leg depress as if a small weight had landed on it. This was accompanied by a very clear sounding of my dearly-departed cat's trademark chirrup. Strange, hey? So, I suppose I still haven't had an encounter with a deceased person, but possibly a deceased cat!
Okay, second story. When I was a kid, the family dog was a Labrador. Great dog, sweet and gentle but tough when needs be. So, one night as a teen, I was getting a lift back home with a friend, early hours of the morning, we turn the last corner before my house, the car's headlights light up the front gate, and I see see the figure of a giant Labrador, sitting bolt upright, outside the gate, as if standing guard. It was probably about 6 feet high (seated), and looked very regal, something like an Egyptian statue. It was only a flash, but, thing is, my friend saw it too.
So maybe pets are more magical than we think.