How did your animal companion(s) come into your life?

[VespertineIconoclast]

I don’t ever post a picture of my female cat Bandit (as in One Eyed Bandit :) ) because some may find it disturbing to see a one-eyed cat, but she’s beautiful to me. I believe that her original owner abandoned her and left her to starve in the streets. Anyways, she was a skinny little something when she adopted me by coming up to me to rub my leg and meow at me. I began feeding her to fatten her up a bit and now she is a permanent member of the family.

Here she is right here:



I do tend to indulge her with the food now as you can see.... ;)

So, how did your animal friends come to be members of your family? :hi:

[Deja Q]

1. Well

I bought the bird from a home-based business. One senegal parrot laid an egg. Another one sullied it with his goo. I imagine there was some chirping going on through all this. Some time later, my baby parrot was born. 8 months later I purchase the bird, at a reduced price because the critter has a tendency to bite and is older and therefore less adaptable to acclimate.

Since buying him, over the last few years, he's far less bitey and adores me. I adore him.

I first thought he was a she. But after 9 years and no omelets eggs, I've reconsidered my original train of thought.

[VespertineIconoclast]

4. Senegal parrots are lovely birds.

You have many wonderful years to look forward to with your parrot -- that's a good thing about birds. :)

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

6. Umm...birds copulate. The egg isn't laid, then "sullied with his goo."

Your sengal may be a female. Not all female birds lay eggs without having been bred. It's healthier, if they don't, in fact.

[pitohui]

26. maybe his parrot is a stickleback, ha ha

i think the toad is just playing with us, but years ago, i dated a man -- a graduate from a well-regarded expensive private university -- who actually believed that bird eggs were inseminated by the male sort of humping over the already laid egg!

what do they teach in those places?

[VelmaD]

2. My Mabel kitty was abandoned too...

She showed up on my best friend's door step. She had on tags so the friend's kid figured she had an owner. She made the mistake of feeding the kitty. When she called the number on the tags the people acted like they had no idea what she was talking about. But since she fed the kitty, it wouldn't leave. And they couldn't take it in the house because of the dogs and her momma's allergies. So she gave me the big sad eyes and I caved and took in the kitty. Changed her name to Mabel. Had her for over a year and we're all good. She loves watching football with me and thinks my old Star Wars toys are WAY better than catnip mice. *snort*

[VespertineIconoclast]

7. You never have to worry about no one watching the games with you then.

:D A cat that likes something BETTER than catnip --! :wow:

[leftofthedial]

3. I've always had a dog

when we divorced, my ex- took primary custody of our dog, but I got "visitation" with Rusty at the same times my daughters were with me.

This sucked. I get depressed enough as it is when my girls go back to their mom's. The dog leaving too just made it worse. I wanted a full-time dog.

So, my daughters and I adopted my boy Chai (then a malnourished, 18-month-ish-old Siberian Husky) from the local shelter. He's the best. Now he's healthy, well-fed, happy, an amazingly good-looking dog and a wonderful buddy.

[VespertineIconoclast]

8. I absolutely adore Siberian Huskies!

I bet Chai is quite handsome and a great pal to have around. :)

[leftofthedial]

33. he's a knucklehead (like all Huskies)

and sheds more hair than the entire entourage of an 80's metal band

but he's my bud. He's a red and white husky. His paws and "undercarriage" are white, his main color is sort of auburn, with tan in between. Handsome devil!

Thanks for the thread.

[VespertineIconoclast]

40. I like a good animal story as much as the next animal lover.

:)

Even though Huskies are a little dopey sometimes ;) and the fur is nothing to play with especially during summer, I really like'em.... You are making me completely jealous with your description of Chai -- a red and white husky! I know he has to be gorgeous!

[dajoki]

5. We used to have a dog...

named Bandit(we still miss him). Now we have a cat named Lilly. My daughter's friend's cat had kittens and she brought one home. She named it Lilly, thinking it was a girl, but to our surprise, when we had him fixed, we learned she was a he. But he already knew his name so he is still Lilly.

[VespertineIconoclast]

10. Lilly...

the gender-confused cat. Just kidding. ;) It's wonderful that you gave one of the kittens a home. I'm sorry to hear about your dog Bandit. It's difficult to get over the loss of a family pet....

[dajoki]

16. Yes it is n/t

[flamingyouth]

9. I think Bandit is beautiful too! Awww!

And all four of ours are rescues too. Two came from a friend's small shelter in Gig Harbor (she specializes in disabled and hard-to-place cats), one came from another no-kill shelter north of here called www.purrfectpals.com and another came to me as a kitten from a purebred rescue. They all have various health issues. One is deaf from birth, one has only teeth (had to have them removed due to serious decay), one has allergies and skin problems, and the oldest has arthritis and kidney problems. Oh, and the one with only two teeth also has anxiety/aggression issues and is on Prozac. :eyes: Luckily, it's easy to give him pills. :D

This is Cubby:

[VespertineIconoclast]

12. Cubby is beautiful too!

Thanks for the compliment about Bandit. :D You don't know how many people who have come to my home and told me how horrible she looks and to not let her touch them.... :eyes:

You're a great pet owner! What you do is what I want to do when I have a little bit better funds. There are so many animals out that could be adopted, but people don't want to take responsibility for a special-needs or "difficult" animals. :yourock:

[flamingyouth]

21. Well, I'm glad she has an excellent home with you

I believe cats find their proper owners, and looks like she made the right call. :yourock: too!

[VespertineIconoclast]

41. You are so nice.

Thanks so much. :)

[Heidi]

19. This is the first time I've ever seen Cubby!

What a beauty! Is there anything sweeter than a sleepy cat? :hi:

[flamingyouth]

22. He's hilarious when he's awake

His favorite thing in the world is sitting on the bathmat while we take our showers. And his favorite cat "toys" are a silicone cat brush and a coin purse. :rofl: He's a sweetheart, we just adore him. :hi:

[Heidi]

24. Ginger's favorite toy is an Evil Orange Silk String.

It brings out the beast in him. We have to "help" animate the "stringy-string" for his entertainment about three times per day. If we don't, he goes and gets it out of my studio and starts alone . . . that brings me running because I'm afraid he might hang himself with it. :yoiks:

[flamingyouth]

25. GINGER!!!

Give him a kiss from his Auntie Lisa! :loveya:

:rofl: That picture! We have to get some good ones of Cubby playing. Though he does tire easily - I swear, he's the only cat I've ever seen that pants when he runs too fast. He's sooo lazy. :D

[Roon]

11. Awww! Kisses for Bandit!!

[VespertineIconoclast]

13. Bandit thanks you!

:D

[L A Woman]

14. My dog Winston died in 2003...

and my vet suggested I volunteer at a no-kill shelter to help with my grief and help other dogs. So I did and shortly after that, a cocker spaniel was dropped off unceremoniously by a couple who were redecorating and didn't think she fit, anymore.

She looked at me. I looked at her. We knew. So I volunteered to "foster" her. When I put her in my car, she put her head out the window and her ears started blowing in the wind. I knew she would never see that place again. :-)

[VespertineIconoclast]

18. I love her under-eyed look in the pic.

She is a real beauty too! :) I'm sorry about your dog Winston.

