Self Motivation: My Furry Babies

I wanted to feature my little furry babies.

They are not just pets to me... they really are like my babies. They each have such unique personalities, and I could not imagine my life without them!

Zack is our black and white cat. He is fiesty and thinks he is a human. He can also speed punch! He likes to put on a tough front, but he is usually the first to great me at the door with a purr. He can be very affectionate.

Ashe is my little Russian princess. She is the most curious of our kitties and is very clumsy. She is also pretty ditzy. Ashe also gives the best massages!

Kirby is my little hissing machine. He is handicapped which makes him not adjust to change well. When we go visit family, Kirby does nothing but growl and hiss. But behind that rough exterior, he loves to snuggle!

I was always a dog person. I never thought I would own a cat. Here is how we came to own THREE cats...

I found Zack on June 9, 2008 when I was out for a run. He was a tiny little black spot in the middle of a white sidewalk. Believe it or not, I watched someone walk right past him as I approached. He was crying, and for a little 3 oz kitten, he had a mighty big voice. A friend of ours had just bottle raised a kitten that she had found, so I knew it was possible. I took him home, immediately called Chris, and it was pretty much decided that we were keeping the little guy. We had to bottle feed him and wipe his little bum to make him go to the bathroom (something I learned... this was to simulate his mother licking him which is what would normally cause him to use the bathroom). He lived his first few weeks in a play pen when I was not home (until he learned to scale the walls). I was allergic to cats, but perhaps raising him from so small allowed me to get over that. On June 13, 2008, little Zack opened his eyes for the first time.

Eventually Zack moved from my apartment to Chris's since I wasn't supposed to have a cat. I already had a dog (more about him below) and so did my roommate. We decided that Zack needed a friend, since he was used to being around my dog and my roommate's dog. We adopted Ashe from the Humane Society on August 30, 2008. It turned out that little Ashe was sick and had to go to the emergency animal clinic the day after we adopted her. She quickly recovered, and she and Zack have been inseparable.

In January of 2009, we found Kirby. The cat that lived in my apartment complex (fed by the nice "cat lady" in the complex) had kittens. This was a common occurrence. One day I went out to check the mail and was talking my dog, when I noticed the mommy cat and two little kittens. They got scared and the mom and one of the kittens immediately ran to the nearby bushes, but this little grey kitten just sort of rolled away. I thought his back was broken, and I noticed he was very wet. I knew it was going to freeze that night, and I was worried. I called the Humane Society, and they told me that if I could catch him, they would come out and take him. After many scrapes in the palmetto bushes, I finally caught the little guy. For someone who was handicapped, he sure could move fast! I put him in a box with some towels, and all he did was hiss. Someone from the Humane Society came out and told me that they thought he had a neurological disorder and that they would probably just put him to sleep. I immediately called Chris who told me he'd rather we take the kitten to the vet first. A vet neurologist told our vet that they would look at a video of him trying to walk (which really was more like flopping). They told us that they thought he may have had damage to his spine. They suggested we consider what his quality of life would be like. Chris and I thought that his quality of life could only be improved by being loved and alive.

Having a handicapped pet is challenging and requires patience, but let me tell you that Kirby is my little snuggle bug. He is happy to curl up with me in bed and just purr and purr. Potty training was a challenge. Since Kirby has difficulties walking, a litter box was not an option. He learned to use a puppy pee pad, and we found a plastic holder just for them which keeps it from moving all over the place. Kirby loves to eat, and he is the first to meow and demand food. Unfortunately he did have to have his top canine teeth pulled, because they broke from him falling so many times while trying to learn to walk; however, he can now walk pretty well. He cannot jump onto furniture like the other cats, but he has discovered that he can claw his way up to the top of the kitty condo (Unfortunately, his method of getting down involves diving off, so we must keep his nails extra short). I am very proud of my little Kirby.

Right after I caught him.

Baby Kirby Kirby (I always say his name more than once.)

Kirby is hissing, because Zack kicked him out of the cave.

Uh, Chris.... look at Kirby!

Kirby was so proud of himself for making it to the top where the other kitties usually sit.

Random fact: All three of our cats are named after video game characters. (o;

One day, after we have a home with a yard, I do want another dog. I had the best dog in the world, Syd. I made the very, very difficult decision to put him to sleep in February 2009. He was suffering from degenerative mylopathy which was described to me as his spinal cord was slowly turning to mush. He eventually was unable to use his back legs, and then his internal organs would have begun to shut down. At the beginning of the disease, putting shoes on him seemed to keep his feet from being rubbed raw, and steriods really seemed to help him walk. Unfortunately, the disease did get worse. Eventually, I felt it was time for his suffering to stop and for me to say good bye. I stayed in the room with him during the procedure, and I cried my eyes out. Chris was there with us, which meant a lot to me (and I also feel like it meant a lot to Syd). Syd (which was short for Obsydian... and there is a long story as to why my golden retriever was named after the obsidian stone, but I won't go into that now) was with me for the hardest time in my life... losing my dad. He was the most loving and faithful dog you could ever imagine. He was my first "baby", and I will never forget him... especially the way he used to "sing" and always wanted to be "dressed" (he would bring me his bandana and/or shoes). Since he was such a wonderful dog, I would one day like another golden retriever, but not until we have a yard and time. Chris's parents had a friend of theirs paint a picture of Syd, and the artist absolutely captured his personality!