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Introducing Poppie

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I swore I was done with pocket pets. I said that before Bugs’ arrival, too, and soon he became family. Okay, he was supposed to be the final basement dweller in the house. I have nothing against smaller pets, of course. I’ve had several over the years, but now that I’m older, the cleaning of the littler creatures’ enclosures is no longer as easy as it once was.

Bugs, our resident rabbit, has been with us since before the pandemic. I’m not sure how long we’ve had him, or how old he is. He’s been king of the basement for quite some time since that part of the house is off limits to the other fur kids. Every king needs a queen, right?

Enter her majesty Poppie. She is a five-year-old bunny with a shiny black coat and lop ears. I’m not certain what breed or mix she is; I’m guessing Mini Lop or Holland Lop, but she’s a cutie no matter her parentage. I’ve had several lop-eared rabbit breeds through the years including French Lop, English Lop, and Fuzzy Lop. I think Mini Lop or Holland Lop will be a first for me.

We’re her second home. Because my basement is an unmitigated disaster, her arrival forced me to do some much-needed reorganization of the space where she now resides. She came with a roomy traditional cage, but I have upgraded her digs to an enclosure similar to Bugs’. She is now in a C&C cage (which Google tells me stands for Cubes and Coroplast, which is news to me). The entire setup sits on interlocking foam puzzle pieces on the basement floor. The cage is assembled using grid panels stacked two high. Two panels aren’t tall enough to keep curious buns from hopping out, so to prevent that, a sheet is put over top secured by clothespins. I’ve come home to a missing bun before (ahem, Bugs), and I have no desire to hunt for a hiding cottontail again.

Poppie has all new furnishings including a food dish, water bottle, hay rack, toys, and litterbox. So far, she is good about using her box, which makes cleanup of her space a breeze. I have a long-handled dustpan and brush to sweep out any debris on the floor, and I have found this to be so much easier than vacuuming, which can be scary to the buns. I top off the food, water, and hay, and change the litterbox. Done. If only I had known these setups existed years ago. They are far superior to the old-school wire cages with slide out trays lined with newspaper; the pans always unwieldy to empty. I will never go back to that style of housing again.

Poppie is a sweet girl, enjoying head rubs. She has a healthy appetite, devouring every morsel that lands in her bowl. She enjoys hopping around her enclosure, and it looks like she is settling in well. Even though we had to make room to accommodate her, I am glad that we did. She will spend the rest of her life with us, a member of the family. For some reason, I think I am destined to always have at least one bunny, and as long as I am able, that’s okay with me.

(Poppie arrived in August 2023)

Door Darting Diva

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It was a rare, beautiful Saturday, an afternoon devoid of extreme heat and torrential rain. I took advantage of the comfortable temperature and blue sky by reading a book under the patio umbrella. Capone and Cosmo joined me in the yard, playing with toys and chasing each other, enjoying the day as much as I was. I bought them a larger water bowl for outside, and they lapped up the cool water in the shade.

I guess it’s because they’re a bit older now, but the pups don’t linger in the yard nearly as much as they did when they first came home. Last year it was tough to get them in from outside, but now they ask to go in more often. I chalk that up to the discovery of couches and air conditioning. When they stood outside the back door, I let them in and continued my book in relative peace.

The boys would appear at the door to come back out, then quickly want to go back in. I think they would have preferred it if I stayed in with them, but sorry boys, the good weather awaited me outside. I acted as the canine doorman a few times, and I couldn’t get into my book for fear of what the dogs were up to in the house left to their own devices. They are still too young to be left alone unsupervised.

Up the back steps I went to check on them. They were at the door looking out into the yard. Joining them were Bram and Tiki. The cats are no strangers to hanging out by the door, enjoying sunbathing on nice days and watching the birds. We often let the dogs in and out with assorted cats in the threshold without issue. On this day that changed.

The pups looked eager to charge outside, but they didn’t move when the door opened. They appeared as stunned as I was to see Tiki go out the open door. She made it only a few steps to the landing before the stairs before I got her back into the safety of the house, using my left hand to gently push her back through the door. I was fortunate that it worked out how it did, as I am not left-handed.

Tiki is a frail lady of about 16 years old. She was formerly outside but has been inside with us for around 11 years. This is a reminder that you cannot trust a cat to never dart out the door if given the opportunity, no matter how long they have been inside.

Since it’s the dogs’ belief that no one, including them, should wear collars, Tiki was relieved of hers by her canine brothers when she went out the door. With no external identification, I cannot stress enough the importance of microchips registered to a pet recovery service. I have my critters scanned periodically to be sure the chip can still be read, usually at their annual vet appointment. Cats may have nine lives, but Tiki’s escapade took as many off mine!

Introducing Capone and Cosmo

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We thought about what we would do when the unthinkable happened and we lost Moose and Red. Our intention was to adopt a bonded pair of Italian Greyhounds, preferably 1 to 2 years old, similar in size, but different colors, like Moose and Red were. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans.

Capone and Cosmo came home on May 14, 2022. They were born on February 15, 2022, just days after Moose passed away. They are male littermates, who look like twins, and if it weren’t for the size difference, it’s almost impossible to tell them apart. Capone is the larger of the two, but the difference is ever so slight. They have few white markings on their paws and are mostly solid fawn in color. On close inspection, Capone has a white patch that resembles a star on his neck, while Cosmo has a white streak on his. That is the way we tell them apart, because when they were this young they tore off each other’s breakaway collars and destroyed them, so we gave up on collar wearing. (Now that they are over a year and microchipped, they still do not wear collars in the house. They do have a tag collar for walks along with their martingale and leash. Also, Capone has grown to be long and lanky, while Cosmo is short and stocky, earning him