Pets & the humans who love them

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by christie0918

Just call us Schnauzer land...

Max, the 23yr old mini schnauzer. (Yes, twenty-three) who is a crotchety ole fella. Hard of hearing (or ignoring us), only about 6 teeth left, and still plays like the younguns. He never fails to bring me a baby (he leans towards stuffed ducks) and flips over on his back so I can "get belly." I surely love that lil ole man.

23? Wow! I've got to ask, what brand of dog food do you give him/gave him most of his life?

[betenoire]

I have four cats. In order of when they moved in, they are:

Clyde and Charlotte - I got them when I was living in Vancouver in 2002. The woman who lived in the townhouse next to where I worked got evicted and left many of her pets behind. We never got the actual numbers because we couldn't catch them all - but both cats and dogs in her house were up in the double-digits. They were both around 2.5-3 months old, so I took them both and a friend of mine took their mother. I wasn't in a position to take on an adult at that time because I still had Mo at that time (he has since passed away) who was also a rescue and was aggressive with other adult cats, but I knew him to be friendly with kittens (for some reason.)

Clyde is gigantic, weighing in at nearly 20 pounds. He's not FAT however, he's just huge. I have never seen such large feet on a cat, and he is incredibly long. He chirps rather than meows, so I suspect that he is part Maine Coon. He is VERY talkative and a real lover - seriously. He loves love.

Charlotte is a diva. She has a naturally snotty voice (for a cat) and if you pet her she will often groom the area that you had pet afterward - I think she thinks I am dirty. She ignores me all day, but once I am in bed she asks to snuggle. She likes to be held like a teddy bear until I fall asleep.

Eliot is the only cat I have ever had who wasn't rescued from somewhere. A friend of mine (who lived in Michigan at that time) had a cat who had kittens and she posted the pictures on facebook - it was all over from there. I MADE Nick take me to Michigan to pick Eliot up once he was old enough. He is Clyde's best friend, and still (although he is nearly 3 years old now) tries to nurse on Clyde's belly. He likes foil balls, is very tolerant of my desire to put hats on him, and usually lays across my lap when I am on the computer.

Elphaba is just over 3 years old and has been with me for 2 years now. The woman who used to have her had a nasty habit of going out of town for WEEKS at a time and leaving Elphaba locked out on the balcony. It was summertime and hot and she had no food and water (aside from the food and water I would climb up on a chair to give to her) and there was so much feces on that balcony that you could smell it from quite a distance away. One night I decided that feeding her wasn't good enough - so I got up on the balcony and "stole" her. She was really thin and scared and sickly, so I got her to the vet and got her healthy and kept her. She is still not quite over her "I don't know when I will be fed next" impulse and breaks into my garbage can on occasion - but I forgive her. She's very friendly and no matter what I am doing or where in the apartment I am, she is always right by my side.

[atomiczombie]

My black lab mix of 13 years, Beaker, died in early August. His picture is in my gallery. I got him as a puppy from the Animal Rescue Foundation and he almost made it to 14. We had to tearfully let go of him when his spinal arthritis made him paralyzed and incontinent in his hind quarters. I miss him every day.

We adopted Popeye in late September from the Homeless Animals Lifeline Organization. He is now 6 months old! His pic is in my gallery as well. He is a german shepherd/terrier/lab? mix and cute as a button. He is a love bug and thinks he is a lap dog. He is very much a puppy and chews on everything, so he has TONS of toys and bones and chewy rawhides so he wont chew the furniture and stuff. He is a joy in our lives and a bit of a rascal. I just love dogs.

I like cats too, but I am allergic.

[betenoire]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

My black lab mix of 13 years, Beaker, died in early August. His picture is in my gallery. I got him as a puppy from the Animal Rescue Foundation and he almost made it to 14. We had to tearfully let go of him when his spinal arthritis made him paralyzed and incontinent in his hind quarters. I miss him every day.

I'm so sorry about Beaker. People who aren't animal lovers really don't get how our pets are our FAMILY and it's just as traumatic to lose a hairy member of the family as it is to lose the 2-legged kind.

You did got by him, I promise.

[katsarecool]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

My black lab mix of 13 years, Beaker, died in early August. His picture is in my gallery. I got him as a puppy from the Animal Rescue Foundation and he almost made it to 14. We had to tearfully let go of him when his spinal arthritis made him paralyzed and incontinent in his hind quarters. I miss him every day.

We adopted Popeye in late September from the Homeless Animals Lifeline Organization. He is now 6 months old! His pic is in my gallery as well. He is a german shepherd/terrier/lab? mix and cute as a button. He is a love bug and thinks he is a lap dog. He is very much a puppy and chews on everything, so he has TONS of toys and bones and chewy rawhides so he wont chew the furniture and stuff. He is a joy in our lives and a bit of a rascal. I just love dogs.

