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You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Cat Blogging / All Beagles, All the Time

All Beagles, All the Time

by John Cole|  May 22, 20094:41 pm| 101 Comments

This post is in: Cat Blogging, Dog Blogging

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So I stopped by the kitty prison to check out what kind of dogs and cats they had up for adoption, and every single dog in there was beagle or part beagle. I supposed I should take advantage of the fact that Sullivan is on vacation to note how much I can’t stand beagles, because I think they are the worst behaving dogs on the planet. I will adopt a mutt, just so long as I am sure that no more than 5% of its bloodline is beagle. The fact that the kitty prison is filled with unwanted beagles merely reinforces my opinion.

They did have some pretty adorable cats, though, although I really think I am set on getting a dog. This kitty was particularly adorable:

That is a pretty cruddy picture of her, and she is standing on a door-jam, so she doesn’t have a club foot even though it looks like it. At any rate, she was really friendly, and could not meow- she did the purr/meow instead, and climbed all over me the whole time. She was also a fan of the across the room headbutt, in which she would run across the room, jump into your lap, and headbutt you. At any rate, I am going to think about this over the long weekend, because I really want a dog, but this cat was pretty adoptable. Her name was Shayla, btw, although that would have to change.

Tomorrow is Saturday, though, so I will go to the Animal Rescue and see what is going on there.

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Reader Interactions

101Comments

  1. 1.

    Terri

    May 22, 2009 at 4:43 pm

    It sounds to me like she has picked you already.

  2. 2.

    robertdsc

    May 22, 2009 at 4:44 pm

    LOL at “kitty prison”.

  3. 3.

    Old Gringo

    May 22, 2009 at 4:45 pm

    just so long as I am sure that no more than 5% of its bloodline is not beagle.

    Double negative.

  4. 4.

    John Cole

    May 22, 2009 at 4:47 pm

    @Old Gringo: I’m really against any beagle blood. Also, thanks and fixed.

  5. 5.

    Violet

    May 22, 2009 at 4:47 pm

    I’ve got no personal experience with beagles, but the beagle who won the dog show was really cute. I wonder if people rushed out to buy a beagle after that and then found they couldn’t handle them, didn’t like the smell, whatever. A similar thing happened with Dalmatians after 101 Dalmations came out. A lot of unwanted Dalmatians ended up in shelters.

  6. 6.

    schrodinger's cat

    May 22, 2009 at 4:48 pm

    aww that kitteh sounds adorable, how do you think the mighty Tunch will react, if you bring her home.

  7. 7.

    Comrade Kevin

    May 22, 2009 at 4:48 pm

    It sounds to me like she has picked you already.

    Sure does.

  8. 8.

    asiangrrlMN

    May 22, 2009 at 4:51 pm

    It sounds to me like she has picked you already.

    Ditto that. You don’t get to choose–they get to choose you. She sounds like a little love, and she’s adorable, too.

  9. 9.

    Old Gringo

    May 22, 2009 at 4:51 pm

    I’m really against any beagle blood. Also, thanks and fixed.

    Charles Schultz ( and perhaps Darwin) are not amused. Although I wonder if either of them ever owned a beagle.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUQX2B67KL4

    Aha! From Wiki:

    “Schulz had a dog when he was a boy, although unlike Snoopy the beagle, it was a pointer.”

  10. 10.

    geg6

    May 22, 2009 at 4:51 pm

    Much as I appreciate Tunch and all, please get a dog. Please, please, please. Dogs and dog people deserve equal time. I know our Negro Overlord would agree.

  11. 11.

    Ekim

    May 22, 2009 at 4:53 pm

    After reading you lo these many years and quietly watching your conversion from nut to reasonable person, my faith in your reasonableness has suddenly plummeted. Anyone who dislikes beagles is capable of much evil . O tempora, O mores!

  12. 12.

    Gordon, The Big Express Engine

    May 22, 2009 at 4:53 pm

    John – we have 4 cats – two without tails that are brothers. I’ll ship you a tailless white one that looks like Tunch!

    Also we took your advice and got the Furminator. One outdoor session with all four cats yielded enough fur to make another whole cat!

  13. 13.

    JenJen

    May 22, 2009 at 4:53 pm

    Not a beagle fan, either. But there are actually a lot of purebreds I am not that into. I will reiterate that any purebred or mix with the word “Australian” in front is almost always a winner! Go, go, go, sheps and cattle doggies!! In my experience, they’re great with cats, too; mostly because they’re super-quick learners, if you catch my evil-kitty drift.

    Can’t wait to see what happens, John! Good luck finding your new forever-friend tomorrow!

  14. 14.

    cathaireverywhere

    May 22, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    What a great kitty! She looks like my Zinnia. I think she has chosen you, too. I have 2 dogs and 4 cats and they all get along splendidly. Why not get one of each?

  15. 15.

    beltane

    May 22, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    If you are in a rural area, beagles and beagle mixes will be plentiful in the shelters because they are so damn common. Lots of people use them for hunting and they are known roamers, so they reproduce more than the average dog. I love my Lab; she has an angelic temperament, is kind to the cats, and rarely barks. Smart too.

