I’m still kind of chuckling that as my father was lying, possibly dying, in a hospital emergency room, his primary focus was not seeing his firstborn son one last time, but making sure his dogs were walked, put to bed, and doted on. It really is crazy how much we love our animals.
I’ve always loved animals. All of them. I’m the jackass who would rather run into a tree than hit a raccoon or squirrel. I love the way cows will lick their noses, with that big pink tongue loping up to the giant schnozz. I think the most beautiful thing in world is a horse running free across a field. I like how silly otters are, the way they swim around, playing to the audience, all frivolous and what not. My best friend in college, Jack, used to joke whenever we went to a party I would spend most of my time with the dogs, which was true.
We had always had a ton of pets when I was growing up. There was Ajax, the dog I was given at Christmas when I was seven or eight years old, who looked exactly like Benji. I woke up, and he was there licking my face, and I named him (Why Ajax? I have no idea.). I loved him, but I was a kid and not a very good owner, and my parents shouldered the burden of taking care of him. We used to call him swampfoot because if you lost sight of him for 30 seconds he would run off to the creek and come back with filth all over him. He was always trying to sneak away, and thought if he could not see you, you couldn’t see him. However, if you called to him and let him know you saw him running off, he would come back, so for years you could hear mom and dad and the rest of us catching him trying to sneak off yelling “Ajax, I see you. Come back.” I have a lot of memories of summer nights when all four kids were too dirty to go into the house after playing all day, and we would line up and dad would hose all four of us off outside, then Ajax, as we all squealed about the water pressure hurting us and it being cold before we were gruffly told to shut up and dry off and go inside. Ajax also loved spaghetti, and would always have a red mustache for days after we let him have some leftovers. Ajax finally died at a ripe old age when I was in Germany in the army.
There was Mister Purr Puff, the cat we adopted from a local fraternity. He was named by my sister (his original name was Boots because he was all black with white feet). He may have been the greatest cat who ever lived- his tail had been cut off about six inches up in one of those industrial metal doors in the fraternity, and he looked like the typical tuxedo cat. All black, white feet, white belly, white stripe down the nose.
Purr Puff was great. He literally did nothing for 20 years, and he was the most amiable cat you would ever meet. You could do anything to him- my sisters would dress him up in doll clothes and put him in a stroller. He was like Bill the Cat. He would just go limp and let you do whatever. His favorite thing in the world was to just lie on the vents, and unlike other animals, who move when people are walking near them, he would just lie there, as if to say “Go around, Beooch. I’m sleeping and it is warm.” And so we did. I bet dad almost broke his neck 100 times tripping over Purr Puff on the landing at night. He was also a bed slut- when we would wake up in the morning, we would all talk about how Purr Puff slept with us, and then discover he slept with all of us, and would just bedhop until the last person was out of bed.
My favorite story about him is a Christmas dinner that had to have been in the late 80’s before I went to the army. We always have a standing rib with about 7-10 guests. This night, we had a number of guests, so we had to put the extenders in the dining room table, and the place was just too crowded, so dad kept the standing rib on a tray table next to the dinner table. It turns out the tray table was tilting a little bit, so grease and juices from the standing rib were dripping down onto the floor. Except they weren’t- Purr Puff had noticed the drip, and was sitting right underneath the tray table, and juices from heaven were showering down on him. His entire face was covered with congealed beef juice when we finally found him, and he was just looking upward, lapping with his tongue, eyes closed, in kitty heaven. One of my favorite moments from my youth.
When Purr Puff finally died, he was near 20 years old. It was a very sad day.
Then there was Mouse, a grey stray who sort of adopted us, joining our household after we left food out for her for a couple weeks. We called her Mouse because she couldn’t meow, she just sort of squeaked. She was a huntress- lithe and trim, very agile, and totally devoted to my mother. She would only sit on my mother’s lap, and was always bringing us dead birds, chipmunks, moles, etc. This was probably the only cat my mother has ever loved- she is a dog person. But Mouse won her over, and for a decade, mom’s lap was Mouse’s space. Mouse eventually got cancer, and this was in the middle 90’s, and one week they went away on vacation, and while they were gone I just had to take her to the vet and put her down. She was in too much pain. I remember going to Harry’s office and crying as we put her down (Harry is the vet who takes care of my kids and who we’ve talked about here a number of times, as we are good friends). I wrapped her in a blanket, buried her in the back yard, and painted a headstone for her that is still there- “Mouse Cole, a good friend.”
We also briefly had a Pekinese we got from my father’s mother when she died. Brandi, a punchy little pup who had a lot of heart. I wasn’t around much for her, but I do know that my parents think she was the greatest lap dog ever. And she had these tiny little legs, but man, she had heart.
Then there was Russell, the Jack Rusell terrorist we adopted at age four when his owner, David Judy, a brilliant and wonderful and gentle man who really deserves his own post, died. He took over the house. I’ve never met, and still have not met, another animal I was more convinced knew what I was talking about. When you talked to him, there was a person listening. He could smell the concept of round. You could hide a ball in a cabinet when he was not around, and four hours later find him sitting patiently in front of it waiting for you to get the “BALL BALL BALL BALL BALL BALL” because he wanted you to play. Russell was one of a kind, and we all still miss him.
I’ll never forget the time I was home for Thanksgiving, lying on the couch, and Russell wanted on my lap. The only problem was that my sister’s dog Irie was there. So what did Russell do? He problem solved. He went into the kitchen and harassed dad until dad gave him a treat. Russell then carried the treat into the living room, made sure Irie saw it, and then dropped it on the floor. Irie jumped down for the treat, Russell jumped up on my lap, and the problem was solved. It is not hyperbole when I say he was the smartest dog I have ever known.
