Being a Multiple-Pet Mommy; Pets Add Life So Get More Than One!

I recently “Liked” on Facebook the group Pets Add Life (PAL); they’re a national non-profit foundation “dedicated to promoting the positive role pets play in the health and well being of people, families and communities.” How perfect!

I mean, I know there are tons of us pet bloggers who talk every day or week about animals, post photos, silly stories, etc. But it’s something to ponder when you really sit downand try

Max Asleep Sitting Up!

to put a value on your pet or your pets. You can’t do it, right? They’re invaluable. I mean, I can’t even decide between preferring a dog or cat, and many have asked me that. (Probably because many pet blogs are either cat blogs or dog blogs – fewer of us are “pet” or “animal” blogs.)

Being a pet owner to me is like being a parent. I am single and I do not have children. I have nieces but they live far away. So Maxwell (1.5 yr old Orange Tabby rescue), Tater (1.5 yr old half-Abyssinian rescue), Sasha (10 yr old half Persian rescue) and Benson (10 yr old Golden Retriever) are like my children. And I must say that being the parent to MORE than one pet is a joy that everyone should try (as long as they have the time and financial means to provide for the animals). Jeez, I would have a cat co-op if I could afford it, and one of my           life goals IS to open a cat shelter at some point or to start my own 501(c)3 for animals, but right now it’s not in the cards.

Anyways, I’m getting off-track. My point is: there is so much that I get out of being a “multi-pet household.” The interactions between the animals, the silly, stupid stuff they do (okay not stupid, but senseless I guess), the great photo ops they provide me with, and, of course, the love I get in return (and loyalty) is worth more to me than all my possessions. These children of mine are simply irreplaceable, imperfections and all.

Maxwell (aka Mad Max because he has an alternate personality that we call “The Terrorist” et al), for example, who we’ve had for about 10 months (with Tater) has various hysterical

habits that he’s created for himself, including breaking into my closet upstairs, where I keep my “swag” from the many pet conferences I attend,

and breaking into the DOG food bag samples and eating away until his belly is as round as a basketball. Yes, DOG food. He ripped right through a nylon bag to get to the food so now I keep my closet closed. Just this week actually, I came home with his new favorite dry food, IAMS Healthy Naturals, and was in the laundry room for 30 seconds when I came back out into the kitchen, he had torn through both the grocery bag and the IAMS bag and had cat food all over the counter and was helping himself. Max also decides, usually around 9 or 10 pm, that he wants to get the “zoooms;” he arches his back up and sticks his tail in the air, puts his ears flat back on his head and goes running like a track star all around the downstairs and is SO loud, that he sounds like an elephant. So when Tater sees this, he decides to join in. So now there’s TWO track stars going MACH-10 around the downstairs slamming into walls, ruffling up the rugs on the hardwood floor, running into each other and running into other stuff because they cant stop! It’s something you truly have to witness; I sometimes am brought to tears from laughter.

Max and Tate Racing

Max and Tate were not adopted together. My Mother rescued Max from a dingy, dirty, disgusting downtown Cleveland parking garage when he sat right in front of her moving car one day. I rescued Tate from an owner who was neglectful, and who had a big bully cat that was beating the shit out of Tate. But it was SO obvious when these two met, it was fate. I call them “brothers in love,” because when they aren’t racing around, playing, play-biting each other, or monging on their catnip toys together at the cat post, they are cleaning each others’ ears and heads, sharing a plate of milk or creme, or lying together, back-to-back or on the same arm-chair. It’s like the Gods brought them to us at different times but totally on purpose. (And I DO believe it wasn’t the Gods, it was Theodore, my last cat who passed in Feb. 2010 and I never got over it (still not)).

At times, Benson is a cuddle-board for Tate, which is just the cutest thing ever to see a 95-lb Golden letting a 8-lb mini-kitty (one of Tate’s many nicknames) cuddle up next to him. Benny will put his ears awry and be careful not to move – he looks like a statue because he doesn’t want to disturb or scare the cat! It’s too cute! Again, this has to be one of my favorite multi-pet interactions…especially because Benny has become such a gentle giant in his old age whereas he used to be a totally rambunctious crazy-typical-Golden boy!

I’ll be back with more cute stories soon, but in the mean time, you guys should really check out the Pets Add Life campaign. As it says in their description, PAL is “dedicated to pets – from spreading the joys & benefits they give us to increasing adoptions to responsible ownership.” They’re a genuine, good-hearted non-profit that wants people to share the joys of having multiple pets and of pet ownership in general. This way, we can save more pets’ lives. Check them out on Facebook and take a look at all the others’ stories and photos and funny stuff. You guys know I wouldn’t point you awry – so get on over to PAL and post YOUR funny story or pic on their wall!