    That young lady cat at the shelter would be good companionship for Tunch, providing him with exercise and drama.

  16. 16.

    djork

    May 22, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    That cat could be my cats’ sister. Practically the same markings.

  17. 17.

    Ninerdave

    May 22, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    At the Oakland Animal Shelter, we’re over stuffed with Pit Bulls (surprising I know). I didn’t have a lot of experience with them before I started volunteering there, but they a ton of fun and lovable as all get out. Too bad they are so stigmatized. Oh and they make extremely adorable puppies.

    However, I remain a lab/retriever, fan.

  18. 18.

    HumboldtBlue

    May 22, 2009 at 4:58 pm

    Get the kitty, she already loves you, although I do fear for Tunch and you if you bring her home. Tunch will not be happy.

    Any cat who can do the headbutt is worth loving.

  19. 19.

    mp1900

    May 22, 2009 at 5:00 pm

    This
    looks like a lovely dog.
    Beagles are so common in my area, I’m told, because they’re used for hunting. One man told me some people just abandon them after the hunt.

  20. 20.

    forked tongue

    May 22, 2009 at 5:02 pm

    This is my vote for Headbutt Cat.

  21. 21.

    Max

    May 22, 2009 at 5:03 pm

    Please get a dog! Dogs give love and kisses, where cats give disdain and mocking. Good to have one of each to balance you out.

    Plus, dogs can go places with you. I bring my wheaten with me everywhere. In fact, he is laying under my desk at the office while I type this.

    Dogs force you to exercise, they guard your house, they can save your life (Lassie), they can be trained to be therapy pets and aide you in volunteerism, they are chick magnents, they can be trained to bring in the newspaper or bring you a beer, they keep away solicitors at your door…

  22. 22.

    Thoughtcrime

    May 22, 2009 at 5:04 pm

    She looks like our cat Gizmo as a kitten. Gizmo, whose latest picture I sent to JC earlier this week, likes to do the across-the-bed headbutt to wake us for his morning feeding.

  23. 23.

    lovedog

    May 22, 2009 at 5:05 pm

    i’ve logged *a lot* of time in dog parks and I have never seen a beagle who obeys their owner.

    willful little punks

  24. 24.

    geg6

    May 22, 2009 at 5:06 pm

    James Harrison, the Steeler who missed meeting Obama due to fear of flying, has a son who was attacked by his family’s pit bull. It happened yesterday afternoon at his home. It bit the baby, the mom, and the neighbor. James was not home. The dog will be put down. Apparently, the dog and the baby played in the back yard. Ooo, and another Pittsburgh story of interest: a plane made an emergency landing at Pgh. Int. and the passengers evacuated. One of the passengers who was helpful with the evacuation was none other than Senator Roland Burris. It’s a weird world.

  25. 25.

    ErinSiobhan

    May 22, 2009 at 5:10 pm

    Tunch ain’t going to like this at all.

  26. 26.

    retr2327

    May 22, 2009 at 5:10 pm

    Cats rule, dogs drool. [even though I love my mini Australian sheperd]

  27. 27.

    Old Gringo

    May 22, 2009 at 5:10 pm

    Dogs give love and kisses, where cats give disdain and mocking.

    It depends on the breed, and the individual animal, but some breeds of cat have more “dog like” qualities. The Ragdoll, for instance. They have actually had the tendency to fight bred out of them, so should be kept inside, but you can leash train them easily and walk them. They actually like that and tend to follow you around anyway, like a dog would. And unlike most cats, they go limp when you pick them up, hence the name.

    Here is a Ragdoll kitty going mad.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP0Yu71J95k

    Turn down volume of annoying background music.

  28. 28.

    John Cole

    May 22, 2009 at 5:11 pm

    @Ekim: I really don’t hate beagles. I hate the idea of owning one. All of you who love your beagles, more power to you.

  29. 29.

    Winston Smith

    May 22, 2009 at 5:13 pm

    Get the cat, fool.

  30. 30.

    sarah in brooklyn

    May 22, 2009 at 5:13 pm

    get the kitty! she’ll be tunch’s friend!!

  31. 31.

    PDXChris

    May 22, 2009 at 5:15 pm

    I guess I have to take off the lurker cape and comment. We adopted a beagle mix about 7 years ago, and he is the most willful little shit dog I have ever lived with. Then we adopted a lab/great dane mix last year who completely restored my faith in the canine world. I hate beagles. There, I said it.

  32. 32.

    sacrablue

    May 22, 2009 at 5:15 pm

    Get the kitty, wait a couple of weeks, then get a dog. Tunch will be royally pissed.

  33. 33.

    Laura W

    May 22, 2009 at 5:16 pm

    I vote Shayla. An adult, sweet, loving, demonstrative, energetic, well-socialized female is just the thing Tunch needs to shame him out of his cranky self-absorption.

    If you find yourself unable to stop thinking about her and keep imagining her in your house, you’ll go back for her.

  34. 34.

    The Other Steve

    May 22, 2009 at 5:16 pm

    Check out petfinder.com… they’ll have listings of neighboring animal shelters, but also rescue groups and such.

