Furry Friends

What are the stories behind everyone's pets?
Heres mine:
Our family dog is Rascal. Shes part German Shephard and part black lab. And shes a jumper. Shes getting a bit old now and has arthritis but she still jumps...off the doorstep, landing several feet away...across our flower beds...onto her dog house. But she did grow out of the habit she iused to have...jumping over her pen fence which is very high! My dad doesn't like pets. When we were young my brother and I begged and begged to get Rascal. At first he was really strict with her, but now she's Dad's baby. She used to spend all her time outside..even on the coldest day of winter. But now Dad has a little corner of the basement set aside for her. He made her a comfy bed and at night he leaves the light on for her...just in case shes scared of the dark.

And then theres Kitty. I have never been a cat lover, but this past spring my boyfriend convinced me that we shoud adopt. Kitty was found on top of a telephone pole somewheres in Welland, Ontario. She was really, really skinny and sick. We estimate that shes a year old. She has short hair thats red, brown and black. We took her home and within hours I fell in love. She is like a baby to me...but unlike real babies, she will never grow up and talk back. The last few months I have been going through some tough times and she has saving me everyday. Kitty is quite the talker and we have conversations every day. We don't understand each other but she answers all my questions and says "hi" when I get home. I don't know what I would do with her.

Well, those are my pet stories. I love to hear everyone elses. And pictures would be nice too.

An attempt to post a pic of Kitty.

PETS

We lost our beloved Ratpunzel (aka "Punzie") a few months ago. She was the class pet and we inherited her for a summer, then she became ill and we kept her, nursed her back to health until she finally passed on. I still miss her a lot.

Now we just have a LOT of stuffed animals, especially COWS!

I don't have any pets (my husband and two sons are enough), but my neighbor behind me has a new puppy that I sort of adopted. He has found a way to squeeze through the fence to come and visit me I figured soon enough he will be too big to fit through the fence.

Our only pet is a sweet and lovable mixed breed dog named "Chelsea", (no, she wasn't named after Chelsea Clinton). She's getting on in age (turned 12 last Feb.), but still manages a two mile walk several times a week. She is so gentle, hardly ever barks, and absolutely loves everyone (she's never bitten or snapped at another living creature.) 42

Hi Kara,

I like this thread. I too have a furry friend that lives with me. Her name is Smokie and I've had her since she was a little ball of fluff. She's a solid grey (not quite up to the "blue" standard) small cat who is 18 years old and going blind. One eye seems pretty much without sight. Age and sight have made her more careful about jumping, but she's in good health and I expect her to be around as long as she is.

Her latest adventure involves an old talent, opening doors. The screen door doesn't latch too well these days and she's decided to take advantage and explore the outside world!

and now i have to type with one hand, as she just jumped into my lap.

I have many furry friends, all of them feline. Over the years I have rescued a LOT of cast off cats. Just as I started typing this reply one of my older cats, Dipsy Doodle, jumped up on my computer table, walked all over the keyboard, and took me off the internet, LOL. She had tried to get my attention earlier and I scratched the top of her head. Then returned to the computer. The next thing I know here she was!LOL She wanted her bowl refilled with fresh water.

Buffy is one of my senior citizen cats. He's 11 years old. He has an on-going relationship with my bread machine which sits on the kitchen counter, LOL. Every couple of weeks when I use it, Buffy watches me put all the ingredients in, turn the machine on, and then he gets positively worried to pieces when it groans and shudders in the mixing mode. He meows at it repeatedly but won't go near it until it stops. About the time he has worked up the courage to approach it, it resumes for another groaning, cycle. The poor cat, LOL, is totally taken aback, scurries to the other end of the counter where he sits, and contemplates things. When the machine goes into baking mode he lays down next to it as if all is well. LOL My husband first witnessed this ritual Buffy has adopted, and when he told me about it I didn't believe him. But now I do! It is the funniest thing to watch.