And I could talk for hours on hours about my sister’s dog Irie, who may have been the sweetest animal who ever lived.
My sister loved that dog more than anything I have ever understood until I got Lily.
I don’t know why it took me so long to get my own pets. I got Tunch almost a decade ago, and he sort of eased me into dogs. Now that I have Lily and Rosie, though, I will never wake up in the morning again without a couple furry critters around. Life is just better with a dog on your lap.
As I lay in bed worrying about my dad last night, it was so nice having Tunch purring in my ear, Rosie’s fat little body pressed up against my leg, and Lily lying in between my chest and my right arm as I lay there stressing and rubbing her floppy ears. It was nice, and it was soothing, and for about 50 bucks a month in food you will never find anything else that makes you feel this good.
I guess there really is no point to this post other than I have been reflecting over the last 24 hours about things. I love my family, I love my animals, and this would be such a better world if everyone focused on that sort of thing rather than getting in other people’s grill about their own personal choices. In addition, when we talk about shitty charities like Komen, remember that for every group of louts, there are ten groups out there doing amazing work. Komen may spend only 30% of what they earn on breast cancer, but you know what? Evelyn Bridges and those beautiful souls at Charlies Angels spend 110% of what they take in rescuing animals. While Nancy Brinker is making a cool half million spreading her bile, Evelyn and those women are skipping meals and shopping at thrift stores so they can dedicate their money to take care of their cause. So don’t give up on charities, because most of them are like Evelyn and company. Give your money locally to food kitchens and people who care.
And I’m really rambling. Love your pet if you have one, and if you don’t, think about going to the pound and getting one, because you aren’t rescuing them, they are saving you, and if you have some scratch, send it to Charlie’s Angels. Or buy something in the Balloon Juice store, because all proceeds go to them.
Moonbatting Average
Awesome. That’s all I really have to say about this post.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
Pets are great. So is this post.
James Gary
Amen, sir. Let me add that this post almost made me cry.
tom
You go off on f-bomb laden rants, and then you write something as graceful as this. This is why I keep reading.
schrodinger's cat
Lovely stories about great animals, thanks for sharing. Didn’t you also used to have an orange kitteh along with Tunch, what happened to him?
General Stuck
So did my uncle Elroy.
khead
Really nice post.
Gonna go hug the kittehs and crash now.
Omnes Omnibus
@schrodinger’s cat: Tunch eated him. Just a guess.
Villago Delenda Est
My family was always big on pets. Dogs and cats, off and on. My dad had a Brittney Spaniel that was his companion on pheasant hunts, and a beloved pet of the kids. Cats out the wazoo. We had a poodle named Charlie who would run the length of the house if he heard a cookie snap, wanting his cut. After I went to Europe with the Army, my dad, who was steadfast that we would take in no stray animals, ever, was the one who invited a stray cat into the garage and fed him. Called this little black cat “Hobo”. My mother told me this, and I demanded to know when my Dad was kidnapped and replaced by a cat-adopting impostor.
I had a Russian Blue named Nikita who caught a field mouse and brought it into the kitchen, laid it at my mother’s feet (to demonstrate that he too could share food) and my mom screamed at him, much to his confusion. He thought he was doing a good turn!
stinger
Great post, thanks.
piratedan
damn, I miss my cats…..
amk
Lovely ramble, cole. A great read. Russell’s story is cute.
Pets rule, yeah.
John Cole
@schrodinger’s cat: Oliver. I only had him for a year. He was an outdoor cat who would go out when I left in the morning, and be waiting for me at the door when I got home. He used to slut around, sleeping with the sorority girls in my apartment complex. He would not come home one night, I would worry about him all night, then the next morning hear the girls upstairs say “Bye sweetie” and watch Oliver saunter out as I got in my car.
One day I let him out in the morning, and he never came back.
Omnes Omnibus
@Villago Delenda Est: My dog when I was growing up once brought my mom a squirrel tail. It elicited a call (scream) for me to come and deal with it. Beau was ever so proud of what he had done, so I praised him and gave him a pat on the head. I took the tail out to get rid of it and he went off happily to chew on his squeaky toy pipe.
Luthe
John Cole, marshmallow man (and I’m not talking looks, either).
Mark K
Great, wonderful post. I love my pets, too. Had several raccoons when I was young and have always had smart, sweet dogs (like my Corgi, Miss Lola). No wonder I divorced my pet hating ex. …don’t understand how anyone likes to live without them.
People with pets get out of the hospital sooner. Thats a proven fact. People with kids? Not so much…
SiubhanDuinne
What a gorgeous post, John. Substance, of course, but also just so gracefully and humorously written. I think probably this must be how you are when you’ve had a drink or two, feeling pretty mellow, and start telling stories. A born raconteur. Thank you. And scritch the furries for me.
mkd
poochie pup, who was the esult of a stray low mix e\
Kristine
I get sniffly thinking about puppies past.
Sweet post.
Xinark
Cheers. It’s posts like this that gives me a little faith in humanity again, or at least some of its membership.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
We have two dogs. We found our oldest 10 years ago at one of the SPCA branches here in the DFW area. There were four nearly identical puppies. Our first choice was the puppy that seemed the calmest. When we took that one into the little room to see how they would act, she became completely terrified of my then 1 and 6 year old. We couldn’t get her out from under the bench. When we walked out, the family next to us had the sibling who was just too wild for them. We swapped, and Caramel (pronounced Care-uh-mel), came home with us. She was six weeks when we got her, and when she would play with my dad’s dog, she would run under his legs. Three months later, he would run under hers. She’s smart – I get the feeling some of her ancestors were ranch dogs – but at 40lbs she has the energy of a much smaller dog, which can get her in trouble. When our third child was born, though, she became his second mom: When he would cry, she would come running; and she would let him crawl all over her when she wouldn’t let his brothers near her.
