Animals we share our lives with

[cj]

Keim - my sympathy for the loss of Chloe. It is never easy. We've lost 3 cats in the past 4 years, all of them 14+ years old. We still have a 16 year old, and we are clinging to her. She is doing OK for now, but losing weight slowly. She has been such a good kitty (and is my avatar).

I so appreciate all the animal lovers on this forum. Our pets add so much to our lives...

[Sarah in SC]

Oh the dove is so beautiful!

I use advantage on the cats for fleas. We live in a terrible area for them, and they are indoor outdoor cats. It works very well and I don't fear the scary side effects I've read about with the supermarket stuff. Try Petshed for ordering inexpensive high quality pet medicines. Highly recommended.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRG I've also seen roosters get "dumped". Many of the fancy breeds are sold "straight run", so some hobby farmers get the pretty ones , end up with 50% roosters that like to crow and part pet so they get "gifted" to areas that look like good homes. Not saying how I know that.

Here's a news story on that very subject: Backyard chickens dumped at shelters when hipsters can't cope, critics say

[Indigo Mule]

Our 12-year-old Akita dog, Yuki, has been gradually declining as a result of Cushing's Disease. She let us know on Saturday that she was done with the struggle. We found a veterinarian who makes house calls, and this afternoon, with compassion and love and caring, she ended her journey with us. It's been a very rough couple of days, as Yuki has been with us for half the time we've been together (my spouse and I). It's bizarre not to have our "dog rug" underfoot, and we will be a long time adjusting to our loss of those little rituals and routines.

On the plus side, I highly endorse the in-home euthanasia with a compassionate and caring veterinarian. Our dog had grown to fear and hate the veterinarians' offices, and I was determined she not end her life there. She had a fabulous life (we rescued her when she was three years old), and a dignified death.

If I ever have another dog, it will be very very far in the future. I'm just gutted.

[Major Tom]

I am really sorry to hear that Indigo Mule. It will take a while for you to come to terms with her loss. Although we don't have an intellectual connection with pets, it's easy for non pet owners to underestimate the bonding power of the little rituals and routines, and how attached we become to their personalities.

[Keim]

Cushings is a hard one, IM. My own dog just passed from its complications. Best wishes to you.

[NW-Bound]

This bunny, we rescued from our backyard swimming pool a couple of months ago.

My wife happened to go back there for something, and saw what looked like a rag floating in the pool. Then, she thought it was a bird. Anyway, a few more minutes and Thumper would be gone, as he (could be a she as I did not check) was barely breathing.

Scooped him up, wrapped him in a towel to dry. Within an hour, he showed sign that he was going to make it. The photo of him in the sink was taken the next morning, after he has consumed a carrot and a few leaves of lettuce. Thought about adopting him by making a cage, but wife said we'd better let him go. So, at dusk, I took him to the golf course down the road, and released him into a bush. As I did that, I noticed several of his elders were scurrying around on the green. So, he will have company.

This is the first time I saw any rabbit in my back yard in 25 years. We tend to have a quail family visiting every year, and they would stay a day or two. Sadly, there's usually one drowning in the pool each time.

PS. The rabbit was smaller than my fist, when he fluffed up. So, must be very young.

[veremchuka]

I have a lot of bunnies. One summer as I was mowing the grass on the lawn tractor I just happened to look down at the last possible moment and there in front of the tractor was the tiniest baby bunny, it would have fit in the palm of your hand. Rabbits rely on sitting still and run only if really pressured relying upon not moving as predators see motion more than a still object.

I was able to stop in time and shooed it off. While there are too many of them around here I would have felt terrible if I ran it over with the blades running.

[Nemo2]

Mourning Doves in the back planter....and now Robins by the front door:

[RitaR551]

image-1654957929.jpg
Our ten year old cat, Mandy, has her own special routines. She makes it a point to trail DH every morning. When he puts on his socks, she is right there to "help". When he sits down, Mandy is right there to make sure there is a good supply of cat hair on his black T-shirt. She's such great help 😉

[kcowan]

Cute!

I would love to read our cats' minds. The orange one talks to us and has different phrases depending on the situation. The black one is more puppy-like, just being around us all the time. They are 15 and becoming more complex.

[ziggy29]

Still sharing our lives with the doggie in my avatar (we think she's 10 years old now). And we have two cats who are just about 11, and one of them gets around and acts like she's about 5....

[Buckeye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Proud We adopted a new kitty just before Christmas... it is a Russian Blue (or European Blue as the lady said who knows for sure)... Now, our 9 yo cat hates the new one... and the new one wants to play with any cat and there is only one around... Hope the two cats get along soon... I think it will be the old one who loses the battle... she has no claws so the young one thinks she is playing when she is not... But, the new kitty has a great personality... and she loves kids... my daughter pushes her around in her doll stroller... and the cat LETS HER... heck, I think she likes it as we have seen her jump into it a couple of times....

An unhappy older kitty is how I ended up with my faux Russian Blue, Gabby. A young woman at school found Gabby but her older cat was not hip on Gabby always wanting to play. Seven months later, Gabby still loves to play and play every day. Tons of personality. I think she is about 2 years old but no one really knows.

[veremchuka]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 Still sharing our lives with the doggie in my avatar (we think she's 10 years old now). And we have two cats who are just about 11, and one of them gets around and acts like she's about 5....

Oh your dog has such a beautiful face! What a gorgeous doggie!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye An unhappy older kitty is how I ended up with my faux Russian Blue, Gabby. A young woman at school found Gabby but her older cat was not hip on Gabby always wanting to play. Seven months later, Gabby still loves to play and play every day. Tons of personality. I think she is about 2 years old but no one really knows.

I had a Russian Blue and he looked like yours. I had a lot of cats back in the 80's so I'm familiar with their quirky personalities and behavior. My sister has her 1st cat, he's 3 years old now, and I get a kick out of how odd he is and how she is so surprised by his behavior. I told her if there are alien beings from another world on Earth I have no doubts they are masquerading as cats!

[Accidental Retiree]

This is my girl, Annabel.

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by veremchuka I had a Russian Blue and he looked like yours. I had a lot of cats back in the 80's so I'm familiar with their quirky personalities and behavior. My sister has her 1st cat, he's 3 years old now, and I get a kick out of how odd he is and how she is so surprised by his behavior. I told her if there are alien beings from another world on Earth I have no doubts they are masquerading as cats!

I must agree with the many idiosyncrasies of cats - and you really have to be around them a lot in order to fully know them. They don't reveal themselves at once, or to just anybody, that's for sure.

[Buckeye]

I purchased some new cat toys recently because Gabby was bored with her current collection. An Amazon reviewer called this toy "kitty crack" and it's an accurate description.

Amazon.com: Da Bird Cat Catcher Cat Toy by the maker of Go Cat Feather Toys: Pet Supplies

I purchased the feather attachment too and Gabby goes bonkers! I have to be careful to clear the area before we start to play because she launches herself high into the air doing crazy back flips.

[Jack_Pine]

Our two newest (we have 4). The Springer replaces one we had to put down last year and the BC is a rescue........................

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[Accidental Retiree]

But where are the other 2?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack_Pine Our two newest (we have 4). The Springer replaces one we had to put down last year and the BC is a rescue........................ [/URL][/IMG] [/URL][/IMG]

[Larro Darro]

The first three pictures are of LBJ [Liberty Belle Jr] The last one is Liberty Belle, her grandmother. We also have five or six orange cats. Midas, one of the orange ones lives in the back yard with our chocolate lab, Mocha. They are the best of friends, but I don't have any good pictures of them together. The second you open the back door, Mocha will come running, making any picture of them together impossible.