I am a real animal lover. All kinds of animals, even the exoskeleton kind. Don't get me wrong, I will eliminate a spider or use a roach motel to rid our home of those who do not belong and wander into the wrong area and I am that man that still has teeth designed for eating meat, just don't let me look at that meat in its' natural state and let someone else prepare it for my consumption. But, I am drifting, as I get older, toward removing some of that meat form my diet. Probably as a payback for my previous consumption that most meats reek havoc on my digestive tract. But, I get off topic.
I love cats and dogs. We have 3 cats ranging from 15 to 5 years and I think the only people who get cats, really get cats are those who love them. Cats are not that independent, but rather survivors. Through a cat out on its' proverbial ear and it will survive all but being hunted by coyotes. But if you have indoor cats, you will see that they can be needy, aloof, sad, angry, playful and all the emotions you yourself can experience. They can express those emotion through obvious means like purring, howling and the usual meowing. A single cat is a lonely cat and that is why we rescued two. We thought they would play together and keep each other company as our busy schedule would necessitate us being absent often. So...getting a third was a no brainer. We fast recognized that the second one developed "Middle Child" syndrome and now we are stuck dealing with all the issues associated with that. Hissing, fighting, chasing, stealing toys and food and always someone is left out of the "Reindeer Games" and we need to referee.
Then, we decided to get a dog. OMG! You would have thought the Russians had invaded America. At least the cats had a common enemy. When we leave to go out, we put the dog in a guest bathroom with her food, water, and plushy crate as a safety measure not for the condition of the house but for her safety from the cats. One cat out weighs the dog by 10 pounds, so the Chihuahua/rat terrier mix hasn't got a chance. So, I have been the dogs protector. And consequently her and I have developed the kind of relationship that we both enjoy. On long walks at the park we hold world saving conversations, we tell each other our dreams, hers for the perfect spot to pee and mine for that exotic car I dream about. We comfort each other in times of stress and medical emergencies and interact with others of like minded individuals. She greets me when I get home like no other and and loves me unconditionally. He eyes and actions display all the emotions I can personify in her and I adore coming home and seeing my wife at the park walking her as one of the cutest images I know.
In short having a dog is a fulfilling experience. I feel needed, appreciated in the truest sense of the words and research shows that old people with pets live longer than those without. I guess that means I will live even longer than planned.