[Wcross]

34. That is so sweet....

Mans/woman's best friend is an understatement.

[Roon]

15. My three

My ex-lover took all three cats when he moved out.

This is Barney. I asked a friend if I could look at her newspaper for free kittens and it really broke her heart when I couldn't find any. So she went to the shelter and picked this BRAT up!!
?t=1165081158

This is Morrison. I was fostering him for awhile and ended up keeping him. He is half bobcat!
?t=1165081284

This is Daniel. This is my other ex-lover's cat. She just turned 22 this month!! When my ex moved out I begged him to let me keep her. Barney is always picking on her! x(
?t=1165081350

[VespertineIconoclast]

23. I like your cats!

Daniel is 22 --! She looks great! Morrison looks like a big boy and understandably so, since he has some bobcat in him. Barney is so pretty to be so devilish....

[Roon]

61. Thanks

They're also good company.

[Heidi]

17. Hi! Your bandit is a beautiful girl!

:hug:

The Wiley and Excellent Boy Cat Named Ginger came into our lives after my mother-in-law's cat became pregnant. We knew even during the pregnancy that we would take one of the kittens, and Ginger was the "runt" of the litter, but he had our hearts from "go." We visited him every day for 15 weeks, rubbing his belly, snuggling him and getting him accustomed to our smell and voices, and then brought him to live with us. No transition problems whatsoever. He's now nearly six years old: the mellow, flirty, woman-lovin' boy cat on earth. (He's skittish with all men except Call Me Wesley and our brother-in-law, but he'll lick the lotion right off of a woman's legs. :P )

[VespertineIconoclast]

27. Thanks and so is your Ginger!

:hug:

There is something about those male cats... if they are raised by women, they know how to flirt and get whatever they want from the ladies. ;)

[Wcross]

20. Ok, you asked.........

The neighbor (about ½ mile away) was renting a house on the farm there. His boy was a “dog collector” and they must have had 10-15 dogs, none of them cared for properly. They weren’t fixed nor had they had their shots. They were not doing great financially so the dogs did not get what they needed.
When I was renovating the house I bought nearby Buddy used to come down and hang with me all day. Sometimes he would bring Angel with him. Those two would just sit and watch all day. About six months after I moved in the neighbors house burned to the ground. The landlord managed to find homes for most of the dogs except for Buddy, Angel and their pup (I named he PeeDee). I wasn’t really looking for a pet at the time but I wouldn’t/couldn’t let them go to the pound. They only keep dogs for three days before they are put down.
I was informed that both Angel and her pup “might” be pregnant. Sure enough, two weeks after they moved in they both had a litter. The pup had only one that survived and Angel had two live ones. I then had a total of six dogs, I named the three boys Moe, Larry & curly. We all lived happily ever after…….

Oh, and the two cats came along when I got pulled over for speeding and heard meowing off the side of the road. I saw two little kittens and decided they needed to come home with me. The State trooper even helped me corral them and get them into my truck.


Angel. She is a very sweet dog.



Buddy.


PeeDee- Angel & Buddies pup from the previous litter.


Moe, Larry & Curly. Moe (the darkest one) is peedee’s pup.


The two cats Flea taxi & Chairman Meow.

[VespertineIconoclast]

30. Wow! What a story!

So, you started off with no pets and now you have 6 dogs and 2 cats. It's great that you stepped up to the plate and decided to take care of those animals in need.

All of them are quite beautiful too! I especially like the dogs' lovely doe brown eyes. :)

[Wcross]

32. These are the first dogs I have ever lived with.

My mom had allergies when I was a kid so no dogs growing up. It was a bit confusing at first with so many of them and not knowing anything about their behavior. Angel was GREAT though, SHE house broke the puppies for me! I learned that the mother will "clean up" the den (my house) when the pups are young. When she was tired of eating poop she would "correct" them until they learn to go outside. The pups did get their noses bit a lot at first.
Another funny thing is the pups challenge buddy but are AFRAID of Angel and show her the utmost of respect. All it takes is a small growl from her and they stop what they're doing.

[VespertineIconoclast]

39. I know you had to learn quickly with so many to take care of at once.

It sounds like Angel is definitely the alpha in your pack. ;)

[XemaSab]

84. PeeDee named after the rivers?

:shrug:

[Wcross]

99. No, the landlord gave me the idea.

When he was "convincing" me to take them (I had alreay decided they were staying), he kept saying that she was such a "pretty dog". I figured "P.D." would work for her, and then I had to write her name down for the spaying at the vet so it became PeeDee.

[Flaxbee]

28. Tommy adopted my husband before my husband and

I met -- Husband was home on a Saturday, in the living room watching some TV. He hears a scrabbing sound on the front door, looks over, and Tom has jumped up/done a pull-up to the window in the door (probably 5'5" off the ground) and is peering in the window (the door had notches in it and the window was set into a thick frame, allowing Tommy to grab some purchase on the way up). Just a little orange tabby kitty face staring at him through the door window into the living room. Husband gets up, goes to the door, opens it. Tom walks in, goes to the kitchen, hops on the counter and meows for tuna. End of story.

I got Clarisse before we were married -- picked her up from the guy in Brooklyn who ran a no-kill shelter and used to (I think Union Square stopped him from doing this, the bastards) bring cats and dogs into Manhattan's Union Square every weekend. They were pretty strict about who took a cat/dog, conducted home inspections, etc. I crouched down to look at a gray male in one of the lower cages and Clarisse, one level up, stuck her paws out and grabbed my hair. I looked up and said "I'll take her". She's a huge pain in the butt - very aggressive, but I love her. We were NYC freewheeling girls on the town for a few years.

Linda, now deceased, adopted my husband and I when we moved to Virginia. Took up residence on the front porch and that was that. She wanted to be outside in the summer, but as soon as it got cold she just walked on in, and stayed in, for the next 3 years. She was an older girl, had been spayed, and someone just dumped her in our neighborhood - happened a lot because we lived on a mountain and people felt there was enough food or something for a cat to survive (and Linda was a mouser par excellence). She was probably 10 when they dumped her. Assholes. Anyway - our neighbor topped out at one time with 20 strays/abandonees, now just by virtue of aging/death, she's down to 10.

We moved to NC and Ivan showed up after Hurricane Ivan blew through. He was incredibly sick, I thought he had feline leukemia or something awful and we took him to the vet's office, they said it was just an upper respiratory system so we had him neutered, medicated, and brought him home. He'd only been in the neighborhood for about a week before I caught him and I though he might be a neuter-and-release kind of guy (he's a HUGE male - I wasn't sure if he'd ever really calm down but neutering does wonders - he's just a big lovable oaf now) but he decided he wanted to stay with us so stay he did.