I like cats too, but I am allergic.

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of Beaker!!! I know you did what is best for him!!!

I just returned from the vet for my daughter's cat Jeffrey. Beth noticed a nickle size wound on her hindquarters this afternoon. So I went with her to the clinic with Jeffery on my lap. She is still there and will come back home around 8 pm. She required sedation to stitch up the wound which turned out not to be an animal bite. I have been talking to my daughter for almost four years to keep Jeffrey inside permanently. This is not the first trip to the emergency room for this sweet girl calico who has the softest fur in the world. She will be coming home on antibiotics, pain medication and one of those halo thingies. Beth finally said Jeffery will now be indoors. The vet bill was $300! This cat got sick from something outside last year and the vet bill then was over $500! Roaming free outside is not a safe place for our pets.About the name Jeffrey; Beth was told it was a boy kitten when she adopted Jeffrey. And Beth did not know how to sex a cat. I finally had to break it to her that the cat is a girl.

[1PlayfulFemme]

Most who know me know of our "We rescue all animals" plaque that hangs in the Universe. We currently have 13 cats and two insane boxer puppies (who aren't puppies at 3, but when they were babies, they were the youngest of the 5 dogs we had at the time - the rest of whom died of happy old age!!)

Our babies are truly our babies. It doesn't seem as though I will be able to carry a human baby, so we love and cherish our furbabies. They are spoiled to the point of ridiculousness, tho my wife and I would both deny that. (But it's her fault! *G*)

We recently lost my number one kitty. His liver failed and he developed lymphoma. On the opposite side of that, his brother was diagnosed 6 years ago with bone cancer and is in remission and you would never know he was sick. Proof that things happen in their time, not ours. I will never feel the same without Moo - to some, that's an odd statement. He died minutes after being born and my partner at the time brought him back to life. I was at work and came home to a perfect pinkish and black tuxedo kitten. His attitude was bigger than him then, and it never shrunk!

I love all my babies, but he was my "F" word. (We try not to say it outloud in the house...too many ears). We have a lady (I'm being nice - very, very nice) who lives across the street who raises feral cats. She feeds them, but won't get them fixed claiming "They aren't mine." Yet she can touch half of them and feeds them all. They were her mothers (who passed a few years ago) and she refuses to claim them. So, we end up rescuing the babies who are born with respiratory diseases and other horrifying issues. Two of our most recent babies have only one eye a piece (opposite sides) yet you'd never know it!

We've lost several that we were trying to save. There are some sicknesses that all the time in the world and treatments can't fix. But, I believe in that old story about the starfish...we try to make a difference to "that one" as often as we can.

Our babies, oldest to youngest:

Cats:
Little One 12 - we didnt name him
Spike 11 - he hissed within days of being born, and then cuddled right against me
Princess 11 - she is...very much so, a princess
Sage (We assume he is close to 8) - named for his wisdom
Chance 7 - he was found in a dumpster when he was a few days old
Vegas 7 - named by a friend of ours
Kachina 7 - her name means 'Sacred Dancer', but we call her Chi Chi
Brianna 7 - her nickname is Bree Bree
Becca 7 - her name is Rebecca, but she would NEVER answer to that!!
and my newest baby cats...
Nina 1 1/2 - My one eyed wonder, she's a tough lil girl!
Max 1 1/2 - My other one eyed wonder..he's a love!!
Sampson 1 1/2 - Named for his strength as was
Hercules 1 1/2

When my baby babies were brought in, they were about 2 weeks old. Sampson & Hercules were the biggest at 1 lb and 1 lb 2 oz. Nina was 6 oz. and Max was only 4 oz...and somehow, my babies pulled through against the odds!! Sampson is now the smallest at 8 lbs, Nina and Max weigh 14 and 15 respectively, and Hercules weighs in at 19 lbs. Fat & Sassy...just the way I like em!

Our puppies are 3. They are Hannah and Hunter. Hannah had a perfect "H" on her chest when she was a baby, thus came their names.

We have had so many fun times with our babies!! Too many funny stories to tell!! I'll keep peeking in! I love this thread!

