Welcomed home by my pet [smile]

Awww. I find myself having daft conversations with Baz. I actually heard myself telling him he could sleep in my swimming bag as a treat earlier this week. He'd not been well and I was trying to cheer him up. Being a cat he naturally studiously avoided the swimming bag despite the fact that he usually spends his life trying to gain access to this unlikely cat haven! I give up!

Got home 2 days ago after 10 days in hospital - and little Slinky (DD2's elderly blind dachshund we adopted 3 years ago) was beside himself with joy. Every morning he waits at the bottom of the stairs for me to come down- and he can feel the vibes in the old wooden stairs, and his little tail wags like mad- then after a cuddle, he runs ahead with joy to the kitchen. He is just so cute (16 years old).

Our 23 year old cat Pudding was also delighted to see me- jumped on the bed and purred and purred for hours, stroking me with her head. They are wonderful, aren't they?

Thank you tizliz a good one for today !!

My cat Lily is a good greeter. When we are both working we keep pretty regular lives - DH in first and feeds her on arrival, but she still tries it on with me when I arrive 2 hours later. If we are 'off time-table' and she hasn't been fed at the expected time, we often come home to a mouse or bird dumped in the hallway like a protest!
DH says I spoil her - I notice he chats away to her and plays 'fight' games with her when he thinks I am not looking .

Thanks Jane.

DS has decided that, although DGS is very gentle with animals to wait until he's older and they've hopefully moved to a larger house - which at the rate they do things won't be for a year or two. Common sense prevailed!

For all those who love dogs

www.youtube.com/embed/NK-T_t166TY?feature=player_embedded

Baz is the archetypal gentle giant. He puts up with DGSs by removing himself from the situation and hiding in a cupboard until they've gone. Don't know what he'd be like with a dog. He's a perfect companion for us and quietly accompanies us around the house. Only snag is when he sits on my knee - I can't see the TV over him!
Thinking about it, it might not be best for a Maine Coon itself in a house with small children and dogs but it could put up with it. Not sure how kind that would be.

Jane10 - what's a Maine Coon like character wise? DS wants one. He has a large Toller retriever and a small son. Would they get along?

We decided after our last dog, (a springer) died to get out and about more and travel a bit, so have steadfastly stayed pet free for several years now (we don't count the pond fish). We get our dog fix by having our grand-dogs to stay, with or without accompanying GC. This weekend was our annual complete family get together- six DC/DCiLaw, four DC under seven and four GDs. In a two bed and a box room house. It's a tight chaotic fit - especially as youngest GS decided he wanted to toilet train and be like his cousins (unsuccessfully of course!).

It's an arrangement which works well, but they all went home yesterday and it's quiet. Very quiet. I really miss the closeness of having our own dog, but it just wouldn't be fair to have one at the moment.

I've recently been in hospital, where one patient's partner brought in their baby to visit. I so wished my loving little dog could visit too.
Since coming home family members have been walking my dogs and this dog doesn't at all want to go out (the other one does). She won't let me out of sight. Our pets' devotion is far greater than most people's, but they don' have much else to do!

What lovely pics. We lost our little guy in December. He was a cocker and we adored him. I don't think I could have another . He was a one off - I do miss his smile

I haven't been on all week but reading through this I think all the animals are lovely and well cared for. That's why we have them isn't it.

They are all gorgeous.

They're all sooooo lovely!

Oh Baz is beautiful!

One of our cats always runs to meet my husband when he comes home in the car - bit worrying as he will get in the way. The other cat pictured here behaves like a mad thing when we come home - she races around and jumps on my office chair which she seems to think is her personal scratching post giving it a good thrashing before rushing into the utility room and gets herself in position for her tea (or dinner, or elevensies or indeed whatever time of day - she's such a greedy girl).

Ethel, your Charlie looks a lot like my Mia.
Baz is a beauty, all the pets in the pics are lovely.

We've had lots of cats over the years but Maine Coons are somehow our favourites -all of our cats have been much loved though!

Jane10, What a magnificat , he is fabulous !

This is Baz. He's trying his very best to pose! He always comes to meet me at the door and quietly follows me everywhere. He's so massive though its a bit like having a small elephant about the house.

We had the most gorgeous cat who would always be there to meet us when we pulled up in the drive, tail straight up in the air and calling to us. The only time she wasn't there was when we changed our car, driving off in one and returning home in a different one, however the very next time it was back to normal, she had only needed to hear the car the once and she had registered it. So clever!

We lost our last cat just before we moved and I quite miss having one but don't think we will have another now.

Here is my lovely girl Georgie. She is nearly 8 months old and gets ecstatic if I return from being away, even 2 minutes up the stairs! Her tail nearly falls off with wagging. Isn't it lovely to be loved so unconditionally?

That is a lovely story Absent , that kitten has found a lovely home with you and possibly would not have survived otherwise xx

What gorgeous pets we all have...

A few weeks ago I had to say goodbye to the last of the cats that emigrated to New Zealand with me. She was 19 and I was in the room with her mother when she was born. I was also in the room with her when she died.

About four months before this, one of my "outside cats – ferals that I feed regularly and who had all had litters – deposited a hamster-size kitten, maybe 9–10 ten days old, on my deck. It was almost as if she was saying, "I've got my own babies. I have no idea what to do with this one, but I reckon you do."

So now I have this silky black and white boy who bounces along the hall to see me when I get up in the morning and curls around my neck when I am having a pre-dinner drink in the evening.

I have loved all my cats and dogs and cried when I have had to say goodbye to every one of them. I love the little one – about five months – who seems like a precious present who arrived at just the right moment.

(Btw The feral mums have now all been neutered so there will not be anything up to 12 kittens prancing around my garden again. I am still sorting out homes for the last few this year.)