Yesterday, I received the tragic news that Gidget Gormley, the blogging, humping dog from Sex And The City had died at the age of 16. That is very old for a dog and it reminded me of some of my childhood pets. I remember our family had one dog who lived to be 17 I think. So, in today's Your Turn, I would love to hear about your favorite childhood pet or a story involving a pet. Think of this as Pet Day.
Nimitz.
ReplyDeleteHe was a dog. My dad was in the navy too long. Anway, cross-eyed and dumb as a doorknob.
I loved that dog.
I had a gorgeous Akita who always put a smile on my face when I was younger. He was a great friend and companion and lived to the age of 12, it took me forever to get over him and get another dog but within the last several years I feel in love with my first small dog, a Shih Tzu who has captured my heart.
ReplyDeleteYep never thought it would happen but I have become one of "those people" lol
As I was coming in this morning from walking my dogs, I saw my neighbor and her 16 year old little dog that got sick recently. She's made a full recovery and they were both so happy. I think little dogs can live to be in their early 20's. My baby is 13 years old this year.. I rescued him when he was 9 months. I couldn't imagine life without him. :)
ReplyDeleteI had a miniature schnauzer growing up who was a real peach. What an attitude she had.
ReplyDeleteOnce, when she was injured during an attack from another dog, she became so depressed she wouldn't eat or drink. So we started giving her water from the only serving utensil deep enough: My mother's silver punch ladle.
When it became clear that she was feeling better and just milking it, we tried to switch her back to her dish. We'd fill it and she'd use her paw to flip it over and spill water everywhere. It was like she was saying, "I'm a Princess, where is my damn silver spoon?!?"
She was a great dog. Lived to be 14. I never understood people who clone their dogs until she died.
I have a 9 year old black lab named Sadie. She is my first dog and I rescued her 5 years ago when she was 4.
ReplyDeleteShe farts. Loudly.
And when she does, it's like she startles herself. She turns around and looks at her butt like, "Where did THAT come from?!" and then looks at me. I tell her ohhhh no you don't, you're not blaming this one on me! She is the love of my life and makes me laugh every day. I'm so lucky to have her!
Just recently had to put my dog to sleep. Completely killed me to do so, but knew it was the best thing in the long run. She was 13 yrs old and was a rescue. We think she was a Britney Spaniel and Beagle mix, but never really knew for sure. Greatest dog and I miss her dearly. Just a funny and determined dog. Lots of personality. I could go on and on about her...so many stories. She was the first one I ever had that was my own dog, but had several growing up. Each one in their own way are truly special.
ReplyDeleteLots of stories about pets, some of them sad, so will just say that I love my current three rescue kittehs (two from abusive homes) more than a lot of people I meet, and they are my inspiration every day for animal welfare and rights. Please donate to the SPCA and other animal groups anytime you can. The animals thank you! :)
ReplyDeleteBoyfriend and I just got a kitten last week. We found him monday morning in his little habitat in hypoglycemic shock and clinging to life. 10 minutes later I'm at the emergency clinic signing papers that say they will do their best to save his life.
ReplyDeleteMany dollars later I am happy to report that he is in good spirits and eating well, but it's still a little touch and go.
Fingers crossed for this little fella.
We have a 7 year old German Shepard Lab mix that we rescued when he was a year. Coincidentally, my daughter was also a year, so they kinda grew up together. As she got older, of course, she wanted to play outside. On one particular sunny, summer day, we were outside talking to the neighbors and didnt notice as she started walking too close to the end of the curb. Tugger Joe, (our dog), did and maneuvered himself around her to keep her from walking in the street, like a shield. It was an amazing thing to see and our neighbors were stunned as they had never seen a dog do such a thing. He is a great dog and we have since added a boxer into the mix, and I could go on and on about his goofy antics. But I wont!! LOL
ReplyDelete@SFG replace black lab named Sadie with yellow lab named Gypsy, and I could've written your story. Must be a lab thing.
ReplyDeleteMy cat, Suki went missing in August of 2009. After numerous posts on Craigslist and the help of a regular CL reader, she was returned to me 15 months later!
ReplyDeleteShe's a dream kitty. She gives kisses like a dog does and everyone loves her.