[SimpleAlaskanBoy]

I forgot to mention our outdoor feral, named Roo. He actually looks a lot like Moxie, and is very vocal. I feed him twice a day and he likes to sleep under our sycamore tree. He currently has something wrong with his rear paw and hops around on three legs, but other than that it does not seem to bother him. If we had a Trap & Neuter program locally and we could pay for it, I would but I found out the closest one is almost an hour away.
He used to sleep and eat in the garage, but he doesn't want to go in it anymore, even though we keep one of the doors cracked. Other cats use it now to stay warm. I am thinking of getting a cheap wood doghouse for Roo so at least I can keep his food dry and he's got someplace to go to stay dry and maybe get warm for a bit. He won't let us pet him but he gets within a foot of us while we are feeding him before he gives a look that says "Go away I am hungry!"
I've also seen a tabby cat with a lot of white in our yard and a skinny Siamese. I wish I could let them all in the house...
please spay & neuter!
~SAB

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by betenoire

I have four cats. In order of when they moved in, they are:

Clyde and Charlotte - I got them when I was living in Vancouver in 2002. The woman who lived in the townhouse next to where I worked got evicted and left many of her pets behind. We never got the actual numbers because we couldn't catch them all - but both cats and dogs in her house were up in the double-digits. They were both around 2.5-3 months old, so I took them both and a friend of mine took their mother. I wasn't in a position to take on an adult at that time because I still had Mo at that time (he has since passed away) who was also a rescue and was aggressive with other adult cats, but I knew him to be friendly with kittens (for some reason.)

Clyde is gigantic, weighing in at nearly 20 pounds. He's not FAT however, he's just huge. I have never seen such large feet on a cat, and he is incredibly long. He chirps rather than meows, so I suspect that he is part Maine Coon. He is VERY talkative and a real lover - seriously. He loves love.

Charlotte is a diva. She has a naturally snotty voice (for a cat) and if you pet her she will often groom the area that you had pet afterward - I think she thinks I am dirty. She ignores me all day, but once I am in bed she asks to snuggle. She likes to be held like a teddy bear until I fall asleep.

Eliot is the only cat I have ever had who wasn't rescued from somewhere. A friend of mine (who lived in Michigan at that time) had a cat who had kittens and she posted the pictures on facebook - it was all over from there. I MADE Nick take me to Michigan to pick Eliot up once he was old enough. He is Clyde's best friend, and still (although he is nearly 3 years old now) tries to nurse on Clyde's belly. He likes foil balls, is very tolerant of my desire to put hats on him, and usually lays across my lap when I am on the computer.

Elphaba is just over 3 years old and has been with me for 2 years now. The woman who used to have her had a nasty habit of going out of town for WEEKS at a time and leaving Elphaba locked out on the balcony. It was summertime and hot and she had no food and water (aside from the food and water I would climb up on a chair to give to her) and there was so much feces on that balcony that you could smell it from quite a distance away. One night I decided that feeding her wasn't good enough - so I got up on the balcony and "stole" her. She was really thin and scared and sickly, so I got her to the vet and got her healthy and kept her. She is still not quite over her "I don't know when I will be fed next" impulse and breaks into my garbage can on occasion - but I forgive her. She's very friendly and no matter what I am doing or where in the apartment I am, she is always right by my side.

All of your cats match their names! So many times, I see animals and their people say, "Oh, his name is Snotrocket!" and I just think "But he looks like a Charlie, not a Snotrocket!"

Originally Posted by katsarecool

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of Beaker!!! I know you did what is best for him!!!

I just returned from the vet for my daughter's cat Jeffrey. Beth noticed a nickle size wound on her hindquarters this afternoon. So I went with her to the clinic with Jeffery on my lap. She is still there and will come back home around 8 pm. She required sedation to stitch up the wound which turned out not to be an animal bite. I have been talking to my daughter for almost four years to keep Jeffrey inside permanently. This is not the first trip to the emergency room for this sweet girl calico who has the softest fur in the world. She will be coming home on antibiotics, pain medication and one of those halo thingies. Beth finally said Jeffery will now be indoors. The vet bill was $300! This cat got sick from something outside last year and the vet bill then was over $500! Roaming free outside is not a safe place for our pets.About the name Jeffrey; Beth was told it was a boy kitten when she adopted Jeffrey. And Beth did not know how to sex a cat. I finally had to break it to her that the cat is a girl.

I think it's lovely that you and your family don't abide by the gender police concerning the naming of your pets. Mimi for a boy and Jeffrey for a girl is fantastic!

[katsarecool]

What a great way to get to know people by asking about their pets? I have enjoyed reading every single post! I applaud all the rescuers here. Awesome!

I have five cats now. That is the limit. Though I do feed the three other cats that visit me daily. Two have homes and the male is abandoned, so sweet but it took several months of feeding and talking to him before he would allow me to pet him. I wish I could find him a good home. I feel so sorry for him out in the elements. He had a cut on the back of his ear that took a year to heal up. I did apply antibiotic ointment but it kept on being ripped open in cat fights. I wish I had the money to take him to the vet and have him neutered. And a home too but not with me.

My first cat in many years is Midnight; a solid black American short-haired guy with Siamese features. I rescued him from my son who is autistic. He was physically abusing Midnight and despite the many years of gentle loving from me he is instantly defensive with others. He has bit so many people now I just warn them away. A few months ago he suddenly became ill and lost a great deal of weight. He was put on a special diet and has recoved but slowly. He was a weekend away from being put down! On Monday his appetite came back. He has the loudest purr I have ever heard. He is 12.

