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She was a beautiful young girl, going through some hard times, living on the street and surviving by the good will of others. A middle aged man and his wife, well, he considered himself to be middle aged but was actually well beyond the half way point, offered to take her in. She was a little creeped out by the offer.
Always on guard, she wondered what was the catch, what was expected in return. But they seemed to want nothing in return, just someone to hang with, maybe watch a little Netflix together. A warm, dry place to live, they didn’t even ask for help buying the groceries.
Anyway, these were the thoughts I had this morning when Chrissy told me she had just ordered $100 worth of food and litter for Sophie the Wonder Cat. Pets are often not inexpensive guests, still, they enrich our lives. We were happy to rescue Sophie, but sadly there are many great cats and dogs waiting for the right human to come along and offer them a second chance.
Hi, my name is Danny Dog, and I’m dictating this reply to the guy who feeds me and scritches my ears when I allow it.
I was found on the streets of a Third World country called Fresno, transported to Seattle and adopted by the most beautiful, wonderful Mom in the world. I instantly became a 7-pound package of adoration following her around and driving her crazy. And I’ve learned to tolerate the guy, although it took a couple of years because for obvious reasons I had trust issues.
I take them and Grandma for a walk every day, get just enough attention, and the food ain’t bad. But best of all I’m surrounded by love and security instead of big street dogs trying to kill me every day. How lucky can a boy get?
Thanks for the post, Danny Dog. I think Mr and Mrs Gaynes were especially lucky to adopt a puppy with excellent writing skills.
By any chance are you available to edit my future HD posts?
You wouldn’t like how I “edit”… it leaves a stain.
🤣
Great piece!! So absolutely true. We cater to a Norfolk Terrier, who was imported from Slovakia and then judged not adequate for breeding here. He flies wherever we go— I don’t see why he doesn’t get frequent flier miles!
Marilyn, I had to look up images of Norfolk Terriers, as I was not immediately familiar with them. I’m not saying they’re cute, but when I showed an image to Chrissy (an avid life long cat person), she replied, “awwwwwwww, I’d have one of those”. They are very cute!
Nice story Dan. Our current cat came to us 10 years ago and loves to have his belly rubbed and get brushed all over. When we leave the house, he waits in the front window watching for our return.
What a wonderful and lovely piece. I wish the three of you a lot of special moments together. We have a stray, Cactus is her name because she is prickly, and I think she is very happy.
Seven years ago I wrote this on HD. Cats and money.
https://humbledollar.com/2019/12/getting-catty/
OMG, that article is hilarious, Dick, right up there with shopping….. You nailed the cost of owning a pet; it ain’t cheap. Still, if people did a cost analysis of having children the world wouldn’t have near the population it has today. Luckily for us, pets are well within our means.
My kids are similarly allergic to cats, and we have spent serious money buying hypoallergenic breeds in the past. We lucked out when adopting Sophie, as she just happens to be one of those breeds.
Dan, I love how you captured Sophie’s perspective. Imagine how difficult it must be to accept kindness when life has taught you to expect strings attached. Thankfully, she found two people who simply wanted to give her a safe place to land. Sometimes a second chance changes not only the life being rescued, but the rescuers’ lives as well. Thanks for sharing this.
Andrew, I’ve been told by more than a few people that a pet helped them to cope with difficult life events.
My dear wife is a sucker for cats. We adopted 2 fifteen year old cats a while ago that were really struggling to find a home. One unfortunately passed shortly after, but Leonie is now 17 years old and apparently getting younger and healthier every day. The catch is that she will now only take food and medicine from my wife, so all trips are cancelled until further notice!
Greg, my dear and departed best friend Dave used to rescue the oldest and homeliest dogs at the Humane Society, giving them a loving home for whatever time they had left. They would die, breaking Dave’s huge heart, then he’d go right out and do it again.
Bravo to your dear and big hearted wife, and to her supportive other half as well.
Hats off to Dave for rescuing the oldest and homeliest dogs.
It’s true that the oldies are the least adopted, and some time ago I stumbled on an organization which takes them in and gives them a safe and happy place to live out their lives, Home | Living Grace Canine Ranch | Bertram, Tx We’ve actively supported them ever since.
Oh, Dan. Sweet, trusting Dan. I hate to break it to you, but you haven’t adopted a cat; you’ve been recruited into a pyramid scheme, and Sophie the Wonder Cat is sitting at the top of it. I’ve watched this exact con play out more times than I can count.
Step one: the mark is carefully selected. Step two: out comes the full performance. The wobbly meow, the wide eyes, the “I am but a humble waif adrift in a cruel world” routine. It’s award-worthy. Oscar-worthy, even, if the Oscars had a Best Supporting Paw category.
Then, before you’ve even finished saying “who’s a good kitty”, those claws are in. Not just in the sofa, but in your heart, your daily schedule, and most importantly, your bank account. It now exists solely to fund a lifetime of premium kibble and unlimited drug-infused catnip toys.
Don’t beat yourself up about it, though. Nobody outsmarts a cat. It’s not a personal failing, it’s just the natural order of things. The fur balls were always going to inherit the earth, rent-free and hogging the best seat in the house.
Mark, I spotted a woman wearing a t-shirt with the images of two cats, and the words, “Paws and Whiskers, Our Two Furry Overlords.
One CCRC resident has this sign on the door:
Dogs have owners.
Cats have staff.
I have a stray I’ve been taking care of since the kitten showed up, a mess. Had him fixed, two annual check ups so far and all his vaccines. Food, treats, toys. He comes and goes as he pleases. What are you gonna do?!?…
Mike, you’re locked in… the outcome was inevitable — you’ve got a new feline boss. Make peace with it 😉