    It all depends on if you want a small dog or a larger one. Larger ones can be more fun, but are also more work. A labrador, or a German Shepard would be a great dog. Maybe you could get a Labradoodle and go galt on us?

    A medium size dog like an border collie are also good choices.

    Then you got small dogs. I love our dachshund and she’s too short to jump up on things to get in a lot of trouble. (she collaborates with the cats to knock stuff off the table so she can chew it). Our neighbor has a King Charles Spaniel which is cute, but I don’t think very bright. In our puppy class there were several rat terriers which are awesome little dogs and don’t shed a lot.

    Stay away from the hound group if you don’t want sniffers(our doxie is annoying to walk with as she has to track all the bunnies).

  35. 35.

    The Other Steve

    May 22, 2009 at 5:17 pm

    Nothing wrong with having two cats and getting a dog too. :-)

  36. 36.

    apikoros

    May 22, 2009 at 5:18 pm

    so she doesn’t have a club foot even though it looks like it.

    So what’s the problem with clubfooted cats?* I have three cats with nine functional legs between them and I have to say that while the first “picked me” the other two I went out looking for. The “tragedy” of tripods is that they can’t jump or hunt. No cats on the counters, no cats on top of the fridge, they can’t jump over the chain-link fence, I get about one “present” a year (mice, mostly). The center of affection lives somewhere other than the legs, they are as affectionate as any cat can be.

    On the original question, though, I think I’d advise sticking with your first intention and get a dog. Cats are just not that sociable and integrating a new cat can take up to a year.

    *Damn, you can’t say anything on the internet without someone taking issue, can you? :-)

  37. 37.

    geg6

    May 22, 2009 at 5:19 pm

    I’d like to join my voice to those advocating for a lovely Lab. Bestest disposition of any breed I know. And even though my Henry is a Lab, I’m not biased at all. Really. No, seriously.

  38. 38.

    Max

    May 22, 2009 at 5:20 pm

    @geg6: I feel like we are outnumbered on the dog front.

  39. 39.

    Sasha

    May 22, 2009 at 5:21 pm

    I have two second-hand dogs myself: a Border Lab (border collie/Lab) and a Cardigan Lab (Cardigan corgi/Lab). They are wonderful, wonderful creatures that truly epitomize dogishness.

    I really should send pics of them for posting.

  40. 40.

    The Other Steve

    May 22, 2009 at 5:24 pm

    At the Oakland Animal Shelter, we’re over stuffed with Pit Bulls (surprising I know). I didn’t have a lot of experience with them before I started volunteering there, but they a ton of fun and lovable as all get out. Too bad they are so stigmatized. Oh and they make extremely adorable puppies.

    Any dog can be lovable. My wife had a Rottweiler back in Russia. The key is the training. The great thing about the Rottweiler was that even though she was a lovable dog, everyone they encountered on the sidewalk who didn’t know her was terrified of her. Since they had gotten her for protection, she served the purpose.

    Sadly she passed away last year at the age of 12.

  41. 41.

    R-Jud

    May 22, 2009 at 5:31 pm

    The behavior, coloring, and markings of the cat in the OP make her sound almost exactly like our Quinn (pic here). Quinn is the most loved-up cat I’ve ever met. It was impossible to leave the shelter without her once she headbutted me. You must really want a dog, JC.

  42. 42.

    Krista

    May 22, 2009 at 5:34 pm

    John, this little girl is close by you, I believe, and she looks like an absolute sweetheart.

    You should go check her out.

  43. 43.

    Ekim

    May 22, 2009 at 5:36 pm

    @John Cole:

    What a relief.

    I got my latest beagle from Seattle beagle rescue–they are hard to find at shelters here in the NW–too popular.

    I hope you get a dog of some kind–they are very nice to have around–and they won’t give a damn what you say in your blog.

  44. 44.

    oh really

    May 22, 2009 at 5:39 pm

    I have three adopted cats — all saved in different ways, from different sources — humane society, no kill shelter, and the one who just showed up starving to death and expected me to care (I guess I’m pretty easy to read).

    Anyway, John, just remember one thing —

    All cats behave better when they are looking for a home than when they have a home (and they are incapable of imagining that anything will ever take away something they already have).

    In the words of a local veterinarian:

    Dogs have owners; cats have staff.

  45. 45.

    Wile E. Quixote

    May 22, 2009 at 5:40 pm

    @sarah in brooklyn

    get the kitty! she’ll be tunch’s friend!! food.

    Fixed.

  46. 46.

    Wile E. Quixote

    May 22, 2009 at 5:48 pm

    I love labs, all of the dogs we had when I was growing up were, with the exception of one, lab mongrels who would go completely batshit insane if you pulled out a tennis ball.

    I have a friend who has a golden lab who is one of the most terrifying dogs I’ve ever seen. What makes Tesla (or Tessie) so terrifying? Is it her disposition? Nope, she’s as sweet as any lab out there? Is it her size? Nope, she’s an average sized lab. No, what makes Tessie so terrifying is that she’s a lab with an attention span.

