Pets ARE Family Too!

[Charlie B53]

Our (spoiled) Dog lives in the house.  He must think that every time Gramma or I eat something that he gets to eat also.  He has a bowl of dry food always available, and he does eat it, about midnight.  But the second either of us finish eating something he bounces up and starts dancing, excited, dashing off towards the kitchen to dance in front of the refrigerator.  Waiting for me to get him a hot dog.  Yeah, I spoil him also.  It isn't only Gramma, but she started it. He tells me when he needs to go outside, but doesn't stay out very long.  Especially now that the temps outside are in the VERY low single digits.  Like 2.  He won't even take the time to bark at the deer in the yard feeding on all the acorns.  I knew a couple months ago that it was going to be a cold one this year.  Massive amounts of acorns, far far more than normal years.  Mother Nature knows and somehow tells the trees to prepare more feed for the deer to fatten them up to withstand this frigid weather.

Cat usually only comes inside to cisit, maybe take a nap, then she tells me to let her outside again.  Her food and water dishes are in the garage and when above freezing weather I leave one garage door up a couple of inches for her and the other semi-feral black cat that eats and stays here.  That cat doesn't trust me well enough to come inside the house.  She will come sit a couple of feet away from me when I go out in the garage for a cigarette.  I haven't smoked inside for 30 odds years so I have insulated the garage.  Freezing weather I shut the doors and turn on a baseboard heater to keep it above freezing.

These low temps Alley Cat has decided to stay inside.  Every time I go out for a smoke she jumps up and follows me like a puppy on a string.  Eats a couple of bites, then sitting waiting at the door to go back inside.

It's funny how Dog can be curled up on the couch napping, Cat curled up in a recliner, I tell them Pa Pa is going to go take a nap and I head into the bedroom.  Before I can get laid down and my CPAP mask on BOTH dog and Cat are in bed and curling up right up against me.

Poor Black Kitty is still outside.  I keep opening a garage door when I am out there, and sometimes she does come in the garage to spend the night out of the frigid weather.  So far not tonight.  But I'll check again, and again before I go to bed.

[smartcookie]

My pets are definitely my family!  I have missed my turtle this winter; he is hibernating in the back yard.  He has a nice little house my hubby built him with soft dirt to burrow in and some hay to keep him warm.  My baby turtle is still doing well and is upstairs in the house to get some better heat.  My sweet dog and cat have been spending their time curled up with me or playing downstairs.  They are the sweetest!  Both my cat and dog are spoiled rotten.  The cat insists on eating the dog food and the dog insists on eating my food!  There is never a dull moment with those two around!  They are best buds!

[Jean]

My beautiful orange cat changes his resting places all the time. He goes from the bed to the couch to the hallway floor. ( Go figure) He always has a full bowl of dry food, and treats and God forbid the levels go beneath his desired spots. You would think he has been starved to the point of death when I bring out the can of wet food on Sundays and he does the " I am starved, please feed me" dance. He thinks he has to join me in my visits to the bathroom and has a special spot to sit and observe what I am doing. I have a large records box on a chair at the end of my desk and that has become his" brush me" spot. He tries to lay there at least 3 hours a day as I enjoy my computer and I always brush him of course. I dont know what I would do with out him.

[Simon Dog]

I became even closer to my Westie Simon in the last few years of his life.  He still enjoyed being a dog, but he lost the ability (or motivation, not sure which) to climb up or down stairs.    He started leaking on the floor in the middle of the night, and the solution was to carry him to to bed with me every night and out to the yard every AM.  That solved the problem, and he seemed to really like it.  He always backed up to me a night, like I was covering his six from predators.

He slept with me until the very last night of his life, and died naturally (no blue juice) in my daughters arms at the vet hospital on 12/24.

I really miss him.  He was a good dog.  16 Years 8 Months 2 Days.   A good run, but I wish it was longer.

[smartcookie]

I am sorry for your loss, Simon Dog!  My childhood dog passed away when I was in grad school.  He had a seizure, fell in the pool and drowned before my mom could get him out.  He never could swim.  My other dog that my family got in high school passed away shortly after I started working in dialysis.  He died from kidney failure.  They are so hard to let go of.  I dream of both those dogs at least once a week still. 

[kristina]

My pets are definitely my family!  I have missed my turtle this winter; he is hibernating in the back yard.  He has a nice little house my hubby built him with soft dirt to burrow in and some hay to keep him warm.  My baby turtle is still doing well and is upstairs in the house to get some better heat.  My sweet dog and cat have been spending their time curled up with me or playing downstairs.  They are the sweetest!  Both my cat and dog are spoiled rotten.  The cat insists on eating the dog food and the dog insists on eating my food!  There is never a dull moment with those two around!  They are best buds!

