Animal Companions

Yes, you’ll probably think I’m am the Crazy Cat Lady after you read this, but be as it may....
I’ve always been an animal lover. I’ve had pets or, as some of us say, animal companions all my life. Sometimes friends called me and my mom Dr. Doolittle because we both befriend all creatures and love them so. My mom’s house (as alot of you know) is like an animal sanctuary. She’s got birdfeeders everywhere and sitting out there you have to sometimes shout over the noise of all the birds fighting over the bath or food. Lizards scour her wall regulary. She’s got a pet turtle, dog, cat sometimes 2 more dogs...etc etc. This is how I grew up. Usually with 4 or 5 cats, always a dog then hamsters, rats, birds, name it...we had it. When I moved out on my own 3 came with me. Harriet, Panther and Gizmo. Now I had real responsibility. They were mine. I was soley responsible for them. Little background:
Harriet came to me when Kim, Jody and a few others moved into a house where they inherited Harriet who was abandoned by the former owners. She was sketcy as hell and stayed on the roof. The crew - thinking she was a boy named the cat Harry. When the group moved out, Kim called me asking if I’d take her not having the heart to leave her. I did of course. Harry turned into Harriet after we realized the mistake. After taking a few months to warm up and be able to be with more then just me she turned into the silliest of cats. She was abused, had cigar burn scars above her eyes giving her this fabulous squint, she walked funny due to a bad breakage in her hips and she was mostly blind and partially deaf. I loved her. She loved me. This poor creature who had been thru hell is still able to trust me to be happy again. She turned from a sketchy untrusting kitty to a loving, chatty friend to us all. I lost her on New Years Day 2005 to kidney failure. This was the 1st time in my life I had to deal with a loss. Mom was always the one. I didnt take it well.
Panther. My precious shepard/husky mix. In his prime he got to about 95 lbs. I adopted him when he was 3 years old. My friend Mic and I went to the shelter and I immediatly fell in love. He was abused as well. Terrified of people. After a few months he turned into a completly different dog. He gained about 20 pounds, he played, he ran, he loved EVERYONE except the mailman. I would take him rollerblading and he would run along with me as if he’d been doing it his whole life. He went camping with me often. He’d howl at sirens and the ice cream truck. He hopped. He was my treasure. I loved him so much I thought my heart was going to burst. After the divorce when I’d have hard days, he’d look into my eyes with that sweet sweet face of his and melt my troubles away. My vet was amazed at how long he lived. Apparently the average for his breed and size is about 12 years. When the dreaded time came in Nov of 2006 he was 16. I miss him to this day.
Gizmo. She was a Xmas gift from a boyfriend when I was 17 years old. He brought me this little puff with huge eyes and huge ears earning her the name because that’s exactly who she looked like. My princess. She was spoiled. She knew it. She used to torment Panther mercilessly. He never had the courage to take her on and she knew that too. I used to love watching my 95 pound dog terrified of my 7 pound little cat. Gizmo never got too big -fat yes - but stayed pretty small in size. She never lost that kitten face. Always had the big wide eyes. Loved me to no end. And I loved her. After I lost Panther, a few months later Gizmo got sick. I poured all my money into trying to figure out what was wrong, we finally realized it was cancer. She got so sick. It was horrible. June of 2007 I lost my last baby.
After that I swore I would not get another pet. I couldnt do it. I lost all 3, granted they were older when I moved on my own, but still. I was so depressed and crushed. A few months later is when I realized I needed furry friends. This was the 1st time in my entire life I was living with out an animal companion and I was miserable. I couldnt handle it. I went to the Shelter just to look......
Of course as you know and have seen in their own photo album I adopted Tweaks and Tabitha, 2 little sisters that were abandoned in an alley way and the only 2 surviors of their family. It was instant love. They have turned into the cutest, craziest, entertaining nutballs I could ever hope for. They drive me crazy. They’ve torn up my house. But I love them so much. They’ll be a year in May. They certainly know who mama is and they love thier uncle mark as well. What sparked this blog was yesterday I sprawled out for a quick cat nap (no pun intended), face down - one arm up over my head the other along my side palm up. As usual - the girls took thier spots - Tabitha throwing herself (yes she throws herself) against my left side. Tweaks climbing on top of my giant stuffed horse which is laying next to me. As I’m laying there Tabitha stretches her head across my back and basically hugs my thigh falling asleep. I then feel Tweaks paw tickling my upturned palm. I rub her paw for a moment and she then leaves it there. Yes - we were holding hands. We held hands the whole 20 minute nap. My heart burst. I never thought I could love another furry friend as much as I loved my others, but I do.
If any of you have actually read this extremly long blog I hope you enjoyed it. I dont really know why I went on and on, but I felt the need. Animal companions are a nessasity in life I think for those who need them as I do. They bring a smile to your face when your down. All they do is love you. All they need in return is love (and a little patience at times).