Our second dog, a chihuahua/dachshund mix, is my middle son’s pet. He’s part cat, part human. He likes to sleep on the back of couches and across laptops, and the only think that keeps him from starting a canine revolution is the lack of opposable thumbs, which I sometimes think he is working on. We found him at one of the pounds, and with his personality we think he may have been given up by someone who could not take care of him any more.
AliceBlue
In my (almost) 59 years, I’ve never been without at least one pet. My parents got Peppy, a collie mix, for my older brother when I was only a few months old. We had to have her put to sleep when I was almost 18–I literally grew up with her and it was one of the most painful events of my life.
Beautiful post, John
Garbo
It’s a love thing, we have going with our pets. As pure and perfect as that emotion can be. It’s a priviledge, really, to be adopted by a pet.
wonkie
Beautiful post.
I had an old pug named Charlie. Now I have a pug shaped hole in my heart. It will always be there but that doesn’t mean i didn’t love my incorgiable terrierist Blackie or my current dog, a ten pound ball of fluff who takes himself very seriously: Izzy, the Maltese.
I prefer animals to people most of the time.
Diana
I am owned by two cats. Seriously. Also I justed posted in your saturday night thread about studying yoga. Animals are a part of that — yogis are vegetarian not for health benefits, but because they don’t kill animals — so there’s another reason to try the eight-fold path.
Comrade Mary
Great post, John. I’m currently petless, mostly because so many of my friends and family are allergic. (My sweetie helped me move some furniture a couple of weeks ago and immediately got red-eyed and sniffly because some little bits of leftover fur and dander from my last cat must have been disturbed.) But I really do miss having animals around.
That cat really knew how to make your dad happy, didn’t he?
Josh K
Mr. Cole, I love your blog and read it pretty much every day. This is, without a doubt, the most beautiful thing you have ever written. As a fellow animal lover, AZ Humane Society volunteer, and adopter of strays from way back, it brought tears to my eyes. My newest kid, Max, a 7 month old black and white pitbull, licked my cheeks dry :-) To paraphrase George Carlin: “We can measure our lives by the dogs we own.” Or something like that. Beautiful post. Thanks.
HRA
A lovely reminiscence of your pets, John. I will once again say there is a book to be written by you. I will promise to shop at the BJ store as soon as they mail me my new bank card. That’s a story too long to tell at this hour.
MacKenna
for about 50 bucks a month in food you will never find anything else that makes you feel this good.
You had me tearing up with the anecdotes and photos of the cutest animals from childhood ever and then you made me laugh.
I think people who are raised with animals have a much better chance growing into thoughtful, sensitive, caring adults.
I was raised in a totally dysfunctional home and I credit our wonderfully wacky pets for keeping me sane. They also comforted me greatly.
I don’t value animals any less than people. We all share this earth and there is no reason on earth we can’t care for everything, equally well.
BGK
Advantage of this tablet technology thing: posting this from bed while under a cat pile. Jack is by my feet, where he’s been just about every night for nine years, Ava’s purring away next to my pillow, and Sophia is doing her best to be a starboard bed rail. Rizzo is polishing off the last of the dry food, but he’ll take his position shortly.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
@Comrade Mary: I’m allergic to cats, as is my youngest son. I did not find this out until I was back home for Christmas my freshman year of college, when I touched a cat and my eye and it went to swelling and turning red. We had cats in our house my entire childhood, and since I had allergies the entire time, no one thought – especially since my family couldn’t not have afforded to send me to an allergist – that the two were related. I still love cats, I just pet them and then go wash.
Hillary Rettig
>I’ve always loved animals. All of them.
You’re a great friend to animals, John. Please think about taking the next step and not eating them. Lots of resources on and off the Web to help.
sfinny
Pets existed from when I could remember. There was Donny the Belgian sheep dog who chased cars and I think one day he must have caught one because he never came back. Then there was Seia, whose owner went back to Iran to fight after the Shah was deposed and also never came back. Seia was a Belgian Sheep Dog that came to love cats, because we had many of them. My mom was breeding Himalayas and we had kittens galore that would crawl all over Seia.
I’ve tended to be adopted by cats that were strays or from shelters. My current resident was a rescue from a TNR group that was feral but seemed to like domestic life better than the wild. He is a little strange, doesn’t like other people. Sometimes goes a bit wild, but otherwise is an amazing companion.
So I have a big tabby that is a bit weird, but very happy.
Comrade PhysioProf
You da’ man! Our catte Giuseppe has just dug himslef a cavity in our comforter, and is snoozing happily in bed. Pets are the best!
vtr
Thank you.
Jeffraham Prestonian
John, I concur. Visit my blog if you wanna see a couple of spoiled cats. :)
.
Roger Moore
Righteous rant. I think you just forgot the +5 (or however many it is) at the end. [Typing with my cat Jake in my lap.]
Hillary Rettig
PS – going veg will help with the “strict low-fat, low-salt, heart healthy diet ” thing.
Villago Delenda Est
I understand the sadness, but Purr Puff led a very long and happy life with a family that loved him very much, and he obviously loved very much in return. All things must pass, but living well prior to passing makes the mark.
And besides, he’s still in your memory.
TooManyJens
My four-year-old daughter was making valentines at day care the other day. She made one for me, one for her dad, and one for our cat, who died last May. It said, “I’m sorry you died, Katja.”
I get weepy whenever I think about it.
mak
Never met you, John Cole, but I love you. For reals.