My cat Yum Yum, who passed away almost two years ago. He was asthmatic, loved sparring with my dogs, and was never happier than when I carried him around like a baby. I get to see him again, in a sense, when a horror movie he starred in screens in our hometown in June. Should be bittersweet.
ReplyDeleteI've had 3 dogs in my life who all lived to be 17 and 18 years old. The last one, Lady, was the only one truly mine. We had her before the kids and she was very protective of them both. They were all rescued in one way or another and were all a mish mash of everything but I loved each one with all of my heart. When my Mom died I took in her dog and when we had to put her to sleep I couldn't go with my husband it was kind of the last connection I had with Mom. I did go when we put Lady down and glad I did so I saw how peaceful it was. It broke my heart and, to this day years later, I just can't bring myself to get another one.
ReplyDeleteLove animals and have shared my life with them since my third birthday, which on Monday will be 37 years ago. On my third birthday, Mom and Dad took me to an animal shelter and let me pick out a kitten and a puppy. Ginger and Tippy. Ginger and Tippy grew up together, and loved each other very much, even sharing a bed. They were a part of our lives until I was a teen. When I was about five, Tippy - a German Shepard/Black Lab mix, may have saved my life. We had a very, very big front yard, and I was playing in the yard and mom was watching me from the kitchen window while she did the dishes. I was closer to the road than I should have been and a man stopped his truck on the road and started asking me questions. Tippy, who was as sweet and gentle as they come, bristled out every hair on his body, got between me and the man and started growling and barking insanely. My mother had started out the front door as soon as she saw the truck stop, but there was no way that she could have gotten there fast enough had that man grabbed me. However, Tippy scared the crap out him! He jumped back in his truck as fast as he could and took off. I was never allowed to play that close to the road again, and Tippy was the hero at our house for the rest of his life!
ReplyDeleteSo many pets, I could go on for days. Bill the Cat lived to be 16 and was my one and only Cat. No cat could compare. He came when he was called, slept wrapped around my head on a pillow every night, terrified every vet he saw and would give you a little love bite on the hand if you stopped petting him. Buried him under the bird feeder, he would have liked that. He was a major league bird hunter from inside the house! lol I still cry about him and it has been almost seven years since I had to put that sweet boy to sleep. Lost both of our Golden's (both rescues) within 25 days of each other last summer. Cried for weeks and then got a Golden Puppy names Luci (for Lucille Ball - Crazy Red Head). She digs up my plants and jumps in the bathtub or shower with you if given the chance and has made us all smile again. : )
ReplyDeleteWe have 3 dogs-a beagle and two cavalier king charles spaniels. When the spaniels were puppies, my husband let them out at 4 in the morning along with the beagle. He figured the beagle kept them safe, as she was very protective over them. So my husband went to take a quick pee (you get woken up at 4 a.m. and try not to take a quick pee!) As he started back toward the back door he heard the beagle barking and one of the puppies yelp. A coyote had taken off with one of my puppies into the woods! My husband ran out there in his underwear with no shoes and socks in the middle of winter to go after them.
ReplyDeleteHe got all cut up in the process and finally turned back to the house and put on a coat and shoes. He finally found her about 100 yeards back into the woods on a little trail in the snow, bleeding and in shock. We rushed her to the vet and she miraculously survived-a true Christmas miracle! The vet said she must have fought back because one of her baby teeth was wiggly and he pulled it. Now, we never let out ANY of the dogs without being there with them. Scary stuff!
I have had many pets in my years on this earth, too many to talk about individually. Every single one of them has given me so much love that it's hard for me to talk about. I am a vegetarian and I love all animals, especially small furry ones. I do have to mention my cat Lizzie (Borden) that adopted me when I moved out of my parent's house when I was still young-ish. We were inseperable and I loved her so.
ReplyDeleteWe got our toy poodle, Prince, when I was in kindergarten. He lived until my first marriage, and died 2 months later. The marriage lasted a while longer, but not much. He let me dress him up in doll clothes and rode in the basket of my bike all around the neighborhood. He once ate crayons and began pooping multi-colored turds out in the yard. My Mom freaked, and took him to the vet who quickly diagnosed the problem. I have a statue of a poodle in my yard in memory of him.
ReplyDeleteI live for my baby girl. She is a 14 year old Jack Russell Terrier, who still acts like a puppy. I will have to be put in a straitjacket when she leaves me.