Then came Ashley who I bought for my grand-daughter who was 3 at the time. Well Ava began hitting Ashley in the face, it got so bad that Ashley finally mauled Ava in the face. So I took her instead of them taking her to the pound. She is a stuck up cat who prefers to be alone; a hymalaian (sp?) mix with large blue eyes and long luxurious fur. She does have a relationship with the other cats but on her terms and she is known to cuff the boys when they misbehave. She is also 12.

Then Frankie came to live here. An ex was trying to bribe me back together with her by gifting Frankie at five weeks old; another solid black short haired boy. I did keep the cat but sent the ex on down the road. Frankie is the lover of the family; he grooms everyone including me. All the other cats approach him with head lowered and butting him in the chest for their grooming. I have never seen Frankie in the five years I have had him be grumpy. He has such a sweet personality; beautiful with longish shiney hair. He weights 22 lbs despite being so tiny when he came to live here. He does not like to be picked up but he loves to cuddle in his fashion. He is my favorite and will be six on Dec. 3rd.

Chico, another rescue. The woman next door let Chico and his twin brother roam the neighborhood at four weeks old. I took Chico home with me. He is a red and white American shorthaired boy. He is not very big, with short orange ears, stocky but not fat. When someone knocks on the front door; Chico jumps up on the tall speaker, parts the curtains and looks outside to see who has come to visit him. He is another sweet boy, very affectionate and he is a devoted lap kitty.

Mimi is the last of the brood. Another rescue. My neighbor moved away and left him here last winter. She came back several times to get more things, she was being evicted. Each time I reminded her about Mimi. Meanwhile I am feeding him and worrying about him being outside in the cold. Last Christmas Eve it was very very cold and I brought him in the house where he has been ever since. It took four months to get him calmed down and accepting of the fact that he is indoor for life. He is a huge talker! Sometimes I wish he would shut up. He talks to me. He talks to all the other cats. He talks to the cats wandering around outside. He is very loving and just loves to lay in my arms for hours sleeping. In fact that is about the only time he does sleep is when I am lying down. I have thought to find a good home for him but to be honest I cannot part with him now. Even if he is very demanding. He will get right into my face with a huge meowwww. I look over to check to make sure there is food, water and the litterbox cleaned. He wants to be picked up and held like a baby boy!

I do so love the pet family and they comfort me and it is like they are my best friends.

[christie]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

23? Wow! I've got to ask, what brand of dog food do you give him/gave him most of his life?

In as much as its gonna make ppl cringe, all our pups favor cheap stuff. Store brand of the "Kibbles & Bits".

Max will pick thru and find the "white bites" (I have no idea what flavor they are) while Scooter has this really silly game of taking one piece at a time, running to the LR to eat it and then going back for another piece. It takes him hours to eat one meal.

Since Max has lost most of his teeth, we have added more of the soft, burger looking food. We call it "sprinkles" and you haven't seen excitement until you see him doing his lil sprinkle dance when he hears the cellophane wrapper.

We have tried most of the expensive, "healthier" foods and well, our dogs just don't like them. Taste of the Wild, Science Diet, Royal Canin... might as well been Alpo. Gravy Train is one of their favs, but with schnauzer beards, it was nixed pretty quickly because they LOVE to use the back of Jess' pants legs to wipe their beards! LOL

If you really wanna know the secret, Jess is probably a better authority. We lost our black lab, Shelby, just a year ago, and she was 19. Jess knows how to grow 'em old!

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by christie0918

In as much as its gonna make ppl cringe, all our pups favor cheap stuff. Store brand of the "Kibbles & Bits".

Max will pick thru and find the "white bites" (I have no idea what flavor they are) while Scooter has this really silly game of taking one piece at a time, running to the LR to eat it and then going back for another piece. It takes him hours to eat one meal.

Since Max has lost most of his teeth, we have added more of the soft, burger looking food. We call it "sprinkles" and you haven't seen excitement until you see him doing his lil sprinkle dance when he hears the cellophane wrapper.

We have tried most of the expensive, "healthier" foods and well, our dogs just don't like them. Taste of the Wild, Science Diet, Royal Canin... might as well been Alpo. Gravy Train is one of their favs, but with schnauzer beards, it was nixed pretty quickly because they LOVE to use the back of Jess' pants legs to wipe their beards! LOL

If you really wanna know the secret, Jess is probably a better authority. We lost our black lab, Shelby, just a year ago, and she was 19. Jess knows how to grow 'em old!

Well, of course they like the cheap, processed stuff....just like us humans...tastes much better!

So, Jess, what is the secret, if not food? Exercise? Or is it just lots of love?

Thanks for the responses.