    I mean no shit, this dog has an attention span. Tessie will go apeshit and chase a laser pointer spot around until she falls over exhausted, she loves doing it (I’ve never seen another dog behave this way). If you turn the laser pointer off and put it in your pocket she will stare intently at your pocket because she knows its there. If you take the laser pointer out of your pocket and put it on the shelf she’ll start staring at the shelf, and she’s good at figuring out when you’re trying to fake her out.

    The last time Tessie was over at my house she chased a squirrel around the fence in my back yard. We called her back, put her in the car and went to breakfast. When we got back a few hours later (this was a leisurely breakfast, several Bloody Marys were involved) she jumped out of the car and ran over to where she last saw the squirrel and checked the area again. I mean a lab with an attention span, the only thing that would be more terrifying than that would be a lab with an attention span and opposable thumbs.

  47. 47.

    Apsaras

    May 22, 2009 at 5:49 pm

    Beagle Code ver 1.0.2

    10 BARK like a goddamn lunatic
    20 IF Something, Anything Happens GOTO 10
    30 Fuck It, BARK anyway

  48. 48.

    ThymeZoneThe Plumber

    May 22, 2009 at 5:56 pm

    I’m a cat rescuer, since age 5. I will drag home any needy feline, or take in any beggar at the door. For a cat that was hungry but wouldn’t come in the house over the Fourth of July, I went out and bought an air cooler for the laundry room to give the animal and her starving kittens a place to sleep during the hellish Phoenix summer.

    I can’t go near one of those places you are visiting. I’d take them all with me and end up being one of those crazy people you see on tv with cats everywhere and me eating Friskies.

  49. 49.

    Medicine Man

    May 22, 2009 at 5:59 pm

    Get the kitty, Jon. She sounds like a real lovely cat.

  50. 50.

    Laura W

    May 22, 2009 at 6:00 pm

    @ThymeZoneThe Plumber: How is it you seem to have limited yourself to a manageable one? (Granted, one that could easily be split into 3 smaller units.)

  51. 51.

    ThymeZoneThe Plumber

    May 22, 2009 at 6:01 pm

    Ok, now I am on a machine that sees the Pam Anderson ad.

    Great, now I have been rickrolled. As a result, I am going to increase my consumption of KFY (Kentucky Fried Yardbird).

    I am going to feed KFY to the cats.

  52. 52.

    ThymeZoneThe Plumber

    May 22, 2009 at 6:05 pm

    @Laura W:

    There are 3 cats, but only one throws its enormous bulk in my lap whenever the mood strikes it. That is Franklee Mydear, the 23lb pest.

    One is a feral cat that rarely goes for any human interaction, also a rescue animal (I cut it out of a wall where it had fallen from the attic in a neighbor’s condo). The other is the Fourth of July cat, and that one just doesn’t really like me that much. Unless I am eating fish.

  53. 53.

    Krista

    May 22, 2009 at 6:05 pm

    I can’t go near one of those places you are visiting. I’d take them all with me and end up being one of those crazy people you see on tv with cats everywhere and me eating Friskies.

    You sound like my mom. She can’t go anywhere near a pet store. If her cat needs a new toy or a collar, she sends my stepdad to get it, because if she sees puppies, she will want to take all of them home and will cry for days over them.

  54. 54.

    Laura W

    May 22, 2009 at 6:15 pm

    @Krista: It’s “funny”…all of my life I’ve rescued and owned cats, but never was able to step foot into any of “those” places without leaving with a cat (or guinea pig!) And yes, cats always found me. I never, ever went looking to adopt one. (At least not since age 22). Actually, what I mean to say is that in the few times I did set out to adopt one, I only had one choice. Like Willie, the last in the litter, or Gracie, a stray adult female being fostered I took on sight. Or when a friend adopted a cute guy and I had to take his littermate (Milo) so he would not be alone in the shelter.

    After Walter died in May of 2006 right after I moved to NC I was so torn up I could barely live. I decided to shut the fuck up and get out and DO something for the cats, self-centered grief and fear be damned. I started volunteering with our local group, helping with the adoptions at PetSmart and fostering in my home. Yes, it broke my heart, BUT…every time I did it I felt less emotionally crippled by the sadness because I saw cat after cat (and dog) come into the system and find awesome new homes. Cats didn’t stay in the group’s hands for long. Two months was a long time, no matter the age, markings, disposition of the cat. There was always someone who wanted the kitty. Someone for everyone, eh?

    That gave me such hope, and also helped to ease the sense of futile despair I had prior to getting involved. Yes, it sucks, but it IS getting better in the US. Big groups like Best Friends do their part, but I tell you what…the small, local, volunteer-based rescue groups that meet around kitchen tables and suffer sever burn out but keep on keeping on… those are the heroes.

    Rant over.

  55. 55.

    Cackalacka

    May 22, 2009 at 6:15 pm

    It should be noted that one reason you’re seeing all of these beagles in doggie prison is they’re scent hounds.

    They’re genetically programmed to lock on a scent and follow. For even the most attentive and disciplined owner, if a beagle gets out of a fence or manages to get off-lead: BAM, the next morning, Snoopie’s three counties over tracking that deer that it smelled in your back yard.

