Pets Add Life and Giggles, Often When You Lease Expect It

Pets bring many things to our lives, unconditional love, cuddles, paw hugs, licks and tail wags just to name a few.

There are times that Cody and Dakota catch me completely unaware, and have me laughing, often when laughing is the thing I need the most but am the least likely to do.

A few days ago I was feeling incredibly stressed. I had a number of things on my mind, I couldn't focus, couldn't concentrate on work that I needed to get done, and I seemed to find annoyances and distractions at every turn.

Dakota was having a bark-a-thon in the living room, Cody was circling, pacing and whining in the kitchen for food, having just eaten a mere five minutes earlier. I couldn't make a move in the kitchen without the gray- striped- eating- machine- with- feet pleading for just another morsel. His pitiful cries and facial expression were reminiscent of the movie "Oliver" ...


I thought I would lose my mind!

Mind you, I was attempting to work in the kitchen, as I am doing now, when I could have easily moved into my office, which is where my work SHOULD be done. That would have been too easy.

After numerous and unsuccessful attempts to stop the barking boy-wonder in the living room, and trying to ignore the pleading  face in the kitchen that screamed, if-you-don't-feed-me-soon-I'm-gonna-die, I had had enough.

I ripped the laptop cord out of the wall, grabbed my coffee, editorial calendars and a host of other "necessities" and decided that the ONLY place I could go that would offer any semblance of peace and quiet would be, my office.

A food obsessed cat and a dog who loved to hear his own voice, would soon be on the OTHER side of my door while I would revel in the sanctuary that is my office.

I plopped my laptop and supplies on my desk and began straightening up in an attempt to bring some balance and quiet to my world.

I lit my salt lamps and aromatherapy candles and breathed a sigh of relief. I closed slammed the door behind me shutting out a dog with much too much to say, and a cat whose quest for food never ceased.

 I breathed an audible sigh of relief.

  Alone at last, silence and calm were FINALLY MINE. I would, at long last,  be able to get  something accomplished.

Or so I thought...I turned towards my desk and something caught my eye......I shrieked to my husband..."OH NOOOOOOOOO!!!"

"What's wrong?" he yelled from the living room.

"Come and LOOK!"

Just when I thought I was BLISSFULLY ALONE, THIS is what I saw:

Sitting on top of my desk, behind my files, with a face staring at me as if to say, "So? You thought you got rid of me? I will NOT be deterred, you are MINE Woman, ALL MINE. Now BRING ME FOOD" was Cody!!!

I had forgotten that the door to my office holds a CAT DOOR at the bottom. I might have wanted to be alone but Cody would have NONE of it.

I looked at him and laughed myself silly. It was the BEST gift he could have given me that day.


This post is sponsored by the Pets Add Life Campaign and the American Pet Products Association. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the benefits and joys of pet ownership.


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Pets! Two Bring DOUBLE The Love! Pets Add Life!

I have loved animals for as long as I can remember.

When I was born we had a Boxer named "Brandy" whom I adored. At the tender age of 2 or 3 I would hide under my bed facing OUT...Brandy would get on all fours, poke her face under the bed skirt facing me and allow me to squeeze and tickle her jowls. I would giggle with abandon and patient Brandy would allow me to amuse myself until I was overcome with laughter.

Sadly, we lost Brandy to cancer at the young age of 7. My parents (my mother in particular) couldn't bear to go through that loss again, so our home remained pet- free.

I always felt a void.

I did derive happiness from animals on TV, particularly Lassie, and our neighbors who lived across the street's Sheltie that was named "Dandy." Truth be told, I ONLY played with the children that owned "Dandy" because I was mesmerized by,  and deeply in love with their dog. 

Of course I had the requisite goldfish and  turtles, but I couldn't really cuddle them.

My "Baby Bobo"

 I once found an abandoned kitten in our backyard whom I lovingly cared for for a month, until my mother (who loathed cats) made me give her up. I often cite this incident as being when my love and obsession with cats began. In college, I had a hamster, but it wasn't until I was well into adulthood that I had my first cat, my Angel Bobo with whom I shared 18 love and laughter filled years until he passed in 2007.

When Bobo passed I found myself "pet-less" for the first time in 18 years. The pain and loneliness was nearly impossible to bear. Two weeks after Bobo passed I adopted my cuddly Cody from an adoption drive that was being sponsored by PetCo.

Just a few months after adopting Cody, my husband decided to fulfill my life-long dream of owning a Sheltie, and daffy Dakota joined our family.

This is the first time in my life that I have been a pet parent to TWO pets!

yes it's blurry but it is ME and my BOYS!

I love being the "Mom" to not only a cat but a cat AND a dog!

Why do I love being a pet- parent?

I don't have "birth" children of my own and yes, I am one of millions of pet-parents that you meet that view my pets as my "children"  If you think this is crazy, it is YOU that has the problem, NOT ME!

Why do I enjoy having more than one pet?

• they are DOUBLE the fun!
• 
  
• they are DOUBLE the unconditional love!
• 
  
• they offer DOUBLE cuddles
• 
  
• watching them interact (particularly the dynamics between a cat and a dog) is hilarious!

My "boys" are also the best of friends. Watching them "kiss" each other, play with each other, choosing to sleep near each other and observing them comfort each other when one of them is ill, is not only enthralling but warms my heart.

 The bond that exists between Cody and Dakota is one that even my vet is in awe of. They have a special dynamic that I don't think could ever be duplicated, and it makes me proud that we were able to integrate our dog into our "cat" home with overwhelming success!

I feel that it is of the utmost importance and I am  proud to help share the message that the Pets Add Life (PAL) campaign is trying to spread far and wide, that pets DO indeed "add life!" Pets have been known to help those suffering from depression, stroking a cat has been known to reduce blood pressure. Having a pet in your life brings everyday joy that is impossible to put a price tag on.

It is PAL's hope that by spreading the word, we will see an increase in pet adoptions (those of you who are regular readers of Cat Chat know that we regularly feature adoption events!) and responsible pet ownership. What could be better than THAT? 

Guess what? YOU can help spread the word that "Pets Add Life!"

You can follow PAL's Blog

You can like  PAL on Facebook

Follow PAL on Twitter @petsaddlife

And stay tuned for a new video that we will be sharing in the next month or so that PAL is working on to help promote their initiative!

So, if you have one pet or fifty, give them a kiss and a cuddle from Cody, Dakota and I. If you have been contemplating adopting a pet, what are you waiting for!? There are many fur-babies just waiting too wiggle their way into your home and your heart! Stop sitting on the fence, adopt a pet now!

The love and joy they will bring to your life will be the BEST gifts that you could EVER receive!


This post is sponsored by the Pets Add Life campaign and the American Pet Products Association. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the benefits and joy of pet ownership. I am honored and happy to do so, for all of the benefits and joy that my babies have brought and continue to bring to ME!