Then about 8 months later, a tortoiseshell mommakitty showed up, obviously nursing or about to give birth, and I started to feed her twice a day. Mommas need all the help they can get. Then about a month later, she came to us at night and REFUSED to leave the house - we tried to carry her outside and she kept grabbing on to the curtains, putting her feet out so we couldn't walk through the sliding glass door... she'd never ever wanted to stay before, always wanted to leave around midnight and I figured she had babies to go back to - babies I wanted to find soon to at least give them their shots and get them fixed if they were otherwise too feral to adopt out. So it took us a minute or ten to catch on, but we went downstairs with her (we have a two story screened in porch) to look around (thought perhaps there was a predator around) and lo and behold. Three darling, terrified kittens were on the lower back porch (that we always opened in case she ever needed shelter); she'd brough us her girls. I was so touched and flattered by this cat's faith in us that I started to cry. We took them in, got MommaKitty and her three girls fixed, and kept them all. MK's real name is Novi, then there's Marilyn (Bimbokitty), Hedy (SilverGirl) and Ingrid (Minime, because she looks almost IDENTICAL to Tommy).

So. 7 kitties - 2 boys, 5 girls. Love them all dearly.

[VespertineIconoclast]

36. Such wonderful stories!

:hug:

Those animals KNOW who are animal people. :) It's a great feeling when you have an animal that doesn't know you, but has faith and trust in you to do no harm to them. Thanks for your in-depth descriptions. :)

[Flaxbee]

42. I do tend to get carried away when describing my babies...

Thanks for the opportunity to talk about them! :hi: ;-)

[VespertineIconoclast]

112. You can never get too carried away when talking about your babies.

;)

And :hi: back at ya!

[fredsanford]

29. 3 pets

One purchased from a breeder (negotiated his price, best $280 I have ever spent), one from a charity auction (bought from Rachel Hunter, hubba hubba), one from the humane society (rescued from a horrible puppy mill, sweetest of the three).

[VespertineIconoclast]

38. Those animals that have been through strife...

can turn into such lovable pets. So, all three are dogs, right?

[mike_c]

31. most of my cats are rescues...

...although two were rescued from a "breeder" rather than from the streets, at some considerable cost.

I have a cat thing. I freely admit that my love for cats is not entirely rational, and that I have to be careful not to become the crazy neighborhood cat guy with 57 cats and urine soaked carpets. OK, I'm not THAT crazy, but the truth is that cats beguile me like no other animals. I know all the neighborhood cats-- but very few of the humans. I cannot stand to see cats suffer, or be neglected. The love I get back from my own cats is tremendously rewarding, even if it does probably have more to do with keeping the food bowls full than anything else....

[VespertineIconoclast]

45. LOL!

I have to freely admit that my "cat thing" didn't begin until a few years ago with Bandit and a few other cats that have come and gone for various reasons through those years. Cats are intriguing animals and you have to have a special "something" about you to attract the strays to you. But, sometimes it's a little "easier" to befriend an animal than a human especially these days....

[Orsino]

35. They're all strays or hand-me-downs. n/t

[VespertineIconoclast]

46. Cats or dogs...?

both?

[Orsino]

60. Yes.

Currently, the score is tied, 4-4.

[radwriter0555]

37. A formerly drug addicted crazed rock star gave us Winky, we bought Lola

from a breeder with strange links to Tom Sizemore and our newest little man, a wonderful JRT formerly named Balto, now named Mister Darcy came via a dog pensione where he was sad and depressed after losing his human daddy to old age and putting up with a slightly psychotic female human for 2 years.

He's settling in nicely.

He's not depressed anymore, is very sweet and is now asking for attention and kisses and still barks a little too much. We give him the LOVE TO LOVE YOU therapy of lots of hugging and attention and rubs and kisses and praise and he's finally starting to really enjoy it. It's nice to turn a sad doggie around and make him happy!!!!!

Lola got after him for a few days, grabbing his ear and begging him to play when he was off in a corner sulking and sad, and he'd just sigh and turn his back. Now he's game for it and really coming along so well....

[VespertineIconoclast]

66. Mr. Darcy...

as in Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. :D I like Jack Russell Terriers because they really have spirit and I know your little guy is on the road to recovery with all the loving he's receiving. :)

[Kerrytravelers]

43. We have two little furkids.

Sniffles was from a litter of my friend's cat. She was giving away the kittens and described him to me. The day I went to get him, he was rolling around on the floor with a large velcro hair roller. He rolled onto my foot, looked up and stated mewing. I picked him up and he started sniffing my ears (something I would later learn is his way of getting to know you.) I said "hello" and we were fast friends. We noticed that his chin and feet were swelling up. After countless medications and a biopsy, it turns out he is allergic to the kind of fertilizer my dad was using. So, dad got a new fertilizer and gets to change in the garage so as to not track any inside. He's a healthy boy now!


(That green towel on the couch? That is where he lays every night, next to my dad, watching M*A*S*H*)



Pitter-pat was from the local ASPCA. When we got him home, he had Upper Respiratory Infection (URI.) We didn't know it at the time, but within two days, he was running a high fever and listless. He spent three days at the vet's ICU in isolation. We visited with him all day for those three days while he was hooked up to IVs, medicating him and giving him fluids. He was less than two pounds. Now, three years later, he is fifteen pounds, loves to sing and purr and is full of energy and vigor!

[VespertineIconoclast]

67. Adorable pics!

Your two cats seem so sweet! And I love the names. :)

[Kerrytravelers]

87. They're my babies.

Sniffles earned his name by sneezing all the time when I first met him. Pitter-pat is a name I'd chosen because I knew when I found a kitty who fit that name, he'd be just the right personality type to fit us well. And little Pitter-pat is just the perfect fit!

[hippywife]

44. We have one house cat

that was adopted from the animal shelter and two dogs that were just dumped out here by their previous owners.

[VespertineIconoclast]

68. How well do they all get along?

Have you had them for a long time?

[hippywife]

116. The dogs stay outside

all the time. We've never been able to even coax them into the house so we make sure they have shelter during the winter. One, a female, we got about 7 or so years ago with two others (a male and another female -all black and white)that were all dropped in our driveway together. Two of them disappeared later after we had the two females spayed (never could catch the male.) The second one was dropped near here by herself. The two of them get along great. They are both very sweet dogs and keep each other company.

The cat never goes outside so she could care less that they are out there. I don't have a pic of her.

Babe:

Jessie:


This is a stray cat that hung around for several months before getting hit by a car. We called him Chet. He and Jessie just loved each other!:

[VespertineIconoclast]

122. I love the little white "socks."

They're both so beautiful! :)

I'm sorry to hear about Jessie's pal Chet.

[crispini]

47. One came from a friend, who had adopted her and couldn't keep her.

One came from the parking lot of my apartment complex.

My most recent came from a friend who found him under a car on the street. He's such a lovey little cat!

Who needs to actually go get cats-- they find you when the time is right. :D

[VespertineIconoclast]

69. Too true!

:D Cats know who they can manipul... I mean love. ;)

[deucemagnet]

48. I came home early from work one day,

and there was this cat at my door crying to get in as if he belonged there. I told him, "Sorry, little buddy, you don't live here", and went inside. An attack of guilt sent me to the fridge to see if there was anything I could feed him, and five minutes later I had a paper plate full of sauteed chicken livers for the little fella. Well, he inhaled the livers in about 30 seconds, then tried to eat the juice-soaked paper plate. Obviously, my new friend needed a second helping, which he also inhaled, and then a third. At that point I decided to take him in "until I could find him a home". That was five years ago, and he's still my best buddy. He won't eat chicken livers anymore, though.



