Let's hear about your dog or cat

Jonesy the cat. A ginger boy named after the cat in Alien, one of my favorite movies.

He was raised from 8 weeks with his brother. At the one year mark I sadly had to rehome his brother as they suddenly became mortal enemies. As a first time cat owner, I was likely at fault and probably didn't see the signs of territorialism and bullying that were developing, silently, until all hell broke loose. I could not, despite best efforts, reacclimate them to eachother. It was the worst feeling in the world having to choose which one to give up!

It ended seemingly happily when a neighbour and experienced cat owner adopted Jonesy's brother, BUT within 2 years of having him he started attacking their daughter. They had to rehome him again. Now he's with an elderly couple with no other pets. I hope he's doing well. I don't know as I have no contact with his new parents.

To this day I will never own more than one cat. Still traumatised from the experience. When they fight they're like miniature lions. I was injured several times trying to separate them. I don't know how people with multiple cats do it.

No dogs or cats. But I had this monkey once. Knew the most amazing trick.

Not a dog or a cat but I had a pet chicken named Suki. She'll eat grapes out of anywhere I put them... Anywhere.

My cat lazlo though I often call him laz. he's 17 + year's old (not sure exactly cause he was already an adult when i adopted him. i love him more than any human being i've ever known.

R1, if you're bonded with a cat (it takes time), they respect you as the boss. I've never had to break up a big fight, but I've prevented a few. They looked at me (eyes wide open), saw I was mad, stopped.

Now I have one two year old black cat named Rocky (mentioned in another thread). His prior owner said he wasn't affectionate (he is) and was too rambunctious (he's two!). I keep him very busy, besides games and toys, we watch cat videos together. I've never had such a young cat exclusively indoors. It's hard but can be done.

I had been pet-less for about 15 years, after having put down a collie and 3 cats.

I was volunteering at a cat shelter and had to clean a bank of tiger cages. I started with the bottom cage and the kitten on top kept sticking his paw out of his cage and batting me with it. I finished with the lower cage and went to his cage to remove him so I could clean it. As soon as I held him, he started purring very loudly, and the purring got even louder when I sat down with him and let him nestle on my chest. That was when I knew I had found a new pet. The shelter had already named him: Titus.

I was so discombobulated over having a pet after all these years, I never bothered to learn about my guy's past or how he ended up at the shelter. When I took him to the vet, the vet said he was about 8 months old, so he must have spent quite of bit of time in the "shelter system" before I adopted him.

He is the most loving cat I've ever had and demands constant attention and affection. He's laying on my desk beside me as I type.

To R1: I felt guilty for not bringing another cat into my household as a companion. I asked my vet about a companion cat, and he told me if I wanted to make my life really miserable all I had to do was bring another cat into Titus' kingdom. If it was an adult male or female, it would be constant fighting. If I brought in a kitten, it would be constant bullying by Titus. So that ended the discussion of a companion for Titus.

What colour are Las and Titus?

I have two dachshunds.

One is black and the other is red.

Their names are Ricky and Lucy.

They are snugglers.

We have 1 dog and 3 cats. All rescues. No, our home does not smell. The dog is trained and the litter boxes are cleaned twice daily.

Anyway, this is about Marvin.

Marvin was born with Cerebellar Hypoplasia, kind of like the cat version of cerebral palsy. Poor Marvin was probably rejected by his mother and some sick bastard locked him in the basement of an apartment building with no food and water. Just a filthy blanket.

My partner used to live in the building and one morning he went downstairs and heard cries coming from behind the locked door. So like Superman, he busted through. He found an emaciated kitten with matted fur. He weighed less than 2 pounds.

Partner rushed the kitty to the vet where all his fur was promptly shaved. The vet said he just needed TLC and a good home and he’d be fine. So what was Partner supposed to do?

He brought home the kitty and sent me a picture of this starving creature and I immediately responded “OMG he looks like Starvin’ Marvin!”

That was 5 years ago and Marvin sure ain’t starvin’ anymore. He’s a spoiled brat living his best Marvin life with the run of the house. He loves his eggies on the weekend and he begs like a puppy. Especially when we have steak. He has 2 huts and he immediately claims any box that comes in the house. He may not walk that great but he can hop like a bunny and when he puts his mind (what little of it there is) to it, he can manage the stairs. He’ll even deign to allow a snuggle once in a while.

Best of all, after whatever hell he lived in, he’s loved.

I had two Boston Terriers, Max and Boy. Two males, not related, sometimes best friends, sometimes sworn enemies.

Boy was clever, fit, very alert. Loved starting fights with humongous dogs.

Max was basically on a permanent diet, always chubby, slow, scared of his own shadow.

Together they were the funniest duo.

I have a 17 year old black cat named Pepper. I adopted him from an animal shelter. When I walked into the shelter he followed me around the everywhere and kept pawing me. I knew I had to take him home. He’s been my best friend ever since!