You are really good at this – for at fat man.
Much Love,
Another Fat Man
Soonergrunt
Yup.
schrodinger's cat
@John Cole: I hope Oliver is happy wherever he is. Orange kittehs are the friendliest kittehs aren’t they. My Inji certainly is.
Lavocat
You need to ramble like this more. It was a wonderful, heartfelt post. Pretty much why I keep comin’ ’round these parts.
phoebes-in-santa fe
I love my three cats, who are all rescues and are very close and loving to each other, even thought they’re different ages. Two are girls and the other’s a boy (obviously).
The other day I was idly looking at some of those terrific home videos of service members returning home and being madly loved by their dogs who haven’t seen them in a while. I started thinking what a cat would do if seeing their owner after a long while? I decided they’d probably look up from where ever they are lying, give a head toss, and go back to sleep. But I adore cats, anyway!
Oh, and Cole, I’m glad your Dad’s doing well.
General Stuck
I love all critters, even though I’m skeert of spiders, I let them live in my apartment, along with the mice, preying mantises, and various species of lizards. They have to find their own eats though, or eat each other. I ain’t running no home for moochers.
Omnes Omnibus
@General Stuck: I have historically maintained an unspoken truce with spiders. I ignore them if they stay out of the way and eat any other bugs that pop up; if not, I put them outside.
Constance
Thanks for all those sweet stories. Ramble on–it’s great.
LunaSea
De-lurking just to say this post is exactly why I come here every day, way too many times a day. From the rants against repub bs to the recipes to the critter pics to this. I lost my precious greyhound last year, but still have two kitties (curled up at my knees right now) to keep me going. Thank you, John Cole for creating a place such as this.
rikyrah
I’ve never had a pet, and don’t really want one. But, having observed pet owners, I gotta ask this question: how come Willard and what he did to the dog is not getting stronger play?
Poopyman
@BGK: I read this with Max the tortie hunched in front of the keyboard of the desktop, as they all do. They must think it’s a cat shrine we’ve set up for them to sit at while we worship them. Of course, this happens in every other part of the house as well, so I dunno.
About Oliver: I lived for a time in a college town and had two show up for a time (a year for one and most of a year for the other), then they just disappeared. I figured they found a better deal and/or they got taken home. Odds are very good that Oliver had/is having a great life.
Omnes Omnibus
@phoebes-in-santa fe:
When I came home for Thanksgiving my freshman year in college, my dog basically did a combination “Where have you been” I’ve been so worried!” angry thing and “OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGYOUAREHOMEYOUAREHOMEYOUAREHOME!” And then he followed my around everywhere for the rest of the weekend. If I went into the bathroom, he sat outside and waited for me to come out. It was hilarious.
TaMara (BHF)
Dammit John, you made me cry. It’s really not a good look for me.
I want/need a dog…but just cannot bring one into my life right now with all the travel I’m doing (and a big thank you to whomever adopted the 7 year old Great Dane brothers who were a “deal” if you’d adopt them both – you saved me from myself, because I was thisclose to adopting them).
Instead I love on all my friends dogs and spoil my cats. And in the spring I’ll be taking riding lessons to bridge the gap until there is room in my life for a dog(s). I wonder if horse would fit in the backyard??
Seriously, lovely post. I enjoy the righteous rants, the calling us fuckheads and all the unabashed love. Is it any wonder BJ is home to some of the best people? Even our trolls…you know who you are.
angrystan
Didn’t grow up with animals. I didn’t understand the thing at all. Fourteen years ago my ex-girlfriend and roommate (long story) decided we needed a cat the same week my co-worker at a retail store revealed she needed to dispense with a litter of kittens. She actually brought the kids into the shop to hand them out. A bleu and white, to be named Jane, picked me out during that day despite my knowing nothing about cats.
I scoured the internet trying to work out what one does with a cat and, for a beginner, did pretty well. Once the novelty wore off my roomie wasn’t particularly interested, but I bonded pretty hard. She tended to sleep and nap in my room after a few weeks.
Since then I’ve been told if you can get a bleu to love you, you’re doing pretty well. Truth be told, Jane didn’t really like anyone else. Jane disappeared one day and I was inconsolable. Considering who I am, I probably should have written off my time with Jane and moved on. My daily visits to the animal shelter lead me in time to Bob, the most beautiful and brilliant brown tabby in the world. Bob goes over to the neighbors and has a Snoopyesque relationship with the denizens of our building. One day I hadn’t seen Bob in an unprecedented few hours, and while worried sick found him watching TV with the couple next door on their sofa.
I credit Bob and Jane with making me a more connected, more compassionate person.
C Nelson Reilly
Eloquent post. Congealed Beef Juice would be a great band name.
Jewish Steel
At the age of 4 I was convinced that Hector, our standard poodle, was my older, more responsible brother because he was allowed to go out and play on the farm at night and I wasn’t.
ExurbanMom
My dad still talks about a dog his family had about 60 years ago. They really influence us so much. Loved this post.
And the thing I’ve learned about charity: the closer to the actual delivery of services you get, the better the chances of your money being put to excellent use. I heard a friend ranting about a national animal organization recently…a really small percentage of donations goes to actual animal rescue operations. She encouraged me to give to the local shelter, advice I would share about pretty much any charity really.
Laura Clawson
Of my childhood dog nothing shall be said because I’d just make myself cry.
Henley just did one of his cutest routines: while I brush my teeth etc he lurks about in the dark living room, then as soon as I look like I’m heading to the bedroom, he goes dashing in and jumps up on his corner of the bed and sits there looking at me like “why are you taking so long,” purring and chirping at me.