(Sorry about my crappy old digital camera!)

[VespertineIconoclast]

71. I love how he demanded food...

and didn't even know you. :D His black and white coloring are nice.

[NewWaveChick1981]

49. We got our dogs at the animal shelter.

Casey, our six-year-old Lab/Doberman mix, was at the shelter when we decided we needed another family member after our beloved Lab/border collie mix Diana died. Casey was a year old and had been at the shelter far longer than most animals there (she had been there three months), and a generous person sponsored her to keep her from being euthanized. We saw her the day before her number was up, and we decided she needed to come home with us (my husband, my other dog, and me). She was a total nut when we brought her home---she zoomed around the yard nonstop for four hours and would not settle down when we brought her inside. Poor thing was stir crazy from being cooped up at the shelter for so long. We thought she would never settle down, but after a couple of months, she did. She's now the house couch potato. :P

When our other dog Kara (lab/Boston Terrier/who-knows-what-else mix) died, we got Vicki (Jack Russell/bird dog/pointer mix). Vicki had been brought to the shelter in a litter of puppies, and she was eight weeks old. My husband called me from the shelter and said, "I know we didn't plan on another dog right now, but Casey needs a friend and this cutie's out here." Of course, we couldn't say no, and having an eight-week-old puppy was a holy terror for quite a while. She did the typical puppy stuff---peeing in the house, chewing everything, eating everything, etc. It nearly drove me out of my mind, but I wasn't going to take her back. :) She's three and a half now, and she's still a mischief-maker but much better than she was. :P

[VespertineIconoclast]

76. It's great that you gave your two a chance.

It's sad how shelter life can really start to deteriorate the minds of animals over time and thus, time is definitely key for allowing the animals true personalities to shine through. But, those Jack Russells they have true boldness and enthusiasm always. :)

[ironflange]

50. From left to right

Pet store, shelter, pet store.

[VespertineIconoclast]

80. They are cute!

:)

[TimeChaser]

51. Her cage said "Last Chance"

[VespertineIconoclast]

81. Look at her...

what a sweetie! :)

[Nikia]

52. We got him at the animal shelter

He probably would have been put down if we hadn't adopted him.
He was 8 years old and surredered because he was bad around kids.
He is now 13 years old and doing fairly well aside from the fact that he doesn't quite make it onto the bed anymore when he tried to jump and his eye sight doesn't seem to be as good.

[VespertineIconoclast]

105. Older dogs...

are so often ignored in shelters and it's sad. It's good that you adopted him, so that he would have golden senior years. :)

[Dastard Stepchild]

53. Awww! I have a cat with an eye issue, too :)

I have a crooked-eyed cat. I adopted him specifically for this reason and named him Crooks. He has a messed-up left eye, and I adore him for it. He is the sweetest thing evah!

Let me find a pic of him.



Edited to add info about my other pals:
the 2 sister kitties in the shot above came from a coworker that could no longer care for them (Beatrix Buffins and Prudence Puffins - Bea is the buff colored one).
I also have an adopted Aussie Shep mix named LuLu. She rocks.
And a fat kitty named Basil that I found in a garage when he was a kitten.
And we took on an African Grey when her owner died suddenly. Her name is Doris.

[VespertineIconoclast]

82. I love black male cats!

I know he has to be a sweetie because EVERY black male cat that I have ever come into contact with has been sweet. The crooked eye gives even more character to his handsome face. ;)

You have quite a mix at your house. Do all of the different species get along okay?

[Dastard Stepchild]

132. :) They all do quite well together...

The cats get along very well, and the dog is very chill around the cats. The bird has nipped a tail or two in the past when the cats got too close, so she is able to hold her own.

All in all, it's very drama-free. :)

[VespertineIconoclast]

135. Fantastic!

:thumbsup:

[VaTF1]

54. 11 dogs, one cat, and one bird

One MaCaw, through an uncle's travels

One Maine Coon, Cleo (I always wanted one)

Two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, (Through purchase)

Two Dobie's, we always had Dobie's in my childhood home

Two Bernie's, 33 foster-care kids didnot think I had enough dogs and they Christmas presents 2 years ago

Two GSheps., they were my USAR Team dogs and they retired with me

Two Dalmations, like many other firefighter's

One Jack Russell Terrier, always wanting to root for the "little guy"

Thank Gawd for property, and dog runs. The cat owns my house!:hippie:

[Wcross]

57. Wow- 11 dogs!

I have six and they are a handful (they all live inside/outside). I couldn't imagine 11!

[VaTF1]

140. Mine live in and outside the home

I have 17 acres of property, the 2 GSheps were my "work dogs" for a FEMA USAR Team. The 2 Dals.; every FFer has Dals. The 2 CB Retrievers are my "sporting dogs", I've always had Dobies around me, the 2 Bernies were Christmas gifts from my foster-care kids, and the JR Terrier was my "rescue". They all have homes outside, but when it is too hot, or too cold, they come inside.

Truth be told; I pay the mortgage, but the cat owns the house, and the Macaw is a close second.

[Wcross]

142. Wow! I can imagine a cold rainy evening at your house!

Dogs everywhere! I often find myself in that situation.

[VaTF1]

145. Imagine Hurricane season, the Christmas season........

The Bernies serve as "bean bags" for when the foster-care kids bring their kids to see "granny", and the same with the GSheps.

I've given up on putting up a Christmas tree, indoors. Too much havoc with Jack, the JR Terrier, "spassing" out and the hubby and I trying to hold up a Christmas tree at the same time, while Jack is going AD-HD on me. The tree is outside, and with the kids all showing up on the 26th, it makes for more room.

My only regret with so many dogs, is the cost of yearly shots and teeth-cleaning once a year for all of them. But every one of them are special to me.

[Wcross]

147. Oh, the Vet bill must hurt!

I just spent 280.00 on the six dogs and 80.00 for the two cats. With that many dogs it must be rough. Do you have a vet that will come to your home to do it or do you end up having to drive them all in? I have to drive mine but they will come out to the truck to give the shots. It would be quite an excersise to bring them in the office for the visit!
I also have to board them when I go on my twice yearly visit to my parents. That gets quite expensive.
Although I hate spending the money they deserve the best care possible. They are my best friends and I treat my friends well.

[VaTF1]

152. It's a 3 day process.....

Taking them all into my vet's office. Each teeth cleaning is $110.00, and their shots vary. Sometimes Jeff (my vet) will come out and administer the shots, because he is a "big animal" vet, and I forgot to mention the 2 Appaloosa's and 1 Arabian that also need to be checked on a timely basis. I live in the middle of "horse country" and a good friend of mine, Chief Billy Tayac of the Piscataway Indian Nation, aided me in rescuing the horses from a Horse Reclamation Centre. I also forgot the Koi, that I have in my 3 ponds on the property. They pretty much take care of themselves.

[Wcross]

155. Sounds like my Vet.

He does charge extra for a housecall so I opt for the drive in. He does a lot of horse and cow stuff too. I happen to live in the heart of Tennessee walking horse country so we have a lot of "big animal" vets.
I have often thought about trying to give them all their shots myself (other than rabies) in order to save money. They sell all the stuff at the co-op.I don't think it would work though, every time I have tried to do anything they think I am playing and they won't sit still.