ReplyDeleteI still miss my beloved collie, Leonardo da Collie. He was tri-colored, 100 pound plus, dumber than dirt (esp. for a collie) and would try to herd my cats. The day after I had him put to sleep (hip dysplasia and arthritis) this gray kitten shows up on my doorstep. We adopted her and she is the biggest goofball cat I have ever known. I was so in despair over the dog I think God sent the cat (Gidget) to ease my pain. She's adorably nuts and entertaining.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Bebedog, I read your pet as a Britney Spears beagle mix. LOL! Now that would be interesting. . .
ReplyDeleteI've been blessed with amazing feline companionship over the years, and recently lost my B'sidhe, who had been in my life for the last 17 years.
ReplyDeleteShe arrived the day I lost my Pyewacket to a speeding driver - there I was, standing there bawling my heart out, unable to move and the neighbor up the street stopped her car and asked what had happened.
She helped me gather Pye, and I went and buried her in my backyard. When I came in the house, the doorbell rang, and it was the neighbor's daughter, with a white kitten in her hands. She handed her to me and said "my mom thought you'd need this" - and B'sidhe came into my life.
She was a neurotic, extraordinarily privleged, undisputed Lord God Queen Bitch of the Fucking Universe thank you very much - and I was privleged to provide her human companionship for 17 years.
Her picture is my icon, btw.
Someone put a kitten under my mom's car tire in a parking lot so that it would be killed when she backed up, but she saw it and took it home. We couldn't tell if it was a male or female at first so we named it HeShe.
ReplyDeleteAbout 2 years later she disappeared for a week, but ended up back on our porch limping. The vet said someone had purposely broken her leg by forceful pulling. Understandably, she was never comfortable around humans again and would spontaneously bite or scratch us for the rest of her life.
She was understandably scared of all of us. Instead of snuggling up on our laps, she would show her love for family members in strange ways, usually by bringing us dead things she found outside. When I was about 8 I was playing Barbies and had about 5 dolls all lined up on the living room floor. We went out to dinner and when we got back home there was a dead lizard lined up perfectly with the Barbies. It was gross but also heartwarming at the same time.
My "Jabba the Hut" Frisky. When she first came to me I was about 11(and she was 5). She used to be the neighbor's cat, until they got a doberman. Before she left, he tried to attack her, she jumped up on his face and clawed the bejesus out of him. However, she sustained a degloving of her back paw in the process. She hid under our porch and shrank down to skin and bones. I coaxed her out with food and patched her up. Petted her every single day for hours on end, my dad got ticked at the white furballs she left in the yard after. Could never take away the food bowl after that, so she got huge! 20+ pounds, but the vet always said she was healthy.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, she took up with me. The neighbors swore they'd give away the dog to get her back, going so far as giving him away for a week to see if she would come back, but she'd have none of it.
She'd never cross the street, using the drainage ditches if she had to get across the road. She'd walk me to school every day, following two houses behind walking across the neighbors driveways. My dad tried to give her away twice, I'd cry and scream, but the next morning... she'd have escaped and come back!
I took her to college with me and decided to take in a kitten. It was covered in fleas and mange and I had to wash it, it was meowing so loud... Frisky comes up to the tub to "inspect." I thought for sure she would hurt it, but I should have known better. She grabbed it by the scruff, took it off to a blanket and started bathing it. They became inseparable.
She lived to be 25. Every night, she would be sitting by my side with her belly up in the air, purring loudly. I still miss the little booger.
So many over the years. My favorite was a gray Persian named Gray Beast. He really had no personality, but I adored him. He would hide in the attic whenever company came over. He always used the bath tub as a litter box. I cried for days when I had to put him down.
ReplyDeleteI had a Cow Leopard dog, named Baby Sue. My mother had a baby, and I had my baby 'dog'. My father would rock my little brother to sleep on a pillow on his lap, and I would rock Baby Sue on a pillow on my lap. 2 years later, my sister accidentally ran over her with the car. My sister was 8 months pregnant and cried for 2 days at the thought of taking a life, while brining another into the world.
ReplyDeleteI loved Baby Sue!
I am not a pet person, but I did have a guinea pig when I was a kid. It ran away one summer. My dad had built an outdoor cage for him and I guess it had broken on one side and the guinea pig escaped. Devastation ensued.