Yutsano
@rikyrah:
It is slowly disseminating. And it’s better material for the general election. Especially for a third party SuperPAC ad.
jonas
This is the kind of reverie that should be featured on This American Life. I don’t know if Ira Glass has done an episode on pets, but this is a keeper for animal lovers…of all stripes.
Lynnell
I love this post and I love John Cole’s writing. I also love my dogs.
TaMara (BHF)
@rikyrah: This is how it’s going to go down:
This is how you transport pets.
Axelrod is a genius…
Edit to fix link a third time.
Omnes Omnibus
@TaMara (BHF): It worked for me.
TaMara (BHF)
@Omnes Omnibus: Well it worked until I accidentally went into edit something and messed up the link. Then tried to fix it and made it worse. So I finally deleted the comment and started over.
Should not blog while on cold medicine.
Omnes Omnibus
@TaMara (BHF): Just adjust your blogging speed to your processing speed. It’s all good; I got to see the cool pic again.
Anne Laurie
Someone on the local papillon list shared this:
Every time you love a dog or cat, they take a piece of your heart… in exchange for a piece of theirs. Eventually, if you’ve loved enough animals, your heart will be as generous and giving as a pet’s is by nature.
For those of us who are not temperamentally inclined to graciousness, I find this both comforting and true.
Punchy
As great as pets are, Johnny, a woman/girlfriend/wife/boyfriend/husband-but-not-in-WV is even better. Match.com. TRUST ME, it works. Ask my wife and kid.
Jewish Steel
@Punchy: Ask Sully!
Hey, see what I did there? Stole your joke. Kinda.
Omnes Omnibus
@Punchy: A woman/girlfriend/wife/boyfriend/husband-but-not-in-WV won’t fetch a ball if I throw it. There are differences.
Violet
Great post, John. Love your stories.
I half watched some of SNL tonight and there was a really funny commercial with a bunch of dogs barking the Star Wars theme. Some (all?) of the dogs were wearing costumes. It was really cute. I think it was a VW commercial and a “preview” of tomorrow’s commercial in the Superbowl.
amk
@Punchy:
@Omnes Omnibus:
But can you feed him/her under 50 bucks a month ? That’s the million dollar question.
Yutsano
@Violet: It’s a VW commercial and it’s kind of awesome. It’s been bouncing around Book of Faces for about a week or so.
Omnes Omnibus
@amk: I don’t equate the two. Pets are wonderful. S/Os are wonderful. They are not interchangeable.
burnspbesq
@Omnes Omnibus:
Being owned by a cat is good training for dating. You learn to hurry up and wait, you learn to not be tormented by completely illogical behavior, you learn that nothing you think you own is really yours, etc.
Omnes Omnibus
@burnspbesq: I am a dog person, so I wouldn’t know that. It came as a surprise when I started dating seriously.
Just Some Fuckhead
What a great post.
Violet
@Yutsano:
I don’t do the Book of Faces, so I wouldn’t have seen it there. And I’ve been studiously avoiding all the Superbowl commercial snippets they’ve been showing on “news” and entertainment shows and online because I like to watch them during the game itself. If I want to see them again I can always find them online later.
suzanne
@Punchy:
A married dude in my office seems to think so. I catch him on there weekly.
This was a lovely post, John. I saw a gray-and-white cat today that remindedme of my PJ, who died last summer. And I’ve been musing on the animals I’ve loved who’ve gone on… Missy and Dani and Nico and Nikita and the Kotzies and Willie. Now I have my Scout, and La Luna, and Zelda, and, God, I love them all so much.
Omnes Omnibus
@suzanne:
What are you doing on there?
tBone
You’re a good egg, John Cole.
suzanne
@Omnes Omnibus: Um, he checks it out in his cubicle where we can all see as we walk by. We’re an office of 18. No secrets.
John’s post reminds me of my grandfather. When he died and we got his wallet back, he had two pictures of his wife (one recent snapshot, one old portrait), one old elementary school photo of me (I was 17 when he died), and at least eight pictures of his dog.
Karen
Articles like this move animal rights along at a quicker pace. Thank you, thank you. And for me personally, you’ve brought together a momentary community which I find almost as validating and nurturing as something animals can give to me.
Omnes Omnibus
@suzanne: Just checking.
LT
This. Is.
Spinal Tap.Ballon Juice.amk
@Omnes Omnibus: sez you. Get married and then you will know what ‘we’ talk about.
Roger Moore
@LT:
FTFY
asiangrrlMN
Love this post, Cole, and a peek into the animals of your past. I almost lost one of my boys a few weeks ago, and it gutted me. Animals bring out the best in us.
Omnes Omnibus
@amk: Am married. In the process of a divorce. Thanks for bringing it up. Got anything to add?
Yutsano
@amk: Umm. He’s been there and done that.
@asiangrrlMN: :: tackles wifey ::
Hi hon. I told ya he’d pull through.
Omnes Omnibus
@asiangrrlMN: Welcome back here. One missed you.
CaseyL
My parents were awful in a lot of ways, but one thing they absolutely did right was instill in my brother and me a deep love of animals. Neither of them had been allowed to have pets growing up, so they were determined to make up for that as adults, and not to deprive their children of animal companions. We got our first (and only) dog when I was 8, and the first of many cats about two years later. We also had birds, turtles, and an iguana.
Here’s one of my best pet stories:
I had an iguana for 4 years; he died soon after we moved to South Florida (I think he died of some intestinal disorder) when I was 13. I grieved, and then wanted another reptile. Mom and Dad asked what kind I had in mind.
I told them I wanted a Komodo Dragon.
I knew absolutely nothing about Komodos, but they were called “dragons” and that was good enough for me!
My parents knew even less.