[VaTF1]

158. I was trained to innoculate the GSheps.

Only because we would find ourselves in Kobe, Japan; outside of Ankara, Turkey; Bam, Iran; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; The House of Saud, to name a few places and on little notice, I needed to give the GSheps. certain shots to enter certain countries. But Jeff (my vet) handles the innoculations for the rest of the pets, sans the Koi. He gives me a break on the dental work and the cost of shots, only because of the number of pets I have. I have a sign on my desk "I love my vet, because he loves my pets!"

I'd love to see your Tenn. Walkers; truly lovely horses! :hi:

[Wcross]

159. No horses at my place (yet).

I only have 15 acres and would have to buy hay. If I ever am able to expand the land I own, horses are on the list. A lot of people have walkers on the local farms and many allow you to stop and watch the training. Its a pretty big thing around here, they have a walking horse championship every year in the county seat (Shelbyville). They are interesting to watch but I enjoy a good horse race over a walking horse.

[VespertineIconoclast]

83. ....!

Wow! :wow: I know there is never a dull moment in your home. ;) But, it's fantastic that you adopted so many. You have like all of my favorite breeds under one roof. Do they all get along okay?

[VaTF1]

141. I adopted only 1,

Please see prior post, and you'll see that I have room on my property, and I have a combination of "sporting" dogs, "work" dogs, and I don't have a say in what my foster-care kids decide to give me for Christmas !;)

[Broken_Hero]

55. Our pom, Spotamus Prime

came into my wife and I's life during Xmas of 2004. A week before the Prez election, our current dog Wahaia got killed via hit and run. It hit my wife rather hard, and while she was dicussing the death of our dog to my mother, my mother felt bad and decided to give Spotamus to her for Xmas. In reality, though...Spotamus is a male, and he pisses on just about everything, so my mother had alterior motives in getting rid of the piss bucket...:)

Our other dog, is Sister, we got her towards the end of October...the owner said she was a border collie/lab mix(I think, not sure). She is currently being a pain in the ass, chewing on everything in sight, and leaving me little surprises all over the place...I cannot wait for this one to get booted outside....:D

[VespertineIconoclast]

86. Dogs and their "gifts"...

they just don't know any better sometimes. :) Pomeranians are cute little puffs of fur, so I know yours has to be adorable. I can imagine that the border collie mix can be quite a hand full.... ;)

[cwydro]

56. She is beautiful!

I have two rescued dogs and two rescued cats. I found Teakie (my 12 year old dog)on the beach road in Key West in August of '96...starving and dehydrated. Jordan (my 7 year old dog) was found by Teakie in '99 as we walked by an abandoned yard and found her tied up and covered in ticks, just a baby. Piewacket, my 5 year old cat, I found on 9/11/01...she was in a feral pack living under an apartment building. Teak found her too. Tiger is my latest addition and she is here in the Keys...found her when I moved in after the hurricane...starved and miserable, though not feral. So many lost animals. People just throw them away...:grr:

[VespertineIconoclast]

88. Bandit appreciates the compliment!

Your Teakie sounds awesome! Finding other animal friends in need and wanting to share the wealth -- great dog! But, I am often saddened how people can throw away animals like so much garbage....

[Catshrink]

58. "I'm just a girl who can't say no"

that about sums it up. I currently have 4 cats and the world's most adorable dachshund. Last weekend it nearly became 5 cats but I recovered from the swoon cast on me by the most flirtatious tabby I've ever seen.

[VespertineIconoclast]

89. Ha ha ha!

Gotta watch out for those tabbies -- they'll get ya everytime! ;) Does the little dachshund think that it's a cat with all the felines around? :P

[Catshrink]

118. I think he has some species confusion...

he's made some hugh jumps for a dachshund, no doubt immitating the cats. Then again, at the doggie park he thinks he's a rottweiler. :shrug:

[VespertineIconoclast]

121. Napoleon complex, I tell ya....

All the small dogs have it for some reason. ;)

[judaspriestess]

59. well my kitties

came from the shelter, they were $13 each. a lil brother and sister both black. How we chose them was because my beloved babycat Kittyboy had passed away a couple of months earlier and I was mourning him. Kittyboy came to me in a dream and told me to go to the shelter and get two kittens and I would feel much better. I fought him on this because I felt I was not ready but kittyboy insisted so we did. I now have Kittybill and Agatha Louise and they are sweet babies. I still miss Kittyboy so much.

My doggies, we bought through pet stores. I've never done that. Our bulldog, Thor, cost us a chunk of change but he only had one testicle and everyone wants to breed their dogs and we figured we rescued him cause he cannot be bred. My sheltie Crystal, well she was just a lil runt at a pet store. no one wanted her. She is a blue merle, beautiful lil dog. So I bought her and brought her home. It was love at first sight for Thor and Crystal and they get along beautifully with the kitties. I love my babies, they are my life :)

On edit: Bandit is beautiful!!

[VespertineIconoclast]

91. I adore black cats!

It was great that you were able to adopt the two from the shelter and I know they were quite thankful. :) Blue merles are one of my favorite coloring patterns in Shelties -- Crystal must be a doll! :) Bulldogs are sweet dogs even though their mugs don't necessarily express that.... ;)

Thanks for Bandit!

[Lyric]

62. I have five cats and one dog. They came to us like this:

The first was Byron. One day, we were in a local pet store that has an area set aside to display cats that are rescues by a local no-kill shelter. I always love to stop there and cuddle the kitties. On this particular day, there were two 12-week old kittens in the top cage, and one large fat "Morris"-looking cat in the bottom. I was bending over to stroke the big orange cat in the bottom cage when something caught my ponytail. I looked up and realized that one of the kittens in the top cage was trying to "catch" my hair--not to play with it, but to pull me closer! He was a beautiful Maine Coon-looking cat with long tabby-and-white fur. One look into his big green eyes and he caught a lot more than my ponytail. *smiles* We adopted him and named him Lord Byron.

Next came Poe. He was also adopted from the same no-kill organization that Byron came from. He was just one black kitten in an entire cageful of identical-looking black kittens, but when we came near and he started pressing his face against the bars trying to get to us, we knew he was coming home.

Third was Dorian Gray (whom we call Dori for short). We had just gotten our first Petco opened in the area, and to celebrate their "Grand Opening" they were hosting an "adoption fair" on store premises for some of the area shelters. One of the shelters from the next county over brought three kittens. We fell in love with the white-and-black "cow-spotted" one. Dori is the quietest and most timid of all of our cats. He stayed hidden under our bed for the first 2 weeks he was home. We really had to WORK for his trust. Even now, he's still agoraphobic and highly fearful of strangers. But he's incredibly affectionate and loving toward the other cats and the humans.

Our fourth is Eliot (whom we call Twiddle, or Twiddlebug). My sister found a litter of kittens under her front porch, and he was one of them. She kept them (and the Mama cat) and fed them while we paid to have them tested for feline leukemia, and to get all of them their first round of vaccinations. As soon as the litter was given a clean bill of health by our Vet, we brought Twiddle home and helped find homes for the other three kittens. Mama Cat unfortunately escaped from my sister's house shortly thereafter, but at least we'd gotten her vaccinated and spayed first. He's a "tuxedo" patterned cat, but instead of the usual black-and-white, he's dark gray and white.

