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Posts tagged ‘Pets’

Kitties Find the Odd Object out of Place

Everyone who has cats as pets knows about their kitty’s natural curiosity and attention to detail. In the picture below, I had placed a Christmas bear on the floor, and it wasn’t long before Sweetie Bumpkins found it and made the bear her head rest.

It’s seems as though even the smallest detail is not overlooked by our feline friends.

My computer area is fairly cluttered now as I’m working on several projects and have notebooks, papers, scissors and other miscellaneous items strewn about the desk. I added one small cloth-covered button to the confusion and placed it on the side of my keyboard. The button had fallen off my blouse, which is one of my favorites, made of soft cotton in a shade of pastel pink. The blouse has to be over ten years old, and a couple of buttons have already been lost so I saved this last button to fall victim to thinning threads.

So our kitty, Sylvia, jumps on the desk top, looks around, and almost immediately reaches for the button on the keyboard and begins to play with it. I rescue the button and put it aside. Later in the afternoon, Sweety Bumpkins, moves through the clutter, and she finds the button next to the keyboard and begins to toss it around. Familiar with my clutter, they immediately identified the button as new.

Now I heard somewhere that cats know the inside of the house better than we do. I guess it’s true . . . they always find whatever is out of place. Right?

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Suzie: A Loyal Companion’s Endearing Legacy

Coming to Full Circle

My mother had lost her poodle, Jossie, to a long illness, and she grieved for many weeks before a friend suggested that she adopt another dog and recommended the Bosler Humane Society, an animal shelter not far from their home in Westboro, Massachusetts. The shelter cared for abandoned and abused animals. Elaine Bosler, the founder, guided my parents to a dog that she thought would be perfect for them: Suzie, a chocolate, miniature poodle. The former owner could no longer keep her for mysterious reasons but treated Suzie well and had knitted her six matching coat and hat outfits and had even bought her sweaters, wraps and a plaid raincoat. Suzie came with an entire wardrobe!

Suzie fit right in with her adopted family and became my mother’s constant companion. Mom would occasionally dress Suzie in her little outfits. Suzie was always present at family events as Mom and Dad took her everywhere. The grandchildren loved Suzie.

My parents eventually moved back to Pennsylvania and settled in the same town where we lived. My father and I cared for Mom in the last stages of cancer. Suzie remained vigil at her bedside and was with Mom during her last moments.

Dad eventually moved in with us and along came Suzie, too. After Dad passed, Suzie continued to live with us. A quiet dog, affectionate and well-behaved, she remained a little lady who would be dressed up when she headed out.

Suzie’s gentle nature served her well, and she passed away when she was 22 years old. The vet said she thought she was the oldest dog she had known. On a crisp November afternoon, our family buried her ashes at my parent’s grave site. We didn’t ask for permission to hold our farewell ceremony there. I placed the little coats in a box in the attic.

Ten years went by, and I came across the box tucked away in a back corner under the rafters. What was difficult to figure out years before, the obvious choice now seemed clear. Since our kitties did not choose to wear the outfits, I donated the coats to the Animal Coalition of Delaware County, an organization dedicated to finding places for homeless animals.

I‘m sure Suzie would approve.