People keep pets for a range of reasons. For some they are a substitute for human contact, for others a way to act out their motherly instincts and for a few, just a status symbol. For many, however, there is a natural affiliation with other forms of living things, whether its cats, dogs, birds, reptiles, fish or whatever. These are the type of people who are virtually never without some form of pet throughout their lives. This affliation is not about having a substitute or pleasing anyone else... it is about the bond between the person and their animals. This type of pet keeper does not quite feel ‘whole’ if deprived of their pets. My twin sister is one such person and it would seem 'vampstorso' is likely in the same category. Only you know if you are too.
There has been some excellent advice given. I’ll simply try to add to it.
Clearly, your present situation is incredibly stressful on both of you. High stress levels do affect one’s ability to think, feel and react normally. Communication is often an early casualty in such situations. Somehow, you guys need to get back to the basics of communicating... working together in a cool, calm and collected frame of mind in order to be able to realistically attempt to resolve your issues. The ability to do so is essential in maintaining a relationship. Once genuine communication is lost, you cannot expect any relationship to flourish. And only genuine communication will reveal the true nature of your relationship and provide the guidance you seek.