Our most recent addition to the feline household is Daniel. Daniel was barely 4 weeks old when we found him huddled alongside of a barn on a remote country road. We asked the owners of the barn if he belonged to them, and they said no, so we took him home with us. The poor thing was literally COVERED in fleas, had a horrific worm infestation, and so many ear mites that his tiny little ears were nearly blocked with mite feces. He was starving too--partly due to the worms. He had to stay in isolation in our bedroom for nearly two weeks while we took him back and forth to the Vet for worm meds and tests for Feline Leukemia. He was so weak he couldn't be vaccinated at first--we had to give him a couple of weeks' worth of pampering and medical care before he was ready to get his shots and be introduced to the other cats. This one is very special to us, because we bottle-fed him. As of now, he's perfectly happy, healthy, and weighs exactly what he should for a 12 week old kitten. FrontLine took care of the fleas, Strongid took care of the worms, and a special ear mite medicine plus a lot of cotton balls and elbow grease got his ears immaculately clean and parasite-free. He's still our "baby"--he sleeps with us every night, and refuses to be held unless you're holding him in your arms like a human baby. He falls asleep contentedly on his back, snuggling with his people. He's actually here on the desk with me right now as I type this--trying to bat at the funny moving letters and the cursor.

As for our dog--we actually got him from a breeder. I had always wanted a Golden Retriever, but none of the local breeders were people I considered to be "responsible" people. So we searched and found a breeder who lives about 150 miles away, and I was VERY impressed by the special care and attention given to their dogs. My dog's AKC name is "Darby's Golden Oktober", but we just call him Toby. :)

[VespertineIconoclast]

94. Your pets have great names!

Your stories were wonderfully detailed -- thank you! :) You have such a big heart! All of your pets sound lovely.

[elfrangel]

63. We have 2 furbabies

Ginger - just turned 7, Shepherd/Sharpei mix - Hubby and I were living in Conway and I was going to school at UCA. A guy in my class had nearly hit this little puppy. He picked her up, handed her to his mom and said that he would find a home for her later. He described her to me and I feel in love, He brought her the house, I saw her face and that was it. She spent her first night in bed between DH and me and has been here ever since.

Julie - 4 years old, Lab/terrier mix - I got her as an Anniversary present for DH. She climbed the side of the play pen that she was in to get to me. So, really, I guess she chose me. She's her daddy's girl. She's a bit neurotic, has some feline tendencies, but she's such a sweetheart and good puppy.

[VespertineIconoclast]

96. Does Ginger...

have any of the wrinkles associated with the Sharpei breed? I'm a softie for wrinkly doggie faces. :) Your dogs sound like great companions.

[bridgit]

64. Tim was a rescue kitty, someone found him in a woodpile out by the airport...

he would shake, cower & get sick when they took him to those shows where people poke at cats in a cage, and was said to be un-adoptable and scheduled for destruction...that's right around when i met him, i think i was his last ticket out; it has taken a lot time which we give him, and space sometimes; he still has issues but he's very talkative & loving :hug:

[VespertineIconoclast]

98. Chatty cats are the best!

You're good for allowing him the time to acclimate to his new home -- time is all they need sometimes. He's handsome with his amber eyes that match his fur. :)

[swag]

65. Bandit! Such a sweetie.

I revealed my knowledge of the literary source of my cat Chevrolet's name (Beverly Cleary's Ramona the Pest) to said cat's prior owner at a party, and was first asked to adopt for that reason when the previous owner left the country for an extended period. That was 19 years ago. Chevrolet turns 22 next month.

[VespertineIconoclast]

100. Thanks for Bandit!

Wow -- 22 years old! Chevrolet is cute and looks great! :) Does Chevrolet have two different eye colors?

[swag]

114. Why, yes she does.

Thanks for noticing.

[sg_]

70. got her for christmas 11 years ago...

she died today and was buried tonight...had a massive tumour on her liver and stomach was bloated with fluid (thought she had pups inside her), vet said she only had a few days left at tops, so it was decided that it was best to let her go.

She was a black labrador.

[DainBramaged]

73. I'm so sorry for your loss I will cry with you tonight

[SammyWinstonJack]

74. !!

:hug:

[VespertineIconoclast]

77. Oh my goodness!

I feel so sorry for your loss. :hug:

I know she had 11 wonderful and loving years with you.

[SammyWinstonJack]

72. Well, her human mom was ready to kick her out into the cold night air

because she had an accident on a very expensive rug. But my husband who was on a business trip with her human daddy at the time, intervened, said we would gladly take her if they did not want her any more. I had not a clue, until he showed up with Sami. She is my lil' heart! I can not imagine my life without her! She is my constant companion.

[VespertineIconoclast]

101. Is Sami...

the little Yorkie in your signature? She's cute! :) It's still always surprising to me the reasons why people decide to abandon their pets....

[flvegan]

75. I have 14 dogs, 6 cats and 1 rabbit.

The dogs:
1 belonged to the roomie beforehand.
1 I adopted from the Humane Society
5 were boosted from the various "homes" they were in
7 strays or potential euthanasias at emergency vets, etc that we took responsibility for

The cats:
All strays that found their way to our doorstep. Damn kitty navigation systems!

Rabbit:
Adopted from the Humane Society with his/her partner when they were about to be put down. Partner has since passed.

[VespertineIconoclast]

102. That's quite a mix you have there!

You have a beautiful heart! Taking responsibilities when others would rather walk-away.... :thumbsup: :yourock:

[idgiehkt]

78. I have two dogs, a bird and a rabbit

one dog I stole from idiot people, another dog I picked up from a gas station and later found out he had been living at an elementary school and kids were feeding him out of their lunches, my cockatiel I was given by a friend who had a roomate with cats and thought they would eventually be the end of the bird, and my bunny came from the animal shelter where I had gone to look for a guinea pig. He was in a tiny, tiny cage and I was worried he was gonna overheat. I didn't take him that week but went back a week later and got him.

My dogs I got in '97 and '99, my bunny I got in 2000 and my bird came in 2001. There have been plenty more that have come and gone but those are the ones that are living and technically mine right now.

[VespertineIconoclast]

103. I like your...

"stole from idiot people." :rofl: You're a good person for taking in those animals. :)

[idgiehkt]

130. I knew that she would most likely die of respiratory distress from heatstroke

if I didn't. She was chained up with no shade and they didn't keep her water. I took her in April right before I moved somewhere else. That was 9 years ago.

[VespertineIconoclast]

136. Good for you and her!

:)

[Dangerously Amused]

137. :D

:hug:


:loveya:

[Wcross]

138. Thank you.

Thats why I never even thought about adopting out the pups from my two pregnant adoptees. I just imagined them ending up in a miserable situation such as the one you resuced your dog from.
Thank you for saving her, you are GREAT!

[warrior1]

79. Sara

was found wandering a park by herself after a terrible rain storm.

This was a week or two after.



and her current pic



That was ten years ago.