Blue Bead

We, too, have lots of furry friends. We have four dogs -- April is the oldest at 12, and she's a beagle from England (we were stationed there). She talks to us by snorting. Next is Floppy, a collie-shepard who is 11 - we got her the first year we moved into our house here in the states. She's the best natured dog I've ever had. Then there's Chas, a 5 year old beagle with the cutest face. He's the most spoiled, being the only one allowed on the bed - there's advantages to being the smallest! Last (but definately not least) is Buddy. He's a who-knows-what mix (kind of looks like a cross between a greyhound and a golden retreiver). He's 2, and was dumped in our neighborhood last year. He is completely devoted to me. Bandit (another beagle) passed away about 6 years ago.

Then we have Bobby - he's also English. He's a 12 year old white and tabby cat who is the great hunter in our area. Jane, a tortise shell/callico type of cat, joined us last year after Amber (Bobby's mother) passed away on Valentine's Day. Jane is 3 and is really sweet, but she rarely comes downstairs. She'll sit on the stairs and watch everyone. We had another cat too, named Big Fella, who passed away on Christmas Eve of '98. He was English too.

We also have five pygmy goats - Billy, Nanny, George, Ernie, Carol, June. June was born in our barn during a picnic/party we had, which really excited all of the kids (and most of the adults too ) They are little escape artists and keep my husband busy fixing fences!

I have a cat, Crinkles, we adopted her from some people that got allergic to her and had to find another home for her.

And my dog! Bryer! Is so cute! he was the pick of the liter! He is so obedient too. We love him so much!

And when I was younger, I had 5 hermit crabs.

Her latest adventure involves an old talent, opening doors. The screen door doesn't latch too well these days and she's decided to take advantage and explore the outside world!

Click to expand...

Kitty has learned to open doors. Both the screen doors and the kitchen cupboard doors. She also likes to attach herself to the upper part of the screen doors when there are bugs around on the other side. It is during those moments that she forgets that she can open the door. Its the funniest thing to see her hanging by a paw a few feet of the ground.

Its great to hear everyones stories.

Let's see... we have my dad's puppy--she's almost 8 months--named Lulu... she's Lab and golden retriever and huskey mix... she is totally blonde... she's so funny. Dad got her because these girls came into the store and bought a dog collar for the puppy... so he called mom and asked what she thought about that... and she said he could GO LOOK... he came back with a PUPPY LOL

Yuka--my pug--is 7 months old this Thursday and she's a handful... she is *in fact she's being naughty right now GRR >:* very stubborn. Very hard to train. But then most pugs are somewhat stubborn... she's a sweetie though, and I love her lots.. got her for 500$ last March... she's pure bred and AKC registered... but she's fixed... so there's no real reason for her to have papers anymore LOL

oh I forgot that I had a hamster too! But we gave her away. I forget her name, but we gave her away just before we got the cat.

I have an 10 year old Lhasa Apso named Gabby. She is not very easy to get along with but I love her anyway. She was born in a less than wonderful kennel and I think it didn't start her life off very good. She is known around town as "the stick dog". She carries a stick whenever we walk her. Most of the time they are bigger than her. She likes them crooked and funny shaped because they "fight" back. Then she starts growling, shaking them and "killing" them.

We also have a 8 year old mix of who knows what that we adopted from the Humane Society. She looks like a Rhodesian Ridgeback without the ridge. Her name is Katie Wompus. We always said when something was crooked it was caddywompus. (I can't spell it, I just pronounce it). Well, Katie runs crooked. That's where her name comes from. Whenever me or the kids get onto her for doing something bad, she runs to my husband and snitches on us. She is the most interesting and expressive dog I have ever been around. Does anyone else's dogs pout?

I also love cats. My cat died when she was 13. After she died, I somehow became allergic to them so I can't have one anymore. They make me itch and sneeze but I still can't resist holding and petting one when I get the chance.

I have a Persian cat Ksusha. She is a calico -- basically a tiny fur ball, the cutest thing you will ever see.