ReplyDeleteI also had goldfish at one point. They were named Simon and Garfunkel. Garfunkel was a bit of a bully and ate all the food all the time so Simon starved to death. I bought a new Simon but Garfunkel ate himself to death shortly thereafter. And then Simon II succumbed to fishy loneliness.
That's how I remember it, at least. I was, like, 10. Never had a pet since. Probably won't. I find that most of them smell, and also, want to lick you with their tongue that, only moments ago, was cleaning their own anus. Charming!
I grew up with lots of dogs, but my all time favorite dog is the pomeranian.
ReplyDeleteMy parents always let us have pets: dogs, cats, birds, fish, hamsters, mice. I have always been partial to cats and have two now, Tabitha and Katie. Tabitha was actually a 1997 mother's day present for Mom but when she passed away I inherited Tabitha. I thought Tabby needed companionship (she was used to being with my mom all day every day) so I adopted Katie. Tabitha was APPALLED that I brought home this...thing. That's when I realized that Tabitha thought of herself as being human. That was about 4 years ago and they still don't cuddle/groom each other like I would like but they don't fight and they do chase each other around the house. I mentioned this in concern to my BFF who explained to me that they need each other and are like the Warner Brother's cartoon with the sheepdog and the coyote. (If you remember, they are friends who come to work each day, punch in and then spend the day plotting against each other. At closing time the whistle blows and they leave amiably.)
ReplyDeleteBoth cats are shelter cats and I could not have more precious babies. I consider the days that I adopted each of them two of the luckiest days of my life.
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ReplyDelete@RJ-You are 40 on Monday? I am 30 on Sunday! Happy Birthday!
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ReplyDeleteFML, Tried to post some pics but links didn't work. You are all saved from much cuteness!
ReplyDeleteI raised many cats as a child, but my favorite has to be Licorice. He was born in my house and we had him for several years when he started to wander far away from home. I assumed he had probably died, killed by coyotes or winter weather. Surprisingly, 6 years later he started to appear at the edge of the property again. It took awhile to coax him back to the house with food, but once he returned, he lived for another 12 years. he was a mangy, skinny, toothless mongrel, but I loved him. I always assumed he tired of hunting and protecting himself, so he came back to the one place he thought he would be taken care of.
ReplyDelete@chihuahuense - yep, the big 4-0! I hope they are as awesome as my 30s. Happy Birthday to you too, and enjoy the great decade that you have in front of you.
ReplyDeleteSadly, a dear friend lost his favorite ever cat Oscar today. It was on the thin ice on his pond and it fell through and drowned. RIP funny Oscar.
ReplyDeleteThat's awful, sunnyside. I can't stand the though of losing my dog - she is the love of my life.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthdays!
I have 3½-year-old terrier mix, Emma, that I found running around the Great Dismal Swamp in Sept. 2009 and she’s the biggest (14 lb.) goof I’ve ever come across. She’s a total Velcro dog--follows me from room-to-room; is happiest when sitting on my lap and/or able to watch me, but she’s also down for anything I throw her way: hiking, biking, camping, canoeing, traveling, children, dogs, cats, and rabbits don’t phase her. If I’d gone to a shelter, I never would have picked her out, which is why I’m infinitely grateful our paths crossed. Because I’m not sure what she’s mixed with, when people ask what kind of dog she is, I tell them she’s a swamp dog (Latin: canis lupus f. domesticus greatis swampicus).
ReplyDeleteI have a cat, Tait, who originally hails from the sandy, crabby, shores of Tangier Island, VA. I ended up with him because at some point during his kittenhood, he’d had nerve damage done to his back right paw which caused him to curl his toes beneath his paw pad and walk on the top of his toes. Needless to say, homeboy needed vet care that he wasn’t going to get on the island so I brought his malnourished self home with me. (After physical therapy, he’s fine now.) At the time, I thought, ‘Man, I really don’t want a cat,’ but it’s been one of my top five best decisions ever because he’s awesome. He’s very mellow and laid-back; the kind of cat that wants to hang out with you without sitting on your lap or getting your way. He’s allowed outside for a few hours every day, and he’s absolutely turned into the entire neighborhood’s cat. He knows that if he goes to certain houses, they’ll feed him treats and let him inside; he knows that such and such dogs will play with him and others are to be avoided; he has an ongoing turf war with an orange cat named Marmalade that results is puffiness and hissing; and he knows which children to avoid and which to hang out with. When I’m out walking the dog at night, my neighbor’s will stop me and fill me in on where Tait’s cat business took him that day.