    So don’t blame them, blame the hundreds of years of genetic programming. Same is true of most scent hounds (but beagles are squirlier than most scent hounds.)

    I could never own one, but then, I’m a lab man. As any knowledgeable person will tell you, every breed of dog is inferior to a lab.

  56. 56.

    Arlie

    May 22, 2009 at 6:16 pm

    Seriously, get the cat. She seems to love you already.

  57. 57.

    slag

    May 22, 2009 at 6:21 pm

    Younger, female cat is good. Tunch will like her…hopefully!

    Plus, one of my cats can’t really meow either. Best feature ever. Also enjoys the head bump.

  58. 58.

    Tattoosydney

    May 22, 2009 at 6:26 pm

    @Laura W:

    There was always someone who wanted the kitty. Someone for everyone, eh?

    Here, here! [Goes and pats fucked up and vaguely psychotic rescue dog who he loves unconditionally.]

    After Walter died in May of 2006 right after I moved to NC….

    Do you think Cole realises that Walter is dead yet?

  59. 59.

    Joshua Norton

    May 22, 2009 at 6:28 pm

    Get kitty, get kitty, get kitty. That is all.

  60. 60.

    gil mann

    May 22, 2009 at 6:30 pm

    Tunch ain’t going to like this at all.

    Yeah, super-affectionate new cats aren’t generally looked upon kindly by the established cat. Think Donna Hanover sharing Gracie Mansion with Giuliani’s mistress, except you’re not an authoritarian douchebag. Not for a few years now, anyway.

    I kid! Well, I think I kid, I wasn’t around then.

  61. 61.

    Laura W

    May 22, 2009 at 6:31 pm

    @Tattoosydney:

    Do you think Cole realises that Walter is dead yet?

    Probably so. (Although I miswrote as he died May 18, 2007).
    John had a very frightening mishap with a mop, a shower curtain, and a toilet that very night.
    “Walter’s Revenge” is how I like to think of that evening.

  62. 62.

    Karatist Preacher

    May 22, 2009 at 6:32 pm

    Please rescue that kitty.

  63. 63.

    John Cole

    May 22, 2009 at 6:32 pm

    Yes, I know Walter is dead.

  64. 64.

    Krista

    May 22, 2009 at 6:37 pm

    There was always someone who wanted the kitty. Someone for everyone, eh?

    Cats that adopt you are always the best cats. One day when I was about 8 years old, Mom was bringing me home from violin lessons in the pouring rain. We got home, got out of the car, and as Mom opened her car door, a kitten jumped in. He was a tiny, soaking wet, and starving tuxedo cat.

    Bless Mom’s heart, even though she was terrified of cats, she took him in until we could find his family. Little did we know, he’d already found his family — us. He was the best cat ever: snuggly and sweet, an excellent mouser and he would have never dreamed of clawing the curtains or jumping up on the cupboards. They’ve had other cats since he passed away, but to me, Shadow will always remain the ne plus ultra of felines.

  65. 65.

    satby

    May 22, 2009 at 6:39 pm

    I’ve mentioned I do pet rescue, and John, I don’t know if it helps you decide or not, but approx. 80% of adult cats in shelters (that aren’t no kill) end up being euthanized, no matter how sweet, cute, etc, they are.

    And I’m with you on beagles.

    Labs are OK dogs (right now I have 5, one purebred, all rescues) but if given a choice I say look for a mutt that appeals to you. Mutts are the best. Of the 5 labs, only the pure-bred attacked any other animals; he was a puppy mill stud and has what they call cage rage. The 2 who are pit-bull lab mixes are almost perfect dogs.
    And any dog can maul anything, in the news several months ago a 12 week old lab pup mauled a baby to death.

  66. 66.

    Willem van Oranje

    May 22, 2009 at 6:41 pm

    Why not do both? Headbutt Kitty and Anti Beagle?

  67. 67.

    Tattoosydney

    May 22, 2009 at 6:46 pm

    @John Cole:

    Yes, I know Walter is dead.

    Just checking.

  68. 68.

    dmv

    May 22, 2009 at 7:15 pm

    Dog, dog, dog!

    Get an American Eskimo. They are adorable, sweet, highly intelligent, loyal, kind. Or get me one immediately and get whatever kind of dog you want. That works, too.

    But get a doggie!

    (I have to admit, I’m not a cat person, but that cat sounded cute. Get both!)

  69. 69.

    HumboldtBlue

    May 22, 2009 at 7:22 pm

    Shayla, Shay-laaaaaa
    Storm’s are brewin’ in your eyes
    Shayla, Shay-laaaa no time is a good time for goodbyes …

  70. 70.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    May 22, 2009 at 7:25 pm

    Get the Kitty. She picked you. Tunch will appreciate the company, despite how he might protest to begin with, within no time they will be snuggling.

  71. 71.

    Skepticat

    May 22, 2009 at 7:26 pm

    On one hand, I don’t envy you this decision. You have an embarrassment of riches—of choices and of opinions. On the other, I’d love to be in a situation where I could add to the krewe. I’ll have to live vicariously through you.