Mom actually called a local pet shop to see if they had any Komodo Dragons in stock.
The pet shop manager said, “Lady, do you know anything about what a Komodo Dragon is?” When Mom admitted that, no, she didn’t, he said, “Here are the two most important things you need to know. One: They eat anything they can outrun; and two: they can outrun people. You still want one?”
(Needless to say, I did not get a Komodo Dragon – not then, and not ever.)
Omnes Omnibus
@CaseyL: Zig-zag while running; it will help.
amk
@Omnes Omnibus: Hey lookey. I can beat willard in foot in the mouth thingy.
I’ll pull out the usual rethug excuse – I was jus’ jokin’.
Yutsano
@CaseyL: That’s too bad. If the pet store owner had thought for a second, he could have gotten you a Chinese water dragon. My brother had one and he was cool. He was tame enough to crawl on humans.
amk
@asiangrrlMN: Are you on an unofficial boycott of bj or something ?
CatsGalore
John, I can identify with this post. Last week I spent 1K on an operation to save my best friend, a Maine Coon with the most intelligent eyes. When he settles in to sleep, he does it in whatever room I’m in at the time. And today my daughter and I adopted 2 sweet abandoned cats that were nursed back to health in a cage at a shelter for months. That brings us up to 4 cats, we think that might be about right for us. We’ll see.
But there is one thing I don’t understand, here and with a lot of loving pet owners. The consciousness and personality and even love that you find in your pets is also found in the animals you eat without a second thought. Really, I just don’t understand. I have a shelf of good vegetarian cookbooks that make it easy to eat delicious healthy meals, why is it even a question for people who have made a loving connection with their pets?
ruemara
I never had pets as a kid. My parents were hardly into me, much less some animal, but I pined for one. One of the first things I did when I got my first apartment was get the ideal city pet, a bunny. And I’ve never looked back. I love my animals. I can’t often say that things have been fun for me. There are times I struggle to figure out exactly what the hell to do next, but I never ever doubt a thing where my cats are concerned. From Thunderball BunBun, best rabbit in human history, who was often taken to dine in NYC’s finest eating establishments with a menu under $10; to the loving couple of Takkun and Kage-the cutest gay couple on four paws; I could not imagine my life without any of them. Even when it feels like my heart breaks when they finally say goodbye. I love you all. Pets teach you to love and care, even if no human role models exist.
BethanyAnne
@CaseyL: All you have to do is be faster than the Hobbit :)
Omnes Omnibus
@amk: It’s okay. If I could offer a small piece of advice without being insulting, I would say that one should be careful about personal remarks in a way that one shouldn’t need to be about political comments. If you don’t know the person’s history, be careful. On politics, fire at will.
amk
@Omnes Omnibus: Noted. Sorry again.
Omnes Omnibus
@amk: Like I said, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.
amk
@Omnes Omnibus: Thx.
Ruckus
I had a couple of pets growing up, a golden named Toby, by me, for which I have no reason nor excuse. A runt she was, not real smart but she came with all the hunting stuff in her little brain. I, like John was not an exceptional pet owner as a kid and she passed at a ripe old age when I was in the navy. Have been associated with relationship animals but never really had my own dog until the age of 60, when I rescued Bud, the black cocker. Bud is around 14 now, losing his hearing, doesn’t run much but still can. He is ornery, doesn’t like anyone to pet him other than me, gets mad when I don’t pet him correctly, can’t stand to be groomed, isn’t very nice to the vet, but likes going there, loves ridding in the van. And has to be within 5-10 feet of me whenever possible. He is the most ornery animal I have ever known and that includes a 90 lb, 3ft tall shepard named Poison who was a guard dog that came with the shop my dad bought.
And I still love him like crazy.
WereBear (itouch)
@CatsGalore: What do you feed your cats? They are obligate carnivores.
After trying vegetarianism for nine months; I came to the conclusion, for health reasons, that I am, too.
asiangrrlMN
@Omnes Omnibus: I have missed one as well!
@amk: Nah. Like the moon, I wax and I wane!
@Yutsano: Hi, hon. How you be?
Emdee
This post deserves the opposite of a Moore Award, whatever that might be. Bravo, Cole.
Omnes Omnibus
@asiangrrlMN: Well, One is just glad you are back. One hates to go looking for people. Please stay. We needs the odd people – and by this I mean no offense, odd is wonderful.
WereBear (itouch)
I do like pets. When I lived in a house with a big yard, we had ten cats and three dogs, all rescues. We had a bunny (got too attached to get another, the dogs would chase him so he had a luxe hutch outside.) A parrot, a few parakeets, and in childhood, a capuchin monkey.
After trying everything smaller than a horse, I’ve settled on cats as best suited to my present circumstances.
And yes, each of them have a web page.
Omnes Omnibus
@WereBear (itouch): You had a monkey? I am so fucking envious.
amk
@asiangrrlMN: Less of waning and more of waxing, if you please.
WereBear (itouch)
@Omnes Omnibus: My dad and I were never allowed to go to the pet store unsupervised again. Gosh, that guy was such a soft touch. I miss him.
Ruckus
@CatsGalore:
I get where I think you are coming from, my sister was a vegie for most of her adult life and I have tried to a couple of times. I am not trying to change your mind but there are questions that no one has ever been able to answer to my satisfaction. So I’ll ask if you don’t mind. Is it the living thing? Because plants live in their own manner as well. They take in food and water. They have a life span and they die. They reproduce to propagate their species. After they die they become food. How is that different than animals? Are they not living when we prepare them to eat? I think they are so I see no difference other than degree when I eat any food. Many animals do not eat other animals so why am I different? I am a carnivore but don’t have to be. Is it because it is easier to get protein? Is it because I am used to it? Is it because I like it? I really don’t have an answer.