Hello smartcookie,
Many thanks for sharing this lovely photo with us! Your pets are certainly very sweet looking and I am sure they are just adorable to be with!
Thanks again from Kristina.

[kristina]

I became even closer to my Westie Simon in the last few years of his life.  He still enjoyed being a dog, but he lost the ability (or motivation, not sure which) to climb up or down stairs.    He started leaking on the floor in the middle of the night, and the solution was to carry him to to bed with me every night and out to the yard every AM.  That solved the problem, and he seemed to really like it.  He always backed up to me a night, like I was covering his six from predators.

He slept with me until the very last night of his life, and died naturally (no blue juice) in my daughters arms at the vet hospital on 12/24.

I really miss him.  He was a good dog.  16 Years 8 Months 2 Days.   A good run, but I wish it was longer.

Hello Simon, it is very hard to lose a beloved pet and I am very sorry for your loss.
Best wishes from Kristina.

[kickingandscreaming]

My dog, Roxie, will be 16 in February. She's a good sized dog so 16 is quite old for her.   She has dementia and seems to be taking her orders from some unknown (to me) source.  She pees on the rug now.  Every night.  I think she goes into Lala land where it's OK to pee wherever.  She's a very clean (and very well trained) dog, so this is a real departure for her.  And it's awful for me.  But I can't hold it against her.  She can't help it. I realize her days are numbered.  When she leaves me, I have no idea how i will survive.  She is not only my family.  She is all I have. When I'm with her, I am full of love.  I think that's why our relationships with animals can be so powerful.  When we are with them we are filled with love and that is so different from how most of us feel about most of the things in our world.

[Michael Murphy]

Charlie if you want to get the outdoor in I did it once we had a cute black kitten living out side our house.  The other liter mates would attack her if she went to eat any food we set out.  Since she looked awful I began to take food out to her every evening.  I then stood guard while she ate, most nights it worked but the other cats became bolder in their attacks so I began to move the food closer and closer to the side door.  Eventually opened the door and got her to eat at the bottom of the kitchen stairs then One night on a very cold day I shut the storm door. She became a very unhappy indoor cat.  My wife moved her to the cellar and began to civilize her.  Eventually she was moved to my bedroom where she spent the next 18 years.  Never got along with the other cats but she and I grew very fond. Last year I spent 2 weeks in the hospital and my wife said she missed me.  When I got home she was glad to see me but she didn’t look good so I took her to a vet and she had mouth cancer.  I was not happy but best for her was to,put her down.  Still miss that cat.
Modified to correct grammar and spell check mistakes,

[kristina]

My dog, Roxie, will be 16 in February. She's a good sized dog so 16 is quite old for her.   She has dementia and seems to be taking her orders from some unknown (to me) source.  She pees on the rug now.  Every night.  I think she goes into Lala land where it's OK to pee wherever.  She's a very clean (and very well trained) dog, so this is a real departure for her.  And it's awful for me.  But I can't hold it against her.  She can't help it. I realize her days are numbered.  When she leaves me, I have no idea how i will survive.  She is not only my family.  She is all I have. When I'm with her, I am full of love.  I think that's why our relationships with animals can be so powerful.  When we are with them we are filled with love and that is so different from how most of us feel about most of the things in our world.

Hello K&S,
what a wonderful write-up about your lovely soul-mate-pet Roxie! I wish you both lots of time ahead to enjoy each other's company for as much time as is possible!
Best wishes and good luck to you both from Kristina.

[kickingandscreaming]

Thank you, Kristina.

[kitkatz]

These are Pumpkin the Cat and Trinket the Dog

[Simon Dog]

My closest friend told me that losing an animal is more painful that losing a person.     From my experience, I suspect he may be right.

[smartcookie]

Losing pets is so hard.  I think it is because they are so innocent and love unconditionally.  They don't care what we look like or what we do.  They just love us anyways.  Kit Kat, your babies are beautiful!  How much does your cat weigh?  My little Hugo is only 9 months, but he is already the size of a full grown cat.  I am thinking he is a going to be a big boy, like your Pumpkin!

[Riki]

I have a small kitty named Cleo who can't decide who she wants to follow more, me or my mom.  She's so high strung.  She freaks is we close a bathroom or bedroom door, and if you turn on the shower, you won't see her for an hour or so.  She only lets me pet her when I'm on the toilet, which I think is weird.  Any other time I try to pet her, she will bite or scratch me.  She sleeps under my bed, so I guess she must like me in some way

[Rerun]

My little Min Pin is going on 9 and is getting silver on her muzzle.   She is so sweet in the house.  But outside she does not mind.  I'm glad she only weighs 10 pounds.  She sees something she just drags me.  CAT... Squirrel...