Category Archives: My Pet, My Muse

Murphy on My Mom’s Mind

Murphy’s been on my mom’s mind a bunch for some reason. It started right before her stroke on Tuesday morning when she kept saying she followed him, he led her to the wrong room, and she was never following him again. (She’d never left her room, and Murph had been with me until I went in to see my mom that morning.) Or when she asked him why he took her down that gravel path. Or how she didn’t know what was wrong with her (like when the paramedics arrived or later when the ER staff was assessing her), but … Continue reading →

Time-Sharing Pets: A New Trend?

Yesterday on our evening walk, Murph and I ran into his gal pals Sophie and Lady. Sophie is a white shepherd/husky mix and Lady is a beagle. (We’ve written about them before in articles such as Murphy’s Fan Club, Tabby’s a One Cat Kind of Dog Lover, and The Fox in the Woods: A Lesson in Rabies.) Last night it was a bit warm. Like mid-70s. Most of the time Sophie’s a high energy dog who loves to run and wrestle with her pals. She gets very mellow, however, when the temps start creeping up past 70. So while she … Continue reading →

What If Animals Hadn’t Been Okay?

Over in Marriage today I reflected on circumstances growing up that influenced my decision not to have children. Human ones at any rate. I’ve always had a pet or two, but I’ve treasured them as more than mere “pets.” Like many of you, my pets are my kin. Once they enter my house and heart, they become family. But why is that okay? If I’m going to cherish them as my children, why not have real ones? I think it’s because just as I was raised in an environment where kids were considered a burden, I was also raised in … 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 →

The Strays of Our Lives

I love stories about strays. Why? Because there’s usually a deeper story there. One that proves strays are not just strays, but the strays of our lives who’ve come into them in different forms and for different reasons. Kindred Spirits Have you ever looked into a dog or cat’s eyes and without speaking, touching, or sharing anymore time together than those initial first moments, you knew them? You read their soul, they read yours –instantly. That’s a kindred pet spirit connection. Wayne had that with Budly. I loved that little Cocker with my heart and soul but truly him and … Continue reading →

My Pets Are Not Disposable

I love my pets. I value my pets. I think of them as members of the family. When they are sick or injured, I do what I can to ease their pain and help them get better — whether that means a trip to the vet or administering medication or adjusting our daily routine. They are my best friends and constant companions. I realize that everyone doesn’t feel the same way about their pets. But it bothers me — a lot — that there are people out there who treat their pets like they are disposable. Planning a move? Too … Continue reading →

Pets Make the Best Unsuspecting PR Accomplices

My pets are always helping me with chores and such, but if only they knew just how shamelessly I use them for my own dirty deeds sometimes. Take Mr. Meow for instance. He unwittingly just got me some press in a local paper. It all started last year when I submitted an essay to Bylines. It’s a calendar by, for, and about writers. It’s a really nice calendar. For every week of the year there’s a writer with a story meant to inspire and uplift. I really wanted to be a part of it. I had submitted an essay the … Continue reading →

What Is It About Orange Cats and Dogs?

Tonight Murph helped me take a birthday card to Lady’s mom, Ms. Tina. Lady’s one of his neighborhood buddies, a little beagle who lives a couple streets down. While we were there Murph went on their screened-in back porch to check things out, but then he came racing back to the front frantically checking those windows. Ms. Tina figured he must have seen somebody or something coming as he was reacting like Lady did under similar circumstances. So I asked him, “Did you see something, buddy?” He looked up at me, wagged his tail, and looked back out the window. … Continue reading →

Taking Stock of 2007

It’s that time of year for reflection and resolution making. Last year in New Year, New Resolutions I detailed my goals for both the Pets Blog and animal/pet related personal goals. Now it’s time to see how I did. Pets Blog Goals These were my goals: • To continue promoting the importance of being kind, considerate, and compassionate to the animals we share this Earth with. • To feature more organizations dedicated to animals, be they ones helping animals or training animals to help others. • To feature pet friendly activities that the whole family can enjoy. • To emphasize … Continue reading →

Do You Kiss Your Pets Goodnight?

For a few years now Murph and I have had a routine whereby I snuggle up with him before I climb into bed. It started because he wasn’t always allowed to sleep on the bed with us so I’d sidle up next to him on the floor (he had a bed but he didn’t always start out sleeping on it at nights) and tell him what a great dog he’d been that day. These days he’s allowed to sleep with us on the bed, but he still starts out on the floor most nights. And if I don’t take a … Continue reading →