Happy Pet Memories

You know, I really have had some sweet pets over the years.

Some happier memories of them.......

Prince, my first doggie that died trying to defend me...he was such a sweet dog. He was a full blooded Collie and I adored him. he let me wrestle with him, and as I have learned from quite a few people, are natural herding dogs so that explains why he would corral me back from the street when I got too close. I just thought it was a great game he was playing with me. He was a big dog, and never once snarled at me or snapped or anything. He WOULD occasionally heave a great sigh when I came outside wanting to play...probably because I talked to him incessantly.
I loved that dog.

My next pet was a kitten Called Snow White- and you'll never GUESS what color she was!! She was a little spit-fire and I had all manner of fun trying to catch her to pet her. Typical cat and purr-fect for a seven year old who liked to climb trees.

My next pet was another doggie, this time a black and white Border Collie I named Bebe, that my dad found injured and half starved on the railroad yard where he worked with Norfolk Southern. I nursed her back to health and in return she loved me like nobodys business! I remember I had a young b/f at the time who thought he was just all that because he was half Cherokee. I was really into archery at the time and so he challenged me to a contest. To make a long story short- I beat him but a HUGE margin(the silly boy thought just because he was Native American he could shoot better than me even tho he had admittedly never used a bow and arrow in his life. I on the other hand had been using mine for over 5 years) and he playfully took the bow and put it over my head acting like he was going to strangle me with it because I won and was giggling about it.
HUGE mistake with Bebe lying next to my feet. Thinking he was serious about hurting me, she was on him in a heartbeat and altho she didn't hurt him, he refused to come back on the property thereafter. Can't say as I blame him.
Eh- he wasn't a very good B/F anyway.

Next on my list of favorite pets was Shorty. I got HIM for an early graduation gift from an aunt & uncle. He was a Saint Bernard. By the time he was 10 months old he was big enough for me to ride like a horse (altho I didn't).
He was such a sweetheart too. I rode the bus to school, and every day when I would get off the bus, Shorty would come barreling down the driveway at full speed and knock me down when he jumped up on me still going almost full speed. I don't think he was a very good judge of distance and speed reduction. He's another dog I miss dearly.

Next came Ginger. And GUESS what color SHE was????
She was a kitten I got to choose from a whole litter and she was a sweetheart as well. She slept with me. she followed me around like I was her mama. One day the boys found a starving little kitten outside our apartment and brought it home. They nursed it back to health and it lived with us for a while but then ran off because ginger was so jealous. If that kitten came near me, ginger would start spitting and growling. If it actually made it up on the sofa next to me, ginger would rush it and knock it off onto the floor and then come back and curl up in my lap again.

Next came Diva. Of all my cats, I miss her and Boo(who I'll get to in a few minutes) the most.
Diva was my baby from day one and she was the most affectionate cat I have ever seen. She used to bring me little gifts from the field next to our place. Yes, imagine my...."surprise" when I went to put on my sneakers and found a dead baby copperhead in it. Thankfully, all the little gifts she continued to bring me were dead. She was the kitty who refused to have her litter of kittens without me being there WITH her...and on my bed, too. Unfortunately, Diva's demise was due to an unfortunate bite from an adult copperhead or Water moccasin. We found her three days later and buried her under my weeping willow tree in the back yard and I cried for weeks.

About this time I decided I wanted a ferret. Pepe was a rascal to the n'th degree. He would burrow and hide in anything and everything and I could never find him even tho we had a cage and a pen. I came close to re-naming him Houdini he was so bad. He was a handful and I eventually gave him to one of my friends sons who had him until he passed of old age....the ferret, not the son.

Then came Boo- my big old Maine Coon Cat. It took me 6 months to get him to even let me scratch between his ears. He had been mistreated by a woman before we got him, but he came round and eventually, he would climb up on the couch and in my lap and touch noses with me as I petted him. Kitty kisses, I suppose. He passed away of old age and I wish I had another just like him.

Then came Rudy and Mac our two registared Dashunds. Rudy, whose full name was Rudolph Valentino Jar-Jar Binks was a black and tan, Mac, whose full name was Big Daddy Mac, was a red. Those two were brothers and were as annoying as a couple of puppies could possibly be. Rudy would run and trip over his ears....no joke. And Mac would bark at anything or anyone and then run and hide as soon as he stopped barking. They were always a hoot to watch play tho, always playing puppy tag or playing cowboys and indians with Boo, who we also had at the time. Boo would be up on the ottoman and the two puppies would be circling him nipping at his tail as he waved it in their faces. They were annoying to him and he taunted them. But they got along and it was a blast while they were with us.

Next came Shadow, my little black kitten, who decided to shred my wedding veil that was hanging in my bedroom. Little devil, he could make spagetti out of ANYTHING that grabbed his interest. But he was playful and affectionate-when he wanted to be.

Next came Padme, who Clay and Kathy gave to us from the litter their stray had. She and Buddy had a grand time playing and growing up together. Buddy loved kittens as playmates.

Next came Leonard, who entertained us with his regular massages given to Buddy at exactly the same time every day. 1 in the afternoon would bring Buddy to his spot in front of the entertainment center and Leonard would promptly appear and begin the massage until about 1:20 when he would flip onto his side next to Buddy and both would take their daily nap.

or maybe it was Leonard AND/OR Padme who gave the massages...I can't remember.

Both Padme AND Leonard escaped when they were about 6 months old and we haven't seen them since. Buddy missed them both.

And last we come to Buddy.
Buddy was a tiny sweet ball of fur who showed up on our doorstep on the coldest day of the year about four years ago. He was barely, if at all, old enough to eat puppy chow and since we couldn't find anyone to claim him, altho we knew for a fact where he came from, we decided to keep him and give him a good home. He stayed in the house except when we let him out to play or to take care of his daily needs. He had full range of the house except for the kitchen, that's MY domain and I can't stand to have animals in my kitchen where I cook. Not kosher at all.... but he was big and dumb and loveable and we loved him.
We had to put Buddy down the day after Mother's Day. He had growled and snapped and made a move for Nicholas on Mother's Day when we had let him out to do his business. He was doing fine with everyone else so we decided to let him stay out for a bit under our close supervision, but as soon as Nicholas walked into the room, Buddy snapped.
Paul quickly put Buddy back in his room until our comapany left- and we had decided to just keep him away from company altogether when we had people over from now on, and Buddy seemed fine.
But without going into detail, the following day Buddy full out attacked Paul. Due to quick reflexes, Paul wasn't hurt, but it brought the realization that if it had been anyone else in that situation, there would have been very serious injuries. So we had to put him down.
We felt it was our only option, for if we had given him away and it happened to someone else and THEY got hurt, we would have felt responsible. We did what we thought was best, but we will miss him dearly for the sweet puppy he was when we first found him on our doorstep.

We have now adopted an adult cat we named Logan, after Wolverine, for the long claws. He's a sweetheart, but still a bit nervous around the house. He's settling in nicely tho and he seems like an affectionate enough lad. He's definately knows what POUNCE treats are and will come running like a demon when he hears the can shaking. My B/P seems to be lowering a bit since getting the kitty, maybe he's having a calming effect on me- and that would be a GOOD thing.

I'm looking forward to many years with Logan.
Keep your fingers crossed!!!