    It does look as though you’ve been picked. No matter which, I’m so glad you’re planning to rescue at least one critter, it’s the best way to get an animal.

    We look forward to many chapters in the Tunch-adaptation saga.

  72. 72.

    JL

    May 22, 2009 at 7:30 pm

    Now I’m looking at petfinders. I’m not sure that Moxie would appreciate a cat but another dog might not be so bad. There is a Shih tzu with special needs that is darling. The dog is blind but gets around okay. Moxie is always barking up the wrong tree so Connor sounds like he would fit in. The concern is that the dog is already ten. Moxie in nine plus so it would not be long before I would have two senior dogs.

  73. 73.

    ellie

    May 22, 2009 at 7:31 pm

    I enjoy a headbutting kitty.

  74. 74.

    jTh

    May 22, 2009 at 7:33 pm

    Hmm, no one’s mentioned this, but in my experience, tabbys are the sweetest and most affectionate cats. I mean, lots of cats are sweet and affectionate, but tabbys seem to stand out as a variety. I made quick and easy friends with several before I got my own in 1999.

    And then mine, in turn, turned out to be the most obedient cat that I’ve ever known. Or should I say, “eager to please?” I could train her out of doing things wrong (she’d usually “get it” after a third transgression/ mild scolding), get her to run back in the door when I barked at her, and keep her staying put/outside if I’d opened up some closet that I didn’t want her in. And just as affectionate and cuddly as could be (though she never cared to get in my lap, only beside it by my thigh).

    So, obviously, I’m in favor of Shayla… (and a big fan of headbutters too…)

    But, the reality is that you can tell an enormous amount about a cat by their facial expression (which we couldn’t see in the picture). People wildly underestimate this – if a cat looks like a snob, he is. But if she looks at you with sweet innocent love, then you should trust that and pick her up. And if she looks at you like Tunch, then you should keep looking.

    Btw, if Shayla still has her claws, she and Tunch will work things out eventually.

  75. 75.

    AnneW

    May 22, 2009 at 7:44 pm

    Kitty kitty kitty!

  76. 76.

    LD50

    May 22, 2009 at 7:46 pm

    she was really friendly, and could not meow- she did the purr/meow instead, and climbed all over me the whole time. She was also a fan of the across the room headbutt, in which she would run across the room, jump into your lap, and headbutt you.

    This is a sign that you’re supposed to get the cat. Quit screwing around.

  77. 77.

    ABMcC

    May 22, 2009 at 7:53 pm

    She’s yours. A kippy like that doesn’t come along everyday. You may want a dog — and you can have one someday — but right now you have been selected. Don’t let her down!

  78. 78.

    Arachnae

    May 22, 2009 at 8:06 pm

    Headbutt-kitty has selected you. You’d better obey.

  79. 79.

    Bubba Dave

    May 22, 2009 at 8:38 pm

    Headbutt kitty has claimed you. There is no escape.

  80. 80.

    JR

    May 22, 2009 at 8:41 pm

    I remain an enthusiastic pit and pit-mix advocate. They’re big enough to play rough (ruff?) with, they’re incredibly cute, and they’re devoted as hell. Easily the best dog I’ve ever known is the half pit, half Welsh springer spaniel lying on my other couch with a decidedly nonplussed look on her face.

    Now, if I could only find a “Ron Mexico” jersey that would fit her…

  81. 81.

    slag

    May 22, 2009 at 9:02 pm

    @Krista:

    Cats that adopt you are always the best cats.

    First, I should disclose that I’m definitely a cat person (dogs are too much work!), but I’m inclined to agree with this statement. Cats can be picky, but once they’ve picked, they’re often incredibly loyal. Way more than most dogs who are often just happy to see anybody.

  82. 82.

    cathaireverywhere

    May 22, 2009 at 9:21 pm

    @ DMV There’s an American Eskimo rescue group called Heart Bandits. You might check them out! I had one wonderful Eskie who the best dog a person could want. She was smart as a whip and very sweet.

  83. 83.

    Anne Laurie

    May 22, 2009 at 9:23 pm

    John, bless you for Doing It Right. If Shayla is the cat for you (& Tunch), you’ll know it when you can’t stop thinking about her. You know you have dozens of “fans” fervently praying Thinking Higher Thoughts that the perfect companion animal introduces itself to you soonest.

    Cackalaka is right, beagles are great dogs in the right situation but they were never intended to be apartment-living companion animals. Their genetic inheritance includes all the “hound” traits — coarse weatherproof (stinky, hard-to-vacuum) coat, fanatic devotion to scent-trailing, big here-I-am bugle voices used indiscriminately, high energy levels, limited non-hunting-related curiosity, strong prey drive (not good for dogs who need to share a relatively confined living space with a cat) — which make them wonderful hunting dogs but lousy urban pets. In addition, beagles were intended to be “pack” dogs, not individual hunter-partners, and were frequently traded between owners… so they are not always quick to bond either to individual humans or to particular territories. And that means that they *will* roam (climb a 5ft. fence, leap out of a car or a second-story window) and they may not have paid enough attention to their “home” to find their way back after they’ve run down the latest alluring scent trail. One reason beagles are such common lab animals, sad to say, is that (generically) they don’t upset the human experimenters by frantically trying to bond or visibly pining for human interaction. Charles Schultz said his boyhood beagle “kept running away, so my parents traded it to a hunter for a load of gravel”. Remember that Snoopy always refers to Charlie Brown as “the round-headed kid”, and only pays attention when Charlie’s got his supper dish. And, yeah, YOUR beagle (and Andrew Sullivan’s) is *totally* not like that, but — we’re playing the odds here, and in the long run the house always wins.

