Learning about Coping Gracefully from My Pets

Over in Marriage I wrote about how this year has been one blow after the other and I feel like I’m living under a black cloud. A string of them to be exact. No sooner does one pass than another one moves in and pours on me some more. I don’t even get a chance to fully dry off. I’ve been trying to cope as well as I can, but I have to be honest. My defenses are wearing down. Yesterday I got another blow. My dad’s girlfriend called to say she was at St. Anthony’s with my dad. He … Continue reading

Strays: Wings Beneath Their Fur

Do you know what I truly believe about strays and shelter animals? Especially ones that pick their people out like Aimee’s Miko did with her, Murph did with me and Wayne, and Rocky did with my friend Kim. Or how they wind up in our paths like Tabby did with me and Cujo did with my friends Christy and Christian. I don’t believe any of this is coincidence. I believe Divine Intervention was at work. These animals were guided into our lives by a higher power. If you look closely enough, you’ll see what I mean. There are wings beneath … Continue reading

Are Your Pets on YouTube?

When Wayne bought me my new digital camera last Christmas, I knew it spelled trouble for Murphy, Mr. Meow and Tabby. Because not only could I take pictures without having to hassle with film anymore (which freed me to snap, snap, snap as many pics as I wanted), I could also take video. An Amateur Pet Film Maker Is Born I had such high hopes that I could capture Mr. Meow doing his maestro show on the air vent or the cats chasing each other, but so far no luck. I quickly found out what a tricky business capturing pets … Continue reading

The Family That Plays, Potties, Drinks, Sleeps, and Heals Together Stays Together

Something life with Murphy has made me realize lately is that Wayne, me, and our fur kids are one tight knit clan. Which is sort of a remarkable thing in one respect. On the one hand, we’re a family made up of humans and animals. We’re not related by blood, but our bond is as strong as any blood bond could be. On the other hand, it’s hard to believe that just a little over a year ago we were a house divided. (Literally. Wayne was in Florida working a new job while I stayed behind trying to sell the … Continue reading

Multi-Pet Households: Separate Vet Trips or All Together?

What to do when both pets are due for their vaccinations? The Vaccination Report Murph’s rabies wasn’t technically due until the beginning of September, but his DHP and Parvo were expired. Since we’re kenneling him when we go to Alaska, I had to get those last two in particular updated. He also needed a heartworm test since I can’t remember the last time I gave him a heartworm preventative chewie. Mr. Meow has been overdue for his rabies, but I also wanted to get him checked out because (a) he’s getting up there in years, (b) he’s been limping here … Continue reading

The End of the Personal Pet Therapy Project

It’s with a heavy heart that my first blog back after a lengthy absence is to report that the Personal Pet Therapy Project came to an end on Thursday, July 3 when my mom (a.k.a. Grandma Dorothy to Murphy, Mr. Meow, and Tabby) passed away. The Gift That Proved Significant Since the last month has been pretty chaotic and filled with emotional upheaval, I wasn’t able to chronicle some stuff. Such as, that the little stuffed heart Tabby kept bringing my mom was a most significant gift indeed. My mom’s last oncologist appointment on June 11 proved to be The … Continue reading

Cats (and Dogs) Do a Body Good

I was reading an issue of Woman’s World today that had a blurb called “The purr-fect way to protect your heart!” Of course this caught my eye. “Sorry, dogs, but when it comes to keeping pet owners healthy, cats win paws-down! That’s the news from a recent large-scale study, which found that owning a cat slashes your risk of a heart attack by 40% and reduces your risk of stroke and heart failure by 30% compared to those who’ve never had a cat or dog—and this was true even after accounting for other risk factors, such as age, blood pressure … Continue reading

Kitty Hugs and Puppy Dog Kisses

Some days nothing comforts a hurting heart quite like kitty hugs and puppy dog kisses. I enjoy these every day, but some days they’re so much more meaningful than others. Both yesterday and today among the more meaningful variety. Earlier today over in Marriage I wrote about what love is and how Wayne’s love is so precious to me during hard times. But so is the love Murphy, Tabby, and Mr. Meow give me. The hard times I’m referring to is the bad news I received last night about my mom. My sister called to inform me she was admitted … Continue reading

Chaotic Cat Chronicles: The Student and the Teacher

Once upon a time Aimee wrote a series of articles called Dogs Teaching Dogs, Exhibits A, B, C, and D — Bad Habits. Well, dogs aren’t the only ones who teach each other. Lately I’ve noticed Mr. Meow learning a thing or two from Tabby. That’s right. The wizened old fart is picking up pointers from the young whippersnapper. Lesson 1: Being More Loving Won’t Kill You Mr. Meow’s pretty standoffish with most anyone else. It’s the rare person who doesn’t see him as a creepy cat. But he’s always had his quirky ways of showing me he loves me. … Continue reading

The Top Pets Blogs of 2007: January – May

Aimee and I, along with the occasional guest blogger, tried our best to bring you informative, interesting, and entertaining articles this past year. But you seemed to like some more than others. So I decided to do a Year in Review recap of the ones that you responded most to. What Makes a “Top” Blog? Even though you all may enjoy most of the blogs we write, not all of them inspire you to leave comments or rate them. Those that received star ratings made the Top Blogs cut. January 2007 Top Blogs Assistance Dogs of the West and The … Continue reading