When we married, we blended a family of 4 pets: 1 dog and 3 cats. Lost the dog to diabetes and replaced him with 2 dogs 13 years ago. Now, we're down to 1 big old dog: Chloe, who is 13 and 115 pounds (German Shepherd/St. Bernard mix), and is 120 in dog years based on her size and weight.
ReplyDeleteShe can't hear much any more. She poops in the house sometimes which always comes as a surprise to her ... it just kind of falls out. She has a bum ticker now and sleeps most of the day, but she continues to be a light in our day and a source of great joy. We'll refill our home in both canine and feline companions, but not until Chloe heads off. Until then, she has our undivided attention.
Gent was a mix of Husky, Spitz & German Shepard. He was beautiful looked kind of like a white German Shepard. Gent was the sweetest, most gentle dog. My parents got him when I was a baby & put him to sleep the day I left for college. My parents didn't know this, but when I was in high school I prayed my dog wouldn't die until I left home.
ReplyDeleteAnd now I'm the proud owner of a half cocker spaniel/half pure mutt named Sam. Sam is well behaved, especially considering I treat him like my baby. He likes to sit in my lap and put his head on my shoulder.
Last weekend my beloved keeshond Loki died of old age. We had already decided to put her to sleep as she was ill and nearly 15 years old. My ex husband and I were so attached to that dog that we shared custody same as with our children.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, we had her since she was 8 weeks old, and she was truly our first baby. We got her right after I had an abortion, so she really healed a lot of emotional wounds and gave us something to focus on and to love.
We all got to say goodbye to her before she died, and were about to give the injection to stop her heart, when she up and died. Horrible horrible horrible images. I wish we had been able to give her an injection.
I took most of this week off work, I've been so upset. She was a great dog.
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ReplyDeleteSo sorry, Doc Girl, and to anyone who's lost a pet....it hurts me to hear the sad stories.
ReplyDeleteSue Ellen - that was really nice of you, wish your little fella luck!
@bramblewitch - like your words about "even the little ones" - I saw a rat struggling for breath about a year ago, clearly poisoned or injured and in the middle of the sidewalk where people just kept walking around him. I called our local mobile SPCA van and they came 'round and euthanized him. All sentient beings deserve compassion.
We lost our beloved Sophia to lymphoma in November. She was way too young. Cancer is such a devastating way to lose a pet, and we are still heartbroken.
ReplyDeleteAnimal Cancer Foundation is a tremendous organization, if Enty doesn't mind me giving them a little plug. If you don't know about them or their work, here's the link http://www.acfoundation.org/
And yes, that's our Sophie in the picture! I still have trouble looking at her.
Kayoss was a North Carolina mutt we got for free and she traveled the world with us (we were a military family). She either hated or loved Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune - she would whine, tilt her head back and forth, and walk around in circles at the sound of his voice. She smelled like fritos and was a walking neurosis but we loved her like she was our child. She's been gone for almost 2 years and I think of her every day.
ReplyDelete@Doc Girl, I am so, so sorry for your loss. My husband and I had to put our beloved Westie, Indy to sleep at the end of his bout with stomach cancer three years ago. My prayers are with you. I was devastated and we still haven't been able to get another dog yet. We are dog lovers, though, so I know we will love a dog again. I wish you and your ex the best.
ReplyDeletemy kids had a horrible hamster named hammie. he bit, threw fits when you cleaned his cage, was always escaping from his cage, and was in general a bad, bad pet.
ReplyDeletehe got out one day and fell/jumped off of the table his cage was on (we were on vacation, yes, i know). he slept a lot and died a few days later.
i didn't mention it to my kids, and it was 3 weeks before a neighbors child (not even on eo f my own) looked in the cage and asked "where's hammie!!?" so i acted very surprised and said he must have escaped again.
that was over a year ago. every once in awhile there is "evidence" that "hammie lives", in the form of chewed food, paw prints, teeth marks, etc.
turns out, hammie is much more fun as an urban legend than he was in life :)
Ok, that story about Hammie is hilarious. I love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all for your condolences re. Loki. I am a dog person but I think her death has made me re-think ever getting another dog.