[VespertineIconoclast]

104. She's cute!

It's good that you took her in so young because otherwise she may not have made it on her own.

[sarge43]

85. Three of the five birds were give aways

The previous owners couldn't take care of them anymore, so "We know you like birds, and ..." so forth - an African grey, a cockatiel and a parakeet. The macaw was my gift to my husband and the other 'tiel I bought because he charmed me.

[VespertineIconoclast]

106. What color is your macaw?

Birds are beautiful and intelligent pets. Can they all speak? :)

[sarge43]

117. The macaw's a blue and gold

She's the motor mouth of the gang. The gray never had a proper home until my husband adopted her; so she never learn to talk. Cockatiels generally aren't great talkers; our boys can say "Pretty bird", but they do whistle up a storm. We're working on the opening to Beethoven's 5th right now. The keet figures he's not getting paid to talk, so why bother.

[VespertineIconoclast]

123. The blue and gold macaws are gorgeous!

That would be cool if you could teach them the opening to Beethoven's 5th. Good luck! :thumbsup:

[XemaSab]

90. My mom has 2 dogs

Bailey came from a relative of a co-worker. Her ranch dog had puppies that she was giving away for free. He's a springer/golden retriever mix. He's got the patterning of a springer but the hair and ears are different and he's getting really chunky. He was a little stinker when he was a puppy but he has mellowed out a lot.

Pippi my mom found on petfinder.com. She was down at the humane society in Red Bluff (an hour away) and she was close to being put down when my mom got her. She was found wandering in the woods. She's a REALLY sweet, obedient dog. Maybe half cattle dog and half boxer? Anyway, she's a great addition to the family.

[VespertineIconoclast]

107. It's good of your family to take in those two.

Both cattle dogs and boxers are great breeds, so Pippi must be a real sweet dog. For your family's sake, I'm glad Bailey mellowed out. ;)

[judaspriestess]

92. everyones babies look gorgeous

and they sound beautiful too. Pets are gods angels here on earth :)

[VespertineIconoclast]

108. Agreed.

:)

[Mutley]

93. She is beautiful

:hi:

This is Rogue


I used to work with a girl whose dog had puppies. She couldn't be bothered to try and find proper homes for them. She told me she was just going to take them to the pound when they were old enough, so I took one. She's my baby girl. :loveya:

[VespertineIconoclast]

109. Thanks and so is Rogue!

:hi:

Rogue has such darling brown eyes. :) She looks like a mix -- black lab and german shepard...? You're lucky to have her.

[graywarrior]

95. Got him from someone on DU who posted his pic.

[VespertineIconoclast]

110. What a photogenic cat!

He really knows how to throw on the charm! :D

[suzbaby]

97. Is it weird

that I don't have a cat yet....but I already have a name picked out?

I've wanted my own cat as long as I can remember, but due to my mom's allergies growing up and all of the residences I've lived in for the past 7 having no pet policies.....I've had no kitty.

My imaginary, future cat's name is Sampson P Cat. I'm weird, I know it. :)

[VespertineIconoclast]

111. Not weird at all....

;) It just means that that special cat that comes into your life will get all the love you have built up for him for the past years that he wasn't there. :)

[sakabatou]

113. All of my pets (except for the fish)

have been adopted through a shelter.

[VespertineIconoclast]

119. Cats or dogs...?

Both?

Salt water or Fresh water fish?

[sakabatou]

125. Cats and dogs

Goldfish (the longest lasted 3 days)

[KT2000]

115. OK - its a good story!

Used to feed a big white cat I called Bustapher.
He would sit on the picnic table to show me he had arrived and I would put food on the porch.
One night I put the food out and noticed Bustapher had not come to the porch.

I checked and he was on the picnic table with a huge wild rabbit trying to lean on him. Bustapher hauled off and hit him off the table. Rabbit went right back up to lean on Bustapher again (BTW - It is not easy for a rabbit to climb a picnic table) Bustapher finally got disgusted and left.

When I checked the food on the porch a dark gray long hair cat was eating the food. Then - the rabbit sat nearby and watched for a while. Then he leaned on the cat so she would leave and he ate the food.

For days after that I saw the cat and the rabbit cruising the yard together. I finally let the cat into my "cat house" (screen enclosed deck) to sleep on the lawn chair at night. The rabbit waited patiently outside. Had a cat sitter while on vacation and she let them both in the cat house. They both slept on the lawn chair.

Then I let the cat in the house. The rabbit left soon after - I am hoping he had a girlfriend other than the cat.

The cat now sleeps on my bed. That was three years ago.

[VespertineIconoclast]

120. Cool story!

Wild rabbits are usually very flighty creatures.... :shrug: Bustapher is the best cat name EVER! :D

[benny05]

124. Bandit is beautiful

and her right eye is even more beautiful.

My Elmora (nickname Elmo) hung around a condo area where I lived 13 years ago. She had been abandoned as well. We took her in, thinking she was a he, but when we took her to the vet a few days later, Elmo (her name) was changed to Elmora, but the name stuck. She has been with me (as my first spouse and I separated a year later) in 7 moves over 13. She's been so popular with my housemates, my current spouse, and my first one, who still comes to visit her once a year, that she gets more presents than I do!! She is a tuxedo cat.

Benson, our second kitty, was spotted at a kitty shower 5.5 years ago. He's an orange tabby with a wonderful disposition, but he is a bit of a rascal. His warmth touched me very much, and I wanted to have another cat around so that my current spouse (who has two pooches from his first marriage) and I could "raise" a pet together as we had gotten married nearly 2 months before Benson needed another family to adopt.

There's more, but I'll leave it at that.

[VespertineIconoclast]

126. You have two beautiful cats yourself.

It's great to have calm and affectionate cats in your life -- it's so soothing. Both of your cats seem like real sweethearts with a lot of love to spread around. :)

Thanks for the compliment about Bandit. :hi:

[Haole Girl]

127. Thanks for sharing that story...

Bandit is a beautiful cat...even without both eyes!

Our "Bear" found us, too (stray cat...that nobody in the neighborhood would claim):





And, when "Bear" was only 1, we got "Pumpkin" from the shelter to keep him company
(naturally, they hated each other...and fought for nearly 6 years non-stop!):

[VespertineIconoclast]

128. Long-haired lovelies!

Both of them look so affectionate and lovable. Hopefully, there's truce between the two now. ;)

[Haole Girl]

129. Thanks. Yes, finally, there seems to be some mutual...

...understanding...now that they are 12 and 13 years old!

This is about as close as they sit to one another:

[VespertineIconoclast]

131. Ha ha! Old age has taken the fight right out of them.

;) Even cats know when to let the battle go. :)

[trackfan]

133. Our dog and cat were taken in when others couldn't or didn't want

to have them. Our chicken was a wedding present.

[VespertineIconoclast]

134. That's excellent that you have a chicken for a pet!

How is it as a pet -- affectionate or aloof?

[trackfan]

150. She's quirky and nice -

not particularly smart, but smarter than one might imagine a chicken to be. She talks a lot, and we've learned what some of her sounds mean. (I'm hungry. Where are you. etc.) She'll follow us around the yard sometimes. Other times she'll just dig a hole and take a "dirt bath" or spread a wing and soak up sun.

