Pet Stories II

[Spiderdancer]

I started one of these threads a long time ago, and it did all right for a little while. Then it died. So here's another one. What has your pet done recently that was funny, cute, or dumb?

No gross stuff.

No telling how cute your pet WAS. And then they died. Live pets only.

I'll kick it off.

My sister's cat Baby absolutely loathes my cat Loligo. So recently when she was sitting on our kitchen table and saw her arch-nemesis sitting hapless and unaware nearby, she crept up, crouched, and leapt headfirst into the picture window. Which Loligo was on the other side of. Oops.

[PoolMan]

Wait a second, why can't you have dead pet stories? Aren't past pets as important as current ones?

[Hucklebubba]

Because, Poolman, this is war.

Streak, my sheltie, was possessed of an insatiable need to. . .well, herd things, seeing as how she was of a herding breed. She seemed to operate on a very basic philosophy when it came to other creatures.

Smaller than her=herd.

Bigger than her=kill.

Humans were excluded from this principle, and were assessed on a case-by-case basis.

She was especially fond of frogs and turtles, although she once found out the hard way that nipping is not a very effective technique with the latter. And really isn't all that great with the former, either.

And yes, that was all in past tense, as Streak was put to sleep on June 16, after about a month of suffering with what appears to have been some sort of progressively-worsening neurological malady (the vet was completely stumped).

I promise I'm not ignoring the "no dead pets" rule just to be vexing.

[StarOpal]

Before I fixed it, one of the drawers of my dresser didn't catch right so it came open really easy. This is important to the story. Also, that my mother was right by my side.

One day I come home, Mum in tow mind, open the door and, "Huh?"

There, all over the living room, are my unmentionables. And I mean all over. Mom raises her eyebrow and gives me a look that says, 'I see.' I grin. We follow the trail back to my room.

In the dresser drawer is Smokey, my cat, wrapped up in slips and stockings, sound asleep. Everthing else pushed or dragged out to make room for him.

If I was a different sort of person I might have been embarrassed.

[Lazario]

My pets are all honestly too boring to tell stories about.

I have 1 cockatiel that whistles "Pop Goes the Weasle." 2 cockatiels that do the bombshell-just-walked-by whistle (basically I describe it as "wee-woo"). And one cockatiel does this cute thing with his head where he looks at you right in the eye, tilts his head to one side, then spins his head right around in the opposite direction so you can only see the back of his head - I call it "the snobby."

But, I have 6 ferrets - and it goes without saying, they are all the entertainment you'll ever need from pets. My favorite thing is when they run and jump at you - they leap and throw their arms out at the sides as far as they can go - they look like flying squirrels (only they don't get very airborn, though I'm impressed with as high as they're able to get up). It is 'the' cutest thing I've ever seen any animal do, and they all do it.

[Spiderdancer]

poolman said:

Wait a second, why can't you have dead pet stories? Aren't past pets as important as current ones?

Of course! All pets are important, as far as I'm concerned. But I wanted this to be a HAPPY thread, everyone dies sooner or later, and dead pet stories are always a downer. (Was anyone else scarred for life by that "Animals Can be Almost Human" book as a child?) Also that's what killed my other thread.

Another one:

Dutch, my OTHER cat, who is huge and weighs about 25 pounds, does not mind being given baths. He purrs the whole time. He's just that happy that he has a person's full attention.

[Lazario]

That cockatiel that does "Pop Goes the Weasel" also barks like a dog. Sometimes when cars pull into the driveway, he starts to bark. And this isn't a squeak or chirp that sounds like a bark, this is the bird totally barking.

[PoolMan]

I saw a hilarious "slow news day" piece a few weeks ago about birds learning to mimic things by living near humans. Among the list of things they could do (and played audio for on the report!):

- dogs barking
- human voices
- cell phone dialing
- cell phone ringing
- power tools (this was the best one... a bird making the noise of a band saw is something you should experience)

[pfrsue]

So, this isn't a "cute pet" story as much as it's... well, judge for yourself.

For those not in the know - I own two greyhounds, Flower and Simon. Flower is currently my avatar.

Anyway, this evening, I took their bowls down to the basement, and scooped out 1.5 cups of ultra-expensive kibble each. Then I carried the bowls up the stairs into the kitchen and mixed in some nice warm water as a gravy starter. Then I decided that they'd perhaps like a mixed vegetable medly (as opposed to green beans, carrots or canned pumpkin - all of which they've had in the past seven days) and gave them a few spoonfuls each - mixed in well. Then, because they've had chicken flavored canned food for a few days and turned their noses up at it during breakfast, I opened a can of sliced beef dogfood and put in a generous tablespoon each. Mixed it in again. This was followed (only in Flower's bowl) by a light drizzle of Iams "Sizzlin' Bacon" gravy. I put down the bowls in their elevated containers (greyhounds are tall), and then gently encouraged them as they ate, praising them mightily when they both licked their bowls clean.

Then I went back to the fridge, found a chunk of leftover beef and ate it cold for my own supper.

Is it just me, or is there something wrong with this picture?

[PoolMan]

Only if the plate of beef had "FOR FLOWER" written on it.

[Spiderdancer]

Ha ha. My cats are lucky if they get canned food once a week to go with their Kitty Chunks o' Dehydrated Offal. I don't want to spoil their appetite for the cute feathered entrees they keep leaving around the back porch. ("Hey, look! Entrails!")

Dutch the Fat Cat likes feet. He will lay his head on a person's foot at any opportunity. If no person is available, he will snuggle up to an empty shoe.