How many Pets ?

Two cats.....have always had cats even before I had children. We couldn't have pets as children with all the moving so as soon as I had my own home I got my very first cat. We've also tried twice to have a dog but it just didn't work out for us very well, didn't seem to be a dog family. We also had a pony and a Shetland as a field companion until dd1 went to university. Do they count as pets?

Current pair are sprawled in my space on the sofa. one with all 4 paws on the air. They're both longhairs and Claudia the smallest one is a doll face Persian. I've always had longhairs, just love them.

All the best for next Wednesday, downtoearth

downtoearth; I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. Mine has just had surgery on what has, thankfully, turned out to be a benign tumour [but she did have a malignant one last year]. The cost of insurance [in this case I wasn't covered by it anyway] means that I may not have another pet. Years ago in student days we lived in a shared house and the chickens from next door would come into our kitchen to be fed [bread and jam seemed to be their favourite!].

thank you sheena
merlot also have chickens they have such personalities,have just lost chicky who would cuddle up on settee and watch telly with us,she would eat ellies food,and knock at the window if we didn't let her in..

We have two Jack Russells, (mother and daughter) a lovely cat who sits on a cupboard and 'high fives' anyone who comes in the back door, and twelve chickens.

DD moved on to the farm with us last year and her cat and two chihuahuas have adjusted very well to communal living. I love watching all of them pottering about in the garden without any aggro. The postman laughs when all of them rush up the drive to greet him. It's yapping, squacking mayhem.

Oh downtoearth your poor Ellie...she has certainly been through it all hasn't she?
I wish her all the best on Wednesday, and hope the surgery goes well and with a positive outcome.

tanith...we are all so different aren't we? It's great for you that you are enjoying your pet-free time...and I hope that long continues ....for me, I just couldn't be without a dog...I do appreciate that when I'm really old ( ) I shan't be able to cope, but I hope that is many years away yet !

have a beautifully natured black Labrador who has seen me through some black times after my daughter died 12 years ago,Ellie is now approaching her 10th birthday and has had cancer of the jaw in which half of her jaw was removed,and has just been diagnosed yet again with a differnet cancer on her tummy,she has osteo arthritis and hepatitis and liver disease ,she is due for more surgery on Wednesday,we have had birds,rabbits guinea pigs and chickens and I have mourned allof them when they have gone to the happy garden in the sky...at the moment cannot even contemplate the thought of another dog even though the home will seem so empty if we cannot bring her home on Wednesday...although a rescue dog would be considered if we could face choosing another who needed our love and care....o a happy note have a beautiful karkariki parrot who chats and talks all day long his vocabulary is bigger than he is..

Its hard to imagine not having a feline companion about the house. We've had many over the years. I love the current one and miss the ones who have gone before. I'm fond of most dogs and enjoy meeting them but wouldn't want one of my own.

I've had cats all my life and they all lived a long and happy life, but when my last two cats,both almost 20 yrs old passed on we decided we wanted to be able to go away at short notice and not have to worry about the cats and who could come and look after them..
My children had many pets during their growing up years , rabbits, fish, guinea pigs, hamsters included but I must say I've enjoyed being pet free for a change .

Just the one - Duncan - a Cairn and an ass Not remotely lazy except this time of night - on back legs in the air - but usually out walking or on mouse/frog patrol in the garden