[pink-o]

139. I am a dog lover extrodinare...

...although to me a REAL dog is springer spaniel or larger--there should be a different name for small pooches (who're adorable in their own rights, but I'm a 6'1" woman and I want a dog I can run with and roughhouse.)

Anyway, EX-Husband had a golden retriever whom he took with him after the divorce, so I missed having a canine presence around, but ultimately became accustomed. However, my new apartment wasn't without quadropeds---those of the RODENT variety!!! San Francisco is a port city, like New York and Boston, and the rats here are bigger than my criteria for dogs!!! And let me tell ya, I'm a vegetarian, I love all animals, but rats just disgust me! Dirty plague-carrying vermin they are. So I couldn't trap and kill them, I couldn't lay down poison because there were kids and other dogs around, so I headed for the shelter and got the best rat repeller I knew: a cat.

I'd never had much experience with cats before that, I just figured they were all aloof and self-absorbed--my idea was that I would feed and care for the cat and she'd stay in her place while I stayed in mine. Any independent-minded animal would love me for a guardian, since I'd leave her to her own devices, right?

Right...?

Oho, I can hear all you cat-lovers howling with laughter right now. Of course I brought Miss Patty home (from the no-kill shelter here in SF--where the cats and dogs live better than a lot of people here.) and within 3 hours she was asleep on my lap, purring her way into my heart. Now, after 5 years I no longer live in the same apartment (which miraculously became free of rats when I brought her home) but wherever we are, as long as I'm sitting down the cat is a permanent fixture on my lap. She's also got a huge box of toys, the Costco size bag of cat cookies, and even her own heating pad that she can sleep on when I'm not there. As for where she sleeps at night when I am there: right next to me on the bed, most of the time expecting to get spooned.

So much for independence--mine or hers!

But Bombays are really playful and affectionate, I found out later.

[VespertineIconoclast]

143. Miss Patty is adorable.

What a wonderful story! :) I originally was a dog lover extraordinare too, but being lucky enough to be adopted by some of the cats in my life has changed that and I'm happier for it. I'm glad that Miss Patty came to your life as I am that Bandit came into mine. :)

[flamingyouth]

144. OMG - I forgot Buster the Amazing Lutino Cockatiel!

I got so caught up in describing the four cats that he somehow slipped my mind. :D

Yes, we also have a nine-year-old cockatiel (also a rescue) who's about ready to enter a 12-step program for millet addicts. :rofl: Seriously, he LOVES that stuff. :D

As you can see, it's a bit of a zoo around here. :D

[VespertineIconoclast]

146. I didn't know that there were different types of cockatiels....

But I googled them and found that Lutinos are beautiful with their solid white bodies! And your Buster is a millet addict. :rofl: I wonder why he likes them so much....

[Kali]

148. The current "pets"

Watson was hand raised by my sister and her exSO, after they split she was working full time and he wasn't getting enough attention. I had wanted a B & G for a long time. We took him in. He is now Jefe de Rancho!!



Mamakitty. We have ongoing problems with mice, being rural and in a decrepit old house. Husbands irritating childhood friend "helped" by calling a number posted in the local feedstore and this woman brought her out. She must have been the runt of an oddly (in-?)bred litter, because she has several physical anomolies. but she is the perfect indoor mouser and I wuv her.



Wezl and Dumbass, the last in a long line of accidents resulting originally from a wonderful red heeler that someone dumped at the end of our road. Wezl is a pretty good old mutt. Dumbass is ...well a big doofy dumbass, but he doesn't get into too much trouble so he gets to be one of my sons' dog - heh heh.

[VespertineIconoclast]

151. Nice pics.

All of your pets are lovely! :D Your blue and gold macaw appears to be outside... are its' wings clipped or is it trained not fly away? Interesting name for a dog -- Dumbass.... :spray:

[Kali]

160. heh, Watson can fly sort of - like many middle-aged people he has "issues" with gravity

sometimes he gets a launch off an arm like a trained bird of prey, but he never goes far. Then where ever he "lands" (sometimes with a rather ungraceful thud) he will waddle over to the nearest climbable structure or bush and go up a ways to start yelling for help. He is much more of a climber than a flier (somewhere I have a shot of him up on a wooden utility pole - he got there from a tree to the powerline then on up to the top of the pole. Always a great source of ... entertainment... he is.

What can I say about a dog named Dumbass? Better than the poor dog named during the height of the Beavis and Butthead era, Cornhole. That was an embarrassing name to call out in front of visitors. The problem occurred over a period of a couple years where we had several "accidents" (read BAD pet owners) and at one point had 13 total dogs running around. You start to run out of normal names after a while. We are finally down to the two dogs. And neither are unspayed females!!! (proly just a matter of time before another dumpee shows up)

And I neglected to mention that your cat is gorgeous! Have know a few one-eyed critters in my life including a mare and several cows. There was a parrot at the Phx zoo that had obviously been the victim of evil children. He had only one eye but would climb down to be scritched behind the head and greet visitors, but if any young kids came near he was out of there - back to the top of his enclosure, out of reach.

[Joey Liberal]

149. My Pit Bull/Lab Mix was in the local dog pound

And had Parvo too. I saved her and she's a great companion and guard dog. Also a great Democrat:)...... My other Lab was being beaten and starved, so he was kidnapped and ended up at my house where he's now healthy and happy.

[VespertineIconoclast]

153. The lab is lucky you saved it...

from such an abusive environment --! ...people can be so cruel sometimes. Even though pit bulls often get a bad reputation, I do believe that in the hands of a good owner they can be wonderful pets as your mix is. :)

[Joey Liberal]

154. Thanks! n/t

[jilln]

156. Stole one, adopted one from the SPCA, took in one stray

Those are the current ones. I didn't know I was stealing the first one, I thought he was a stray (no collar, covered in fleas and ticks, always in the street, all the neighbors said he was a stray and he had heartworms). A year later when his original people noticed us walking down the street they asked for him back and I declined (they lived 2 blocks away and never bothered to put up flyers looking for him or anything).

Before these, one followed me home, two came from neighbors with puppies, and one I grabbed from a sidewalk cafe as she ran down the street in the middle of the night with a length of TV cable tied around her neck.

[VespertineIconoclast]

157. The nerve of some "pet owners"....

The "pet owners" didn't think about the dog the whole time it was "missing" for a year, until they saw you walking it down the street one day.... :eyes: I'm happy that you "stole" the dog away from such careless people. :)

[Arugula Latte]

161. Mine:

Kitty # 1 and her brother were barn cats in need of a home. Brother has since passed away :( but my princess is 14 and still frisky and beautiful.

Kitty #2 showed up at our doorstep, a skinny, pest-ridden kitten. Boy, did he pick the right door to yowl at for his last chance!

Kitty #3 is from the animal shelter. He had an upper respiratory infection that damn well killed him when he was a kitten. He's healthy and huge now.

The Bunny was probably dumped in our neighborhood by some assholes who got tired of him (no one responded to ads or signs). He's a sweetie pie.

[VespertineIconoclast]

162. You have a generous heart.

Thanks for picking up the strays that others have ignored or cast away. :thumbsup: