How many Pets ?

When my beloved Rhodesian Ridgeback died I redecorated the kitchen as soon as I got back from the vet's. I removed her bed from the corner and painted the walls a different colour. It was nearly midnight when I finally finished but I couldn't bear to see her things in the room where we had spent so much time together although her collar and lead still hang in the utility room

She was my companion and protector and I still miss her

merlotgran...I know just what you mean..we did much the same when we lost our first greyhound....as soon as we got back from the vet we cleared her room, put everything of hers away out of sight and sat and wept. I felt as though I was almost trying to remove all of her from our lives, it was awful. It was so painful just to see her bed.

We lasted just a week of coming downstairs to an empty house, and so little Minnie came into our lives...and she completely helped with the grief and filled our lives and home again.

Being a cat, our Pepper didn`t have a lot of "things", but after he died, I put his 3 dishes, his favourite toy, his documentation from the rescue organisation he came from, and his vaccination records from the vet`s, plus the flyers we sent out when he was missing, all into a shoebox, and put away in a wardrobe upstairs. When Mia came, she had her own new dishes and toys.

While we had kids at home we had pets. I think the most was six at one time - one pony, one springer spaniel, two cats, one rabbit, and one guinea pig. That's not counting the pair of gerbils which were kept in an old fish tank half filled with peat which kept producing babies every few weeks (they were supposed to have both been female) and the stick insects which were eventually released into the wild (the ivy clad trees at the end of the garden) to enjoy a last summer's freedom before the frosts saw them off. And the pond fish. Goodness knows how many of them there were. They kept breeding too, to such an extent that we had a Herons Welcome sign.

Now we are pet free. We'd love a dog or two but as we like to travel while we can and take ourselves off sailing occasionally it wouldn't really be right. So we content ourselves with dog sitting the DCs four dogs when they go away.

Oh, we do have fish in the pond. But they're self sufficient and look after themselves so I don't count them.

Hi Sheena We have three rescue dogs 2 exbreeding shes both Cavs and a mistreated Westie a he also another cav who was an unwanted Christmas present another he, ages 5 to 8 year, have to say they all have medical problems except the last one (the unwanted one) and the shes were hard work to get them to trust again but we have had one 4 years one 3 years one two years and one 1 years no more well I dont think so, but when you look at them its worth all the hard work for the love they give you even if your up at 5/6 am to feed them. So the answer is if you can afford them and have the room the skys the limit.

We have 3 dogs at the house, a german shepherd, a mongrel (part maremma part who knows what) and a pure bred maremma! Down at our land we have a stray "hunting " dog (who's afraid of loud noises) and a puppy of indeterminate breed, ie. another mongrel, plus 4 hens , a cockerel, 2 ducks and 2 geese! Keeps us busy!!!

We have two retired racing greyhounds, called Crystal and Harrison. We were enticed up the the Retired Greyhound Trust sanctuary just up the road to us, where we fell in love with their gentle ways and daft characters! Crystal is the elder at 7, she's the mastermind and Harrison (4), who's a bit of a thickie, is her henchman. Both very lazy and their favourite visitor is the Tesco delivery man!

I've had pets all my life apart from a few years in early 20s. Mainly cats, but once a dog and 2 cats. I have been tempted to get a dog again to make me exercise - but I did find my previous dog much more of a tie than cats. You know they are waiting for you to come home, and feel guilty if I stayed out later. Cats don't care so much if you're late home, as long as they have some shelter and food.

Whn we moved to our current rural home 18 years ago we asked the local farmer if they had any spare kittens. He rang me to say one cat had had 3, come and choose which 2 we want. He would drown the other!!! Of course we insisted on having all 3. Flash, Candy and Rosie.

Just a few months later, one cold October afternoon, torrential rain, I thoguht I heard a faint miaow. It was a tiny tabby kitten huddling under our car, so cold, starving, wouldn't have lasted much longer. So then there were 4, Lucky came into our lives. We asked everywhere and no one knew where she'd come from.

We had many very happy years with theses loving cats, growing up with our 2 sons, part of the family. Then they gradually all have died over last 3 years. After 2 went, we got 2 rescue kittens, and have just got a second pair, so we are 4 again! No doubt they will be the last kittens we have, so are making th most of them.

Hi sheena
We had a ginger moggy first, then our first retired greyhound. When we came to the kennels to collect him, my DH was astounded at his size he imagined a greyho0nd was the size of a whippet

Having gone through the formalities I opened the door, he jumped in and stretched out. He took up the whole of the back seat. Our then current joke was born, "Where does your dog sit? Any where he wants." Unfortunately 5 years later he developed cancer.

Our second was enormous. I swear he was part greyhound, part fox hound. He was white with tan patches, well muscled and carried his tail above his back as fox hounds do. He couldn't be trusted with any dog,
which made walking him past another unsuspecting dog a trial. He'd lung at an unsuspecting collie or any dog. Unfortunately 14 months later he died quickly from a heart attack in my DH's arms.

Our third and last greyhound was an absolute darling. His insides were truly up the creek, so we fed him a diet of rice, yoghurt and boiled chicken. Gradually his stomach and bowl calmed down. I still miss his
nose pushing its way gently into my hand and his wagging tail and pleasure at our return. He was sadly missed. there are parts of the forest we haven't walked for years.

Not wanting to walk the street at night we bought a male Maine Coon. We were warned by his breeder "Main Coons are like 2 year old toddlers. We were sceptical, but know her words were true. now

At two years he was behaving like an old cat, so we looked and bought a splayed female MC who has kept him on his toes ever since. He's a lovely, gentle cat and makes his feeling known by growling especially when I remove3 him from a chosen sunny window sill, in order to comb his coat, clean his teeth, gums and tongue. He makes his feeling felt by growling, but no teeth or claws are involved.

He's twice the weight and size of our female MC but she often out-thinks him .

How do your dogs or cats surprise or amuse you?

Nearly forgot (how could I) we also have a peacock. He just wandered up the drive about 4 years ago, we fed him, and he's stayed ever since. The cats soon learned to respect him.