This is the 14748th most frequent Russian word.
питомец
"Питомец" - pet or fosterling.
Here, 'питомец' denotes small animals that people might keep as pets, which are raised in a nursery setting.
Этот питомник занимается выращиванием различных питомцев, от хомячков до попугаев.
This nursery specializes in raising various pets, from hamsters to parrots.
In this usage, 'питомец' generically refers to an animal cared for by humans, emphasizing the responsibility of their care.
Питомец должен быть всегда под присмотром, чтобы оставаться в безопасности.
A pet must always be supervised to remain safe.
In this sentence, 'питомец' refers to a domestic animal kept for companionship, exemplified by the cat, Barsik.