    I started volunteering with our local group, helping with the adoptions at PetSmart and fostering in my home. Yes, it broke my heart, BUT…every time I did it I felt less emotionally crippled by the sadness because I saw cat after cat (and dog) come into the system and find awesome new homes. Cats didn’t stay in the group’s hands for long. Two months was a long time, no matter the age, markings, disposition of the cat. There was always someone who wanted the kitty. Someone for everyone, eh?

    That gave me such hope, and also helped to ease the sense of futile despair I had prior to getting involved. Yes, it sucks, but it IS getting better in the US. Big groups like Best Friends do their part, but I tell you what…the small, local, volunteer-based rescue groups that meet around kitchen tables and suffer sever burn out but keep on keeping on… those are the heroes.

    This. Thank you, Laura!

  84. 84.

    PQuincy

    May 22, 2009 at 9:24 pm

    Our two dogs are beagle-mutts, as was the dog I grew up with for 19 years (crossed with border-collie? and lab? respectively). They do smell–but live long, let’s hope.

    But your location probably has something to do with your local rescue shelter being full of beagles: there is regional dog breed arbitrage going on!

    We went in to the rescue place in New Jersey, which had a nice mix of mutts to adopt, and they explained that most of their dogs came from a pound in Ohio. Labs, beagles, collie blends, etc. “All we get in New Jersey are pit bulls and pit bull blends, and no one wants to adopt them,” they told me. They’re a no-kill shelter, and they were proud that their particular version of the underground railway, running east, had dropped their partner pound’s kill rate by nearly half.

    Who knew?

  85. 85.

    Nylund

    May 22, 2009 at 9:36 pm

    The scars on my face are the reason I hate anything with beagle blood.

    The current pet, a border collie / australian cattle dog mix, is simply amazing. She is the smartest, most obedient, and kindest dog I have ever known.

    Although, she’d probably kill Tunch. She is the biggest stereotype I’ve ever seen in a dog. Loves everything, except cats and mailmen. They both drive her absolutely insane.

    If you even say the word “cat” she starts running to every window in the house trying to find whatever cat you’re talking about. But, it also makes it really easy to get her to go away when she’s pestering you. You just say, “there’s a cat outside the window!” and off she goes.

  86. 86.

    phillygirl

    May 22, 2009 at 10:51 pm

    FIRST you get the kitty. Within two weeks, she’ll be licking Tunch’s ears, and he will forgive anything. THEN you get a placid, older mutt who will indulge both of them. It will work. I promise.

  87. 87.

    Sheila

    May 22, 2009 at 11:01 pm

    Get Shayla! (and rename her). She looks like a complete sweetheart!

  88. 88.

    Sheila

    May 22, 2009 at 11:01 pm

    Get Shayla! (and rename her). She looks like a complete sweetheart!

  89. 89.

    Sheila

    May 22, 2009 at 11:01 pm

    Get Shayla! (and rename her). She looks like a complete sweetheart!

  90. 90.

    Sheila

    May 22, 2009 at 11:01 pm

    Get Shayla! (and rename her). She looks like a complete sweetheart!

  91. 91.

    Gina

    May 23, 2009 at 3:18 am

    She’s picked you, she’s sweet, you need to man up and take her home!

    Then, get a dog later. I’m a Rottie fan myself, but do not recommend them for most people – they are very smart and need lots of structure or they’re freaking nightmares.

    Best thing you can do is be brutally honest in a self-assessment and pick a breed/mix that has compatible characteristics. I knew I wanted a “low activity” dog, and one that would be somewhat protective so I could enjoy long walks in my Brooklyn neighborhood without too much hassle, and one that could think on its feet and not crumple in fear over *whatever*.

    Black Labs are cute and fun, but way too active for apartment life, and for a single person working outside the home. German Shepherd Dogs are nice, but tend to bark a lot, which would drive me batshit insane, not to mention any nearby neighbors. At that time, you didn’t see a lot of Mastiffs, but Rotties were pretty available.

    Plus, I saw The Omen when I was a kid and thought those devil dogs were just adorable. And they ARE!

    I have 3 cats and two male Rotties currently. All rescues.

  92. 92.

    dog's eye view

    May 23, 2009 at 9:42 am

    OK, got to speak up for beagles.

    And see why John never responded to my email some weeks back suggesting he adopt a beagle (when he mentioned adding a dog to Tunch’s static life).

    Maybe the trick is adopting a FEMALE beagle. Both of Andrew Sullivan’s beagles are girls, as are mine.