I can't imagine having more than one pet. I guess because I am the only child, I can't imagine splitting my attention between multiple pets.

Kara, I love these threads too. People get so emotional about their pets, even those pets the rest of us turn our noses up on. Furry pets are my favorites 'cuz you can pet them and cuddle. Just love that warm feeling of another warm being.

Kitty's door obsession is so common! The one thing my cat never really got into was climbing up curtains and screens and furniture. I suspect that is because she is picky about how she uses and sharpens her claws. On the floor, under the dining room table, I have always had pieces of wood and old shoes and sissal mats for her. Can't you tell what her favorite claw sharpening position is?

My kids and I have managed to have a variety of rodents as pets. Gerbils drove me nuts, when everyone else claims that hamsters are the ones who drive you nuts running in their exercise wheels. Guinea pigs are too demanding and needy. The guinea pig alarm everytime someone went into the kitchen was a bit much. Even our dogs and cats waited to see what was available before wrapping themselves around my legs and demanding some. Rats and mice are OK, but hamsters are my favorites.

I have 2 cats and a dog. The dog, Fleck, is 12, and his hips are on their way out. We don't expect him to last that much longer.

On a happier note, my 2 cats are wonderful and beautiful creatures. Cinder, is the older of the 2, at 7 years old. She's chubby, and very sleek. Cinder picture She can be a handful sometimes, since she really likes to hear her own voice. She's part siamese, which makes her meow somewhat annoying at times.

Silver, or Sil or Silly as I call her, will be 5 in November. She's a little ball of fluff, who's very affectionate and cuddly. She can be skiddish sometimes, but makes up for it when she does her chirpy purr and gives you a "kitty hug" Silver picture

They're such great girls, and I love them very much!

starshinexavier,

Your cats are beautiful. Silver's face and coloring reminds me a little bit of my Clementine.

Aww, Pookie, thanks! It's just too bad with the black and white photography, that you can't see their green eyes.

Those are beautiful photos.


And I totally agree with your Canadian idol thoughts!!!!

Thanks for the photos! Even in b&w they look great.

I've always had some animals (not now, though). When I was a kid over the years I had:
- several cats
- two dogs (one was stolen, another got sick and died when he was still a baby)
- a small aquarium with fish
- two mice (hidden behind a closet, because my mom's afraid of mice -- she, of course, didn't know I had them. Later a cat ate them...)
- a sparrow (found outside with a broken wing, didn't last the night *sigh*)
- a guinea pig (that ate many of my books when we allow it to roam free)
- a lot of hamsters. After I bought the first one I took it to a friend of mine who a had a boy hamster and we made more of them : ; after only 16 days mine gave birth to 11 babies... then she ate 5 of them. When the rest of them were still small once I took them to my grandfather. I went there by bus and I had them behind my shirt... (kids have many wonderful ideas like this ). They were trying to come out, of course (I was holding my shirt at the bottom to prevent that), and when I finally took them out at my grandfather's, the whole top of my jeans was practically gone... eaten away. Guess I'm lucky it wasn't my stomach.

My last animal was a cat. Actually it was my sister's, but we shared him for some time. After a few years he was diagnosed with epilepsy. At the beginning he was very scared after the attacks and could attack people (in defense; the epilepsy attacks must have seem as if something was attacking him). That got him the nickname Killer. A vet prescribed him something and it got better, he had only a few mild epilepsy attacks a year. Unfortunately he got sick (kidney failure) several months ago and died while in a hospital. But he had a happy life.

Here's a pic of him where he helps me with a jigsaw puzzle:
http://members.lycos.co.uk/windspirit6/pics/lpuzzle.jpg
Caught red-handed... (-pawed?):
http://members.lycos.co.uk/windspirit6/pics/ljcrew.jpg
And those are two new kittens my sister got a few months ago:
http://members.lycos.co.uk/windspirit6/pics/kul1.jpg
http://members.lycos.co.uk/windspirit6/pics/drak1.jpg
The second one is already trying to live up to his name (Little Dracula).