Last week, while discussing with the wife about getting a cat, I was looking at the kittens on the webpage for the local animal shelter, and there were quite a few, very cute kitties available for adoption. Today, not so many.
They'll be back next week. Not necessarily the same kitties but a new batch, although I'm sure some kits and pups will find themselves back in the shelter awaiting a new owner, this one more patient than the last.
We're not naive, we know what we're getting into, but other families who don't will either give up and if their pet is lucky, return it to the shelter. If it's not so lucky it will be relegated to a life outside where it's all but forgotten, and if it's really unlucky it will find itself going on a one-way trip somewhere that will result in it being throw out a car door and left to fend for itself.
Cats and dogs have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, even at the same time, although the experiment we're about to embark upon is going to be interesting. Our dog spends some days outside and some days inside, and some days she's in or out, but she always sleeps inside at night.
And we're contemplating getting a cat, a kitten specifically, who will also be an inside pet. Cats and dogs can live together as long as they grow up together. The dog is not the problem, it's the cat. Okay, it's the dog which causes the cat problems, but it's the cat which usually needs to adapt to the slobbering bundle of fur which wants to lick it or play with it or eat it, or maybe all three.
A Facebook friend posted a picture of her Akita with her two kitties.
It's very obvious from the picture that they're not bothered at all by the 120-pound bundle of fur. If anything, the cat closest to 'Stryder' wants to play with the big fella. My friend said play usually results in a very wet, slobber-covered kitty, and that reminded me of our old Doberman 'Jedda' and my sister's cat 'Munro' who also grew up together. Except for Jedda being five times Munro's size they had no problems with each other. Yes, Jedda had been known to lie on top of Munro and lick him until he was dripping wet, but despite the occasional tongue bath they were great pals :)At her recent checkup the Vet weighed Willow in at 46 pounds. So while she's not a big dog (nothing like Stryder) she's also not exactly small, definitely not cat-sized, and yet I'm confident that as long as she doesn't eat the kitten, the two will learn to get along and become best pals. Eventually.
It's the period between 'Now' (or from when we get the kitten) and 'Eventually' that is going to be very interesting.
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3 comments:
I've definitely seen cases where the dog winds up being more afraid of the cat than vice versa.
It's also entertaining to watch my sister's dog interact with the nephew. The dog stands almost completely still when the baby approaches and pets her (and sometimes pulls her fur, gently).
did you find a kitty? if you get a young enough kitten, and are careful not to allow the dog to scare it, (dogs can be jealous creatures) things will be just fine.
my animals do not have separate species, they are all one big happy (albeit insane) family.
And yes... they all sleep on the bed with me. :p
so... THERE! I've admitted to being redneck.
:)
Not yet. The wife wants to wait until after Christmas. Either that's her way of delaying then saying No, or we're waiting until after Christmas. I can wait. I popped by the website for the local Shelter and sure enough there were several litters of kitties up for adoption again. Man, they look so cute. I want one now! (Maybe I'll still get one for Christmas ;)
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