Omnes Omnibus
@WereBear (itouch): Aha!
asiangrrlMN
@Omnes Omnibus: Aw, I am touched by One’s comments, truly I am. I have missed One as well, but One does know of other places to find me, yes? How is One?
@amk: Aw, that’s sweet, too. I do miss my nighttime posse! I will do my best.
Yutsano
@Ruckus:
We evolved as omnivores. It’s really no more complicated than that. And not even all Indians are vegetarians, only certain Hindu castes.
@asiangrrlMN: U stay. U be sociable and stuff. :)
CatsGalore
@WereBear (itouch): I feed my cats canned cat food that is good-quality meat with no grains.
It is easy to get the nutrients you need for good health with a vegetarian diet, especially if you include milk products and eggs.
Kristine
All the reasons why I love this place, all wrapped up in one beaming bundle.
CatsGalore
@Ruckus: It’s not the living thing, it’s the consciousness thing, which loving pet owners have a direct and often deep experience with.
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: I shake my rusty pitchfork and stuff. I no do sociable.
Kristine
And apropos of nothing, today is apparently National Chocolate Fondue Day.
I mean, really.
Yutsano
@Kristine: That tears it. I’m looking up the nearest fondue restaurant and saving room for dessert!
@asiangrrlMN: You’re so cute when you’re all defianty and stuff. Methinks you need to go wingnut hunting again.
WereBear (itouch)
@CatsGalore: I feed my cats the same way.
CatsGalore
@Yutsano: As animals we were omnivores. We now have a choice.
Cain
@Anne Laurie:
Sounds like, you don’t need a bible, you just need to be own a pet. Then, “you’ll get it”. I know that’s how I feel. John’s post made me weep as he sometimes does to me when he talks about his pets. I love my to death. My new addition, who I call ‘yellow’ sleeps behind me in my chair just like KitKat used to do.
To pets: the most humanizing component of my life. They make mke a better human being than I would ever be by myself. They make relgions make sense.
asiangrrlMN
@Kristine: Errryday is National Chocolate Day! Fondue? Ye, please.
@Yutsano: I am, in fact, doing that as we speak. Working on another ranty blog post naow.
Cain
@Yutsano:
Just us, Brahmins. Of course, the Jains take it to a new level. Those guy won’t eat any root vegetables. Their diet would never survive outside the subcontinent.
Ruckus
@Yutsano:
That’s the obvious answer, it’s the one I use. I was looking for some deeper reason, if there is one. I’ve heard several but they all sound like rationalization.
Yutsano
@Ruckus: Virtually all food animals are so domesticated that they cannot survive in the wild. So there would be no point in raising something like cattle or chickens without that rationale. Going vegan pretty much ensures their extinction. That sounds cold, but it’s also true.
dance around in your bones
Haysus Frickin’ Crisco, your writing can reduce me to tears.
What a beautiful paean to pets. Gawd damn. Gracias, Cole.
GG
De-lurking here too. I just must. Wonderful post, John Cole. My spouse found BJ first, and generally keeps me up on good stuff, but lately I’ve been reading more here myself, and I’d already decided BJ has the best comment/er/s going. Give yourselves a hand, guys!
We’re down to 1 cat right now, from a max of 5 – all rescues of course, and before and sort of during there were 5 other cats, a.r.o.c. In my past, there was also a parakeet, two dogs, and a horse. No partridges in p.t.s though. And in the interest of full disclosure, the bird, one of the dogs, and the horse weren’t rescues. Oh, and there was also an “easter” bunny we rescued and found a home for. A couple of friends have kept bunnies as pets, but I can’t say they impress me. Bunnies, I mean. The friends were ok.
Phylllis
I enjoy pet life vicariously these days between JC and the rest of y’all here with your great stories, my late hubby and I had three cats, I sure do miss him, and our babies. Your post had me sniffling, John. You’re a good ole fellow, as we say in these parts.
Chuck Butcher
Funny, I don’t care about cats, one way or the other, but I wind up with one and they always decide I am the ONE. My lap, my legs in bed, me. OK.
I like big dogs. Had to put Gus down a little while back and since my wife has developed an alergy to dog … something, no more of that. Or no more wife, hmmmm.
First dog at age three, he was about 60lb hound and something goldish brown so he was big compared to me, he made it to 12 yrs. I buried him next to the carriage step stone under the apple tree in our yard, cried all the time I dug – a long time.
Seems my dogs range 125lb to 150lb. Next to last was Scotch Collie/Pyrenees and last Pyrenees. The collie cross was … lively, the pure bred pretty laid back (laid out). Both great dogs, extremely good natured. “I’m really big, nothing worries me” kinda thing.
Johannes
@Omnes Omnibus: That same unspoken truce is how I overcame my childhood fear of spiders, Omnes! And yes, I still hold to the terms. As do the spiders.
Beautiful post, Cole!
Jef
Wonderful post, and perhaps I can get some pet-lovers’ advice. About a month ago a beautiful orange cat adopted my family and particularly my 2-yr-old twins. He/she was friendly before I ever put out the first bowl of chicken. So now it has evolved into regular cat food, water, and a towel-lined pet carrying case on our front porch with those camping heat pad packets inside for the chilly nights. My wife, however, is horribly allergic. I’ve witnessed her pick up the cat and instantly sneeze and break out in hives. There seems a zero chance we can ever bring this cat inside. So my question is, can we morally and safely keep this cat as an outdoor cat through (relatively mild) Long Island winters? Last night at 3AM we awoke to a cat fight on our front lawn between Orange and a few neighborhood bullies. Now my wife is convinced we are going to become the “cat house” of the block. Do people have outdoor cats? Do we take her to a shelter? Other houses on the street will give her scraps, too, but she spends 75% of her time at our place.
