Originally Posted by
COYOTEMAGIC
I'm owned by 5 cats and 2 dogs!!!
I'm amazed at all the people who get rid of their "pets" when they get older. I've got a cat that is going to be 16 on Feb. 14th. I couldn't imagine taking him to the pound or giving him away. We said goodbye to my 12 year old dog 2 years ago and still choke up when I think of her.
My first cat - Katie - was definitely my baby - literally. I brought her home when she was 16 hours old. I raised her in my top left desk drawer at work until she was about 3 weeks old, then she was 'babysat' by my grandmother while I was at work. Then I got my Krissie at 5 weeks old. Had them both when we married.
I went for 20 years without losing anyone. And the we lost 6 in the span of 10 months. I lost Katie when she was 22 years and 4 months - and THAT was not long enough for me. In fairly quick succession we lost Katie, my best friend's male Boxer who had adopted me, Krissi, then Tigger and Kassi. Way too many loses to close together. From our original move from Indy to VA, we only have one 'survivor' my 'old man'. Boomer is now 15 - he is a rescue too. And both can he be a GRUMPY old man.
We have done rescue for almost 21 years now. And even losing the 'borrowed' ones hurt. We have been privileged to host 7 Boxers to the end of the days. That is so hard to take. They have been in horrible conditions, we finally get a hold of them later in life. And then we discover that they don't have many days left. So we just bring them home, introduce them to the couch and give them everything that their hearts' desire - and even things that didn't know they wanted.
My pain management doctor in Virginia had a saying kind of - the only thing wrong with having fur babies is that they don't live long enough.