My Pet Page
Everyone has a pet page. They
all feature cute pictures of their cute pets. OK, I admit it, I have
cute pets too. I even have a few pictures of same. Being as my Son has
out grown the cute stage and has not yet produced grandchildren (of
which I am not eager for) I present my pets. Equally as cute as any
others, but mine.
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Bookends
The Fur Girls. My two oldest
cats Dianna (on the left) and Missy (on the right). The Fur Girls were
born in the summer of 1989 and are getting up there in age. Here they
are looking like the grumpy old ladies they are. We still love them.
In
September 2006 we Lost Dianna. Age and a systemic infection were more
than our best efforts could overcome. She was continually losing
weight, and would not eat. We made the hard call and had her put to
sleep in order to end her suffering. She will be missed. Her sister is
hanging in there however. She gets all the petting I can give her. Our
furry friends are sadly not forever.
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The Cat Hammock
The cat hammock facing the
east windows. The hammock came with Tiger (on the right). More about
Tiger later. Zak is in the middle and Missy in the back. |
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Tiger
More about Tiger. Tiger was my
sister's cat. We are talking baby kitten in the freezing rain no stops
melodrama rescue by Miss "Heartless" herself. She didn't like animals,
didn't want animals etc.. Fell head over heels for this little kitten.
(Whom I am petting as a write this.) The only problem is my sister is
allergic to cats! This she finds out after investing her total love in
this little guy. Breaks her heart she has to get rid of him. Me being
the BIG softy, I offered to take him in. He is delivered complete with
a full laundry basket of toys and the cat hammock above. What can I
say, he's grown on me.
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Dianna and Missy
The Fur Girls have their
story too. In 1989 my late wife and I lived in southwest Detroit, a
real rattle trap apartment. The basement windows were always broken,
and cats always getting in. We had recently lost out cats and had no
pets. I enter the basement to do some laundry and see what looks like a
drowned rat on the floor. I approach and see a newborn kitten, with the
birth fluids dried on its body. I run the cold little thing back to my
wife "It's going to die!" While she washes it and tries to bring it
around I re-check the basement. Yep, there in the dirty laundry is Mom,
who hisses at me, and her three other kittens. I grab our old litter
box, toss the litter in it, scoop up Mom, who hisses at me. (Shut up,
I'm doing you a favor.) and take the lot upstairs. We reunite the last
kitten and the family does well.
Almost totally. Mom was
impossibly feral. She took food, and used the liter box but was
absolutely unsocial. She got a trip to the shelter later. Missy, the
kitten I found on the floor, and Dianna whom Denise loved we kept. The
other two kittens were found homes. |
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Grace Inaction
Zak's turn in the spotlight.
2002 we are on our way to the store. We had recently lost Apollo our
dog. In our yard was a pretty little kitty boy. Friendly, and happy. We
petted him and wondered if he was lost. We agreed, if he was still here
when we got back, we would take him to the shelter, he had to be lost.
Well he was still there, and wanted to come in with us. We got a cat
carrier and took him to the police station, they took him to the
shelter (they have the keys). I told them I would get my carrier at the
shelter the next day.
I went down and told them
that someone had to pick up that beautiful little guy. So healthy, and
charming. But if no one did, I would take him in. Much to my shock, no
one did. And we got a most charming BIG boy out of it. A sour look on
who ever dumped that wonderful cat. Zak it seems was the over all
winner. |
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Missy
It was hot that day, really
hot. She isn't a big one for the old ultra-cute, but where she does,
she does.
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Do you really mean it?
No, I couldn't. But Zak is
one of those cats than I think looks for the photogenic moments. Sue
was cleaning house. The three box system (for any fly-ladies surfing) is the
Put away, Give away, Throw away. Guess which one Zak self inserted
into?
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Mombird, 2002
Not every animal at our home
is "ours". This Mother and children are nature's own. Our porch has two
large brick pillars. they have a shelf under the eves that birds like.
Here we have a Mourning Dove using the nest from the previous year's
Robins. The Doves were quieter neighbors.
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Mombird, 2002 again
Here we have her sitting on
the nest. The dove family would freeze when you came out the door,
unlike the Robins.
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Mombird, 2001
Here is the best picture I
couild get of the flightly Robin family. It was taken through the
glass, at night. Lucky we are that it is as good as it is.
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Quick, to the Cat Cave!
"We need to rest up for
the main nap of the day!" Some naps need help. Here we have Zak
(white feet) and Tiger (single paw) snorked out under the chair called
"The Cat Cave". Becasue of repairs I have made on the chair it does not
have the thin black cloth over the bottom. A perfect cat hideout.
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Pericles B. Python
Because I wouldn't name him
Monty, that's why.