    My younger beagle is extremely attentive and affectionate. Real scenthound — as noted — got into rat poison a few months ago and that was an expensive and scary proposition.

    She doesn’t bark much but that’s because she turned out to be deaf.
    (So add “deaf female beagle” to your list.)

    Beagles are loving and loyal and gentle little creatures. Hunters do abandon them — witness the shelters.

    Beagles can be hard to housetrain — some get it, some don’t and don’t care — which might also account for shelter population.

    Beagles are used as agricultural inspectors at airports because they have great noses for food and are non-threatening to passengers. (Beagle brigade.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beagle_Brigade

    I hope the Brigade recruits heavily in West Virginia and Virginia!

    Completely understand John and others preferring another breed of dog, but got to stand up for the beagle set.

    =========

    Obama interview on C-Span at 10 today, 10:30 a and 6:30 p tomorrow. Should be good.

  93. 93.

    Russ

    May 23, 2009 at 11:03 am

    Dog’s eye,

    I have a male and a female. The male is way better, so I think it might be just luck. They are harder to house train too. My female, in the winter, doesn’t like to get her feet a little cold, and use to try to sneak it in-house. I agree though, they are well worth the effort, and after a few years, they calm down. I know someone who actually has a litter of Beagle/jack russell puppies free to a good home, but my cat would hate me forever if I relented.

  94. 94.

    Terri

    May 23, 2009 at 11:37 am

    All of my animals are rescues. I’ve tried very hard over the years to find and wash off that apparent”sucker” smell, but to no avail.
    All 3 of my dogs are mutts. Mutts in general have less heath issues. My big one is a Mastiff/Rottie mix, who was horribly abused by some inbred teenage hillbillies, and is one of the sweetest most gentle creatures. The pit /lab mix LOVES “her” kittehs. So much for that stereotype. The little one is my daughter’s dog, a papillion/chahoohoo mix who thinks she’s 100 lbs.
    The cats,(5) all get along, although initially it took some patience. The last one, is a beautiful seal point Siamese, who was fixed and dumped. She’s got some serious street cred, and won’t put up with any shit from the others.
    The coolest pet, I have to say, is the 22 yr old green winged macaw, that I took in from a woman who was bipolar and off her meds. She had been feeding him nothing but cocktail olives and bar nuts when I got him. He says about 55 words and phrases. When my teenager plays her music too loud, he sings along sounding like a drunken German during Oktoberfest.
    My point in all of this is, you can have 2 cats, a dog and a cat, or whatever. The key is, you have to establish what I call, the Rodney King Rule. We all have to get along. It takes a little firmness sometimes, but your energy dictates how they respond. Acourse, it’s possible I could wind up that old lady who dies and nobody finds her for weeks, and when they do, she’s been half eaten. But they are a cast of characters and they bring a lot of joy.

    Dude, go get the cat.

  95. 95.

    J. A. Baker

    May 23, 2009 at 12:34 pm

    Heh. She reminds me of a cat I used to have named “Tiger.” Real original, huh? Hey, I was in fourth grade when we got her, what do you expect? :-P

  96. 96.

    dog's eye view

    May 23, 2009 at 1:04 pm

    Russ: noted re little guy beagles can be good citizens.

    On the Jack Russell front: aren’t JRT’s pretty much beagles in miniature on steroids? Maybe not, but they are wild and wonderful little pups. Crazy busy, though.

    This is why I was surprised by Mr. Cole’s aversion to JRT relatives.

    OK, one’s a terrier, one’s a hound. Do get that.

    Surprised, just the same.

    Love to all beagles out there, enjoyed by their people or not.

  97. 97.

    ABMcC

    May 23, 2009 at 5:45 pm

    Don’t leave her in prison all weekend! Go get her now!! You know you want to!!!

  98. 98.

    celiadexter

    May 23, 2009 at 7:34 pm

    It’s Saturday evening so I assume you’ve already been to the shelter by now — but I hope you took both the girl cat and a big relatively laid-back friendly non-yappy dog. Tunch needs a couple of four-legged friends — I could tell from the videos that he’s getting blase!

  99. 99.

    Shawn

    May 24, 2009 at 1:57 am

    A headbutter kitty is a special thing. I miss mine like crazy. Get the damn cat!

  100. 100.

    Billy

    June 5, 2009 at 2:14 pm

    That cat is a cutie, but I love Dogs sooo much – get both.

    I have to agree about beagles a bit – at least in most cases. They bark with the LOUDEST bark out there – but I had a friend that had a great beagle that was perfect – so it may depend.

    Good luck on your search!!

    *Help pets through Petfinder and http://wwwDoGreatGood.com – saving pets with every search*

  101. 101.

    Billy

    June 5, 2009 at 2:14 pm

    That cat is a cutie, but I love Dogs sooo much – get both.

    I have to agree about beagles a bit – at least in most cases. They bark with the LOUDEST bark out there – but I had a friend that had a great beagle that was perfect – so it may depend.

    Good luck on your search!!

    *Help pets through Petfinder and http://www.DoGreatGood.com – saving pets with every search*

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