Thanks so much. Been a reader for about a year and it’s my first comment.
Teddy's Person
This post was a lovely way to start the day. The story about Russel is awesome. I consider Teddy, my canine companion, smart (I taught him the boundaries of his own yard by telling him to stay in his yard and now he does) but he would never give up a treat.
WereBear
@Jef: Hi Jef.
I understand about your wife being allergic. Chances are, Orange has not been altered, so all those hormones are creating a “wild” situation between the cat and the other un-altered cats in the neighborhood. 80% of big oranges are male; so he’s defending his territory and will continue to do so with other males, and this can get ugly; they can be literal fights to the death.
So the first step to ensure this cat’s well-being would be taking him to a vet for a health check, spay/neuter, and checking for any rampant illnesses that might be in the neighborhood. (These are very rarely at all dangerous for humans; they can be deadly for the cat.) It’s quite popular to be a “cat only” vet in area big enough to support that; look for that if you don’t have a veterinarian at all.
Call them up and explain the situation; they can take it from there if they sound knowledgeable and compassionate. This is important because good vets are part of the rescue network and can help you get the cat another home if it comes to that.
Regarding your wife; sounds like she’s not been enough of a pet lover to know her strategies & medicines that work on her cat allergies? Because some folks take medication for dust for pollen or whatever and find it works on cats; some find they don’t react until they actually have contact with the cat, so they don’t. It’s a highly individual thing, and I know lots and lots of people who are allergic to cats and enjoy them anyway, because there is really a lot you can do, including just having a cat; this exposure has made a lot of folks’ reactions go down and go away. And being raised with a cat means health benefits for your toddlers; their chances of allergies, asthma and the like are lower if they have a pet.
Another side benefit of whisking Big Orange away to the vet for a day or two is seeing how your 2-yr-old twins react to Big Orange leaving. Children love animals, but this age has a short attention span; working to find this cat another home might be the best solution. But it is only a stopgap because if your kids are like 99% of all the children in the world, they will want pets. And children truly suffer if they do not have them; it is a deep longing. Big Orange Boys are known throughout the cat world for their big, muffiny hearts; proof this guy has one as he wants a home with humans very much.
However, I would caution you about planning to keep the present setup unless there truly is no other way. Big Orange would lose some of his lust for combat with neutering, and all of his hormones, but that won’t matter to any other neglected, and hormonally driven, cats in the neighborhood. (To take care of them, ask the vet about local Trap/Alter/Release organizations or feral rescue, Alley Cat Allies is a great organization which has many local chapters.) These cats lead very difficult lives and it would be a kindness for the proper group to step in. (Rounded up and taken to shelters, they are usually euthanized as unadoptable within weeks.)
This post is long enough, but you can write me at dearpammy (at) wayofcats (dot) com if you have other questions. Please do save Big Orange’s life, and bless you.
Josie
Thanks for this post, John, and please do more of your storytelling. I love your writing style.
JohnK
I’m thinking we may have got our last puppy. They bond to their masters and each other so much. It wouldn’t be right to die and leave them to a rescue or suddenly abandoned. Suppose that means I’ll have to spend my last years without a dog. Damn, that will be hard.
Rosalita
You’re a great man John Cole. This is the best thing I’ve read all week. Saying prayers for you and your family.
SammyV
Great post, John. Thanks.
SBJules
Wonderful post. I remember a video you once posted featuring your Dad. He had just finished cleaning the living room when the dogs “attacked” the room. Oh No, he said. It was great and I realized Balloon Juice was my favorite blog.
gogol's wife
I haven’t read the thread, and I’m late, but this is a great post. I know some people here locally who are like Evelyn. That’s what charity really is, and that’s where I like to donate.
gogol's wife
@rikyrah:
My theory is that people don’t realize that Willard himself told the story. They probably dismiss it as dirty tricks from an opponent, that’s probably not substantiated. Gail Collins keeps mentioning it in her column, but I think she should say every time that Willard himself (and one of his sons) is the source of the story. I have a feeling that if people knew it wasn’t a rumor they would react more strongly. But maybe that will come out in the campaign.
Betsy
Way late to the party, as per usual, but just had to chime in. What a fantastic piece of writing. LOVE. John Cole, you are really an amazing guy.
Ruckus
@suzanne:
My pics on my cell phone are all of my dog.
jl
Why does Cole hate trees? What a brute.
Jebediah
@JohnK:
My big boy, Otto, turned 13 in December. His first owner was my youngest brother, who passed away when Otto was about nine months old. Somewhere I have a picture of the two of them spooning in the afternoon sun in the backyard – my point being that they were as bonded as bonded can be, but Otto has adjusted and is now quite strongly bonded to us and vice-versa.
All I’m trying to say is if you want another dog, go ahead. If you do go first, yes, he or she will mourn you, but will also be able to be happy (after a while) with someone else. (I don’t know if it matters that they already know that someone else or not.)
Don’t deny yourself (and some lucky dog) the joy and love just because it isn’t permanent, because none of us are permanent anyway.
Dog is My CoPilot
Thanks for sharing the stories of your past pets – I thoroughly enjoyed the post. Hope all is well with your dad. Dogs are so much a part of my life… I happen to live fairly close to where scumbag Josh Powell torched his house with himself and his two kids in it. Seems like the only thing that makes sense to me this morning is looking into my dogs’ eyes and seeing them wag their tails.
Paul in KY
Great post, John. Your family (and mine) has been blessed with some great pets.