[quote]Let's hear about your dog or cat

I'd love to, but Samba has made me sign multiple NDAs over the years.

R9 thank God your partner rescued that poor kitten. I hate deliberate cruelty to any animal, let alone one helpless and ignored cast away to die an awful death. Glad Marvin is living a happy and loved life with you

Pics, please (if it’s not too much trouble).

R9, you and your partner should be candidates for sainthood. What a wonderful story.

That's interesting r6 and aligns with my experience. Thanks for sharing that.

My dog, a shih tzu-poodle, knows how to dance. He twirls all over the house when I come home. He eats home-cooked food, sleeps like a little person in bed with me and he relieves himself on his own pad in the bathroom.

My brown and black tabby cat answers to his name and fetches like a dog. Makes a ton of eye contact. Massages my calves in bed.

I don't have a pet at this time. I decided to adopt a Greyhound in 2006. I read a lot about them. I didn't want a puppy. You usually get a Grey after spending 3 years on the track (ones that were more successful will be older and the less successful younger). They have never been outside the kennel so when you get them you have to cover the door windows with paper to let them adapt to the fact that they can't run through them. They have never been alone so you have to plan out leaving them and coming home and lengthening the time frame. Once you acclimate them they are really nice dogs. I have two from 2006 to 2022. Mine were fawn and red fawn, both males. They don't bark at all. I didn't have any bathroom issues with either. I owned a business and took them to work with me each day. They loved it. I name them Jackpot and Jackpot II. A good friend of mine told me he had a name for the 1st dog and told me what it was. He said the dog hit the Jackpot living with me knowing I would spoil the hell out of them. I am approaching 70 so I think I am out of the dog business but enjoyed my dogs.

These stories are great! I was about to go get a cold white wine and if I had I swear, after reading these stories I'd be crying they're so touching. I'm waay to soft.

R6 I thought you meant a real tiger cub! Your story is beautiful. I'm so glad you brought home Titus :)

I've never been without cats and most of my life has had dogs. Right now we have 3 cats and one black lab. They are all incredibly intelligent. Two of the cats are over 20 years old and know every word there is it seems. The third cat I'm not sure of her age, like the dog she was inherited her when my mother died. She follows me everywhere and sleeps with me next to my head. When I get up to use the bathroom (it's a master bedroom with a bathroom off it) she follows me in there and we go together, she in her kitty box me, well I don't fit in the kitty box so I guess you know where I go...then we both walk together down the hall and she asks to go out in the back yard. I go out and sit with her for a few minutes while she goes over to the block fence to hunt for lizards. The lizards are wise and never one has been caught by her yet but she's fascinated with the idea and will sit staring at the wall forever if she hears one or sees one. Then we go inside and I get my coffee and she sits on the back of my chair while I catch up on the net, or demands to sit in my lap or sometimes she nestles down on the desk near me. She is devoted to me. It's touching.

This cat, named by my mother as 'Little Baby' and whom I inherited loved me madly. I don't know really why. If it's gratitude or what? I naturally pet her but I pet the others too of which one in particular, a black short hair, is also very devoted to me. They all are kinda spoiled little kids but sweet ones. I never refuse them when they ask for things although the price of cat food has gone up and I'm always saying I've got to get on a kind of a schedule with the feeding not to waste cat food. They kind of nibble and leave it, never to return and asking for new later. The dog gets treats off and on all day long. Sad to say I'm a puishover.

Oh dear, 'puishover'.

For you, R14. Little Baby. She is beautiful.

My dog is an all white Lab/Shepherd mix but looks more lab. She's ten and I rescued her from a dumpster when she was very young. I love her to bits.

I've had cats since the mid 90s. My current pet roster is three cats, aged 13,12, and 5, and one 12 year old Lab-Pitbull mix. We found our oldest cat (Ed) as a kitten, roaming around on our front porch the day after we'd had to euthanize one of our earlier cats. The others were adopted from shelters/rescues. It's hard having pets that are almost all the same age -- their health problems and special needs can really pile on and be exhausting. In the past year we've dealt with hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, IBD, and seizures!

So cute, 21

Thanks, r21. Such a cutie.

Thank you R24 and R25. Think Carol King and 'you've got a friend' . That's her and she was in that dark period for me when my mom had to 'go'.

A silver tabby cat and a terrier mix dog, both from shelters. They don't really care for each other but team up when it comes time for treats, affection or petting from a human.

Both are male, fixed, and complete loveballs. The cat has never bitten or scratched (even when I'm doing heinous things like putting it in a carrier) and the dog has never bitten either.

