Meet the Family

So, I've had some pictures of the dogs.....But what about the rest of the family? I do have more than just my two dogs.....

I will begin from the oldest to youngest pets that I've had with me over the years.

This is Dana. She's 7 years old. She is the nicest of all the cats I have met. She sleeps on one of the bullies heads. Anyone and anything can pet her and she is the happiest kitty for that. Dana was born a barn cat and was given to me through strange circumstances. She, as a kitten ran up to someone that had visited the farm and jumped in their arms. After that, she wasn't put back on the ground of the barn and came to live with me a short time after.

We all know about Brutus and Sadie, but I will reintroduce them for those of you that don't.

Brutus is a little over 2. We got him from a friend that just HAD to breed his bitch. He was an absolute must. We saw him when he was only a week old or so. His mom had 8 puppies and Brutus was the biggest of them all. We would see him every day until it was time to bring him home. A short while after he was brought home, he became terribly sick. We were worried because he was getting sick uncontrolably and I tried every home remedy to stop it, but to no avail. I took him to the vet and he was diagnosed with Parvo. The evil, evil disease that some puppies contract. So, the vet kept him for the weekend and he was treated, cured, and released.

Sadie is a much different story. She was with her sister and lived next door to my friend. She and her sister were in a family with 4 small children that walked them constantly. When they would get tired and try to lie down, the kids would make them walk some more. I don't know how many times I got mad and yelled at the kids to treat their dogs better, but I was looking out for the dogs. Anyways, a short time after the dogs were brought there, the family left the home and left the dogs. Since these were Staffie mixes, I didn't want to call the Humane Society out of fear with the new pit bull ban and there was NO WAY that I was calling Animal Care and Control to report them as strays. They would have been killed instantly. So, I brought them home to my house. I was able to find a home for them, but Sadie's home needed some time before they could take her in. It was a few months, and then I couldn't part with her. She's so special to me. She just couldn't leave me then.

Now there's Lenny. He's 2 and a great pet. I got him as a baby at the pet store that I used to work at. He "apparently" bit the woman in the small animal department, so she was hesitant to show people what a great little guy he was. I brought him home because I felt that he wasn't getting enough interaction there and I could give him all the time in the world at home. Lenny will come for car rides with me in the warmer months of the year. My friend's child, who is now 6 absolutely loves him and wants him to come out whenever we are going anywhere in the car. Lenny is very content to ride on his shoulder, or run around the back seat of the car. He likes, like all rats, to be held and played with all the time. I tried to introduce Lenny to other rats, but that didn't work. He is much happier as a lone rat. I know that doesn't make ANY sence, but it's true. I had a pair of rats that he wanted nothing to do with. He prefers human interaction any day of the week.

Next is Nala. She's almost 2 and a ball of fun. Nala came to me from a friend who couldn't keep her because she only got along with one of the other cats that lived with her. There were 5 cats in total, and Nala was miserable. She knew that I could give her a home and was sure that Nala and Dana would get along great. Well, she was right! Nala LOVES Dana. She even calls for her when Dana isn't in eye sight.

Next is my beautiful Kaori. I have no idea how old she is. A friend of mine has 3 rabbits and I met them and fell in love. I got Kaori from Animal Care and Control. She cost me a whole $5 and I think it was the best $5 that I've ever spent. She's great. I have built her a huge enclosure in the spare room where she spends most of her time running loose, but is locked up at night and while I'm at work. She's one friendly girl and really gets along with all the pets in my home. I haven't introduced the cats to her, but I don't think that I will. She did see Dana while I had her running around in the living room, but they didn't get close to each other.

And last, but certainly not least is Chester. I have no idea how old Chester is either. I adoped him from the Humane Society and brought him home a few weeks ago. He was stuck in the cage there for almost 6 months. He's having a great time at my house. He's got a huge enclosure that he doesn't know what to do with. I put the igloo in there, but I think I might take it out as he is hiding in there most of the time. I think it's probably better for him to be booting around the pen, but I don't like that he hides all the time. I'll proabaly keep the igloo in there for a while longer and see what happens. Before I built him the pen, there was no room in the cage that I had him in for the igloo, so I didn't have it in there.

Well, I think that's enough from me for a while.