I have had MANY dogs in my life. I would LOVE to bore everyone silly with tales of them all. I will plead with you all instead. Please the next time you think of getting ANY pet please ADOPT before you shop.
ReplyDeleteThere are many special dogs some even pure breeds in pounds and pet adoptions facilities. You could find them thru PETFINDER.COM. Please just go there and look. You will not regret opening your heart to a pet. THANKS.
Was not allowed any animals as a child, which may be why I have 5 - 3 cats and 2 lovely puppies. Chester is a beautiful purebred miniature longhaired dachshund. ANd he's blond! We should have named him Elvis, because we have had so many people stop us and flip over him. A woman even called out of her car once. Too funny. To get him a companion, we adopted a dachshund/jack russel terrier mix named Diego. If I could harness his energy I would never pay an electric bill again. If you throw him a tennis ball in the backyard he tears around the pool at top speed. He can walk on his hind legs, and he is my "baby". And Chester is just the most adorable puppy. And it's his birthday today! Chester is one. happy Birthday!!
ReplyDeleteSuch great stories - thank you.
ReplyDeleteI am not going to share an old one, just give you a glimse of my current pet state.
Right now, I am looking out over nine 5 week sheph-lab mixes, We are fostering them until they can be adopted away.
I have fallen in love with all of them. They all have such distinct personalities, and I dont even mind being woken up every three hours or so.
We might end up keeping one...
I had a cat named Boots. Got him (reluctantly on my part) when he was 13. He lived to be 21. Got along well with the guys I brought home (not that there were many) until my husband came along. Boots would pounce on his balls while he was sleeping. I still miss him and it's been many years now.
ReplyDeleteWe had a budgie named Peanut. Beautiful little harlequin budgie. She could talk up a storm! Remember the song Barbie Girl by Aqua? We taught her to say "I'm a Peanut bird/In a Peanut world". During the ice storm we had her covered up most of the time and didn't let her out. One time the husband put his finger through the bars and she ran up to it, turned around and rubbed her ass on his finger. She never did that before. He quickly pulled his finger away and made a joke about getting her pregnant. The next morning there was an egg on the floor of her cage. She must have laid at least a dozen eggs. I've had budgies before but never had one that laid eggs. She died trying to pass an egg. We loved that little bird. She used to sleep in my husband's shirt pocket.
I grew up with a golden retriever and a golden/mix/mutt. They were both great dogs, spoiled rotten and fed way too much table food for their own good. they both lived to be about 13-14 years old. I adopted my 1st dog(just mine, not a family dog) about a month ago. He's a jack Russell terrier and adorable. He's king of my house and spoiled rotten. He's very loving and gets his crazy energy bursts where he sprints thru my house, sometimes into furniture by accident. He is my shadow, and always has to sit right on top of me. He's curled up next to me laying on my pillows as I type this. I honestly don't know what I'd do without him.
ReplyDeleteGeri The Dog was a rescue when my four children were small. She was a terrier mix of some kind, and red like a fox. Like your dog, Merrick, she herded my kids and the neighborhood kids away from the street constantly. She loved everyone but the meter reader. When someone came to the house, or my husband returned from work, she would be so happy she would wag her entire body, singing in greeting. She lived to be 15. I held her in my arms when she was put to sleep, and watched her wonderful soul leave her body. I'm convinced that when I die, she will be there to greet me, wagging and singing. Thank you for everything, Geri!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely read and heartbreaking at the same time. I have lost several pets to old age over the years but will always have more, I couldn't imagine living without a couple of furry creatures at home. Did anyone see James Stewart on Johnny Carson many years ago?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wikio.com/video/johnny-carson---jimmy-stewart-poem-2745588
Loved reading everyone's stories.
ReplyDelete@Jillian S - You made me LOL
@The Black Cat - That made me CRY.
I have a black lab who is also farty and much like Marley. One of his claims to fame is that he has survived eating a bit of rat poison, a jellyfish and he once got his head stuck in a brick wall. I had to hammer him out.
I have a beagle/dachsund who walks sideways and is my doggie soul mate.
I also have a rescue kitteh.
I used to foster dogs/cats & if I had my way I'd do it until the day I died.