We wanted a dog. I accepted a coworker's dog and then discovered he didn't mention she had a brain tumor. She'd run off and get confused in the street and not know us, fall over, lose bladder control, forget to squat for either task, and freeze up like a statue. After she died we got a shelter puppy, which died with the Parvo it had when we adopted her, as it turned out. We got another puppy from another shelter and he jumped off a ledge before I could stop him. Another puppy from the Humane Society developed a neurological disorder and started shaking like she was being electrocuted. We had to put her down. My favorite dog after the poor shaker pup was a wonderful German Shepherd, until one day she was spooked by thunder and lost her mind. Three days later we had to have the City Pound remove her from her crate because she snapped and would stop her vicious barking and trying to bite through the crate. The man said she was the worst case he ever saw. And, finally, a mutt we took in when she was wandering the streets starving as a tiny puppy grew into a fine young dog, but she developed cancer with tumors all over.

No, I'm not adding paragraphs above. Because it feels like one big block of time full of sweet days and unsweet months of suffering.

r28 Awwwww.

I have 3 rescue kitties that came to me about 3 years ago. Someone had thrown a mama cat out near my house I assume because she was pregnant. She had a bunch of kittens and I would see them all crossing the road at times. Eventually the mother cat and 2 of her kittens (a boy and a girl) ended up at my house. I never knew what happened with all the other kittens. I had vowed to stay out of the pet business years before due to my age. But little by little these three animals wormed their ways into my heart and my house. I had planned to raise them as outside cats, but 3 times stray dogs came onto the property and almost caught them. Thankfully they were all very good tree climbers. After the 3rd attack I decided they'd have to come inside. The 2 kittens took to inside living very quickly. The mother took a few months to fully acclimatize. Now they are all quite happy to sit in windows and nap most of the day or just watch the world go by,

Now I can't imagine being without them. I'm 70 years old, retired for over 15 years and they give me a purpose. I have to stay alive to take care of them. I'm sitting up in bed as I type this and I have 2 of them fast asleep beside me. The boy (Mr. Bill) always likes to sleep alone, unless it's cold. I like the feel of their hot little bodies pressed up against me all night.

R30 really glad you took them in and gave them a home all together, that sounds lovely.

Thanks R31, they are a bundle of fun. They've made an appearance here a few times. Here they are at their favorite napping window, keeping watch for wildlife.

Mama Myrtle on the left, daughter Millie in the middle, and son Billy on the right.

OP et al,

I have four dogs, all now senior. My oldest is a beautiful black lab mix and is 14.5 years old - she has some trouble standing up so we have to help her up about five times a day. But she’s happy, is eating well, and loves her very short morning walks. We adopted her from a high kill shelter and she was a puppy terror for at least a year but is a dream dog: friendly, loving, has the deepest bark (had - she doesn’t bark as much now) and loves carrots.

The next oldest is Simpson, a chihuahua, terrier mix and 9.5 years old. She was found in a plastic bag with her littermate in a dumpster and we adopted her at four months. She’s kind of insecure (when we get home, she acts as though we’ve been gone for days) but as she’s been spoiled her whole life, it’s not due to early neglect (she was fostered immediately after being discovered). She’s really pretty and is very cuddly, especially at night.

Next is Millie at 8.5. She was about to be euthanized at the San Antonio shelter when a couple with one of those Mercedes sprinters grabbed 20 dogs and brought them to Austin. She was four months old when we fostered her and was our first foster fail. She is black with a frosty mouth and really long legs but is only about 17 pounds. She’s hilarious: that dog who runs around the backyard with underwear wrapped around her head and she cocks her head a lot. She and Simpson are completely joined at the hip and I seriously worry about them when one dies. When they play fight, they look like those wild stallions fighting in the Wild West.

Toby is the final, newest pup: we adopted him three years ago after fostering him for a month. He’s 100% chihuahua and was extremely neglected for years - we think he is around 11 years old. He was hit by a car about seven years ago but never got PT and his owner basically fed him cat food and table scraps so her son’s GF took him to the vet and convinced her to surrender him to the shelter where I volunteer. He is very touch sensitive on his back legs and has a lot of trouble walking (he was left in a bed except for one potty outing per day). The level of his neglect was so severe, I doubt he will ever truly get past it but we love on him and give him high quality food and as much outdoor time as he can stand. He loves to be held and cuddled and rests his head on our shoulders.

Sadly, our oldest doesn’t have much time left so we’re grappling with that decision. She’s eating, walking, and not soiling herself but that time isn’t far off, I can tell. My heart will break.

Here is Millie in her Wonder Woman costume:

R1, were those brother cats neutered? Not being fixed could explain how they became enemies.

My cat Nancy is wearing a cone of shame because she scratched her cornea during a bout of conjunctivitis, so I have to wipe her butt for her. At first she was horrified. Now she presents hole and purrs.

Frau CUNT thread.

My heart and admiration goes out to you, R33. I definitely wouldn't have it in me to deal with two mobility-impaired dogs at one time.

Love the pictures.

Here are my current cats, all nice and sorted by age -- youngest (rear) to oldest.

Thank you so much, R38 - it’s easier than you’re probably imagining and at least Toby is only 8 lbs!