Perry was a gift from my late
wife Denise and my current wife Susan to cheer me up after I was put on
the permanent disability list. Perry proves that not all the animals in
the house are mammals.
Perry is a 5-foot ball
python. He is sweet as snakes go, doesn't bite and doesn't poop on you.
He is in the branch we call "the easy chair".
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Remote Guard
Every cat has their place.
Missy likes the couch. Here she is guarding the remotes.
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Cat Collection
Susan is passing out the cat
treats and everyone is in the shot. This is an older picture as Zak is
smaller than Tiger. A situation that did not last.
Yes, everyone has a collar.
and a name tag. While we do not have outdoor cats, we are not taking
chances. Zak is the most modern of the bunch in he even has a
microchip. When Apollo the dog went over the fence his tags were the
only thing we could identify him with. Frankly, knowing our boy was
dead was better than never knowing what happened. Tag your pets. Cats
can live with collars.
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Tail Hose
Seriously, seriously
laid back my Zak boy is. Yes the vacuum is running, yes his tail is
sucked up the hose. You can see how much he cares. Any of the other
three you turn on the vacuum and it's the classic cat vanishing act.
Not this one who seems to enjoy getting brushed with it.
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The Moustronomer
Here Zak searches for the
great Rodenta Cluster. We are also into astronomy.
Zak was looking over the Meade ETX-105 I had out to work on. I said
this cat was a cute.
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Dianna and Tiger
Tiger and Dianna "share" the
extra chair in my computer room. This is several years old as that
chair is now up in the Horse Room, the cat chair in my computer room is
two versions down. I keep a second chair for guests and for Tiger. It's
his spot in the house. We even call that chair the "cat chair". The
leather makes getting the cat hair off easier. Here Dianna is trying to
push a counter claim on the seat.
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Zakked Out.
We he sleeps, he sleeps.
The most dedicated Disciple of Morpheus I have ever met. Truly sleeping
and you can do just about anything to him and he doesn't care. This
pose was his idea, he has used it several times. In this case on my
computer chair.
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Sabertoothed Zak
Living my entire life as I
have with the curse of the small cat, over five pounds was rare, Zak
keeps surprising me. The fangs are a good inch long. Are we looking at
a return of the sabertooth?
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longing
Zak isn't the only cute one.
Here Tiger reminds us that there is nothing like Mother's paws, even if
you have to find a substitute.
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Boyz in the Bed
Here the boys are hanging out
on the bed. Pretty pair they are, affectionate and loving as they are
lovable.. No the sheets are not that rumpled, the bed is. It's
one of those Select Comfort jobs. I love the thing.
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More Boyz in the Bed
More of my cat boyz hanging
out on the bed. Yep, just mugging for the camera.
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Adore Me
Old she might be but little
Missy is a love bug. She isn't one for hold and cuddle, but she likes
being "beside". Here she makes it plain that I have been neglecting the
cat something awful.
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I'm Trying to Rest Here
Zak is trying for a little
shut-eye on the couch. It would be easier if the monkey with the camera
would go away.
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It's Worth It
More Missy, this time showing
off. You don't need a cat treat to get her to do this, but it never
hurts.
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In the Bag
Susan likes Guinea Pigs. As
a result we usually have several This one is Patches.
Patches has decided that the best place to enjoy your hay is from
inside the bag. |
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Got Anything Bigger?
When Diana was sick Susan bought
this cat bed in hopes she would use it. Diana never did but Tiger
took a fancy to it. Zak, bless his extra large heart,
tried. Hence I have this picture. One kitty boy totally
filling a cat bed to the point he cannot rest his head. Alas cat
beds in Zak's size are labeled "dog". |
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Cat Bed Row
So the situation above resulted in
this. I love my cats and Zak looks so pitiful tying to use the
cat bed I get said bed labeled dog. Well, cats are not suppose to
use stuff you buy for them right? WRONG! Within fifteen
minutes of the bed being placed on the floor Zak was curled up in same
and did not move except to eat and poop for two days.
We eventually got a second one and
this is not uncommon now. Tiger would really prefer I took the
flash somewhere else. |
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Help....
Tiger likes being hugged, but not
in bed. So, I really have no idea how this situation
happened. Sue is obviously taking a nap. Tiger must have
decided to make sure she was breathing as he is known to do and got
roped in. So, what do I do? Instead of rescuing him I take
a picture. I am no help at all. |
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Well?
It is clearly time to pet the
Kitty, but clearly no one is doing it. How much patience is a cat
suppose to have here? |
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Reeelaxed
It is simply amazing how boneless
a relaxed cat can get. Missy is a master of this. She
sleeps in some of the oddest positions because of it. While
waiting for her to slide off the back of the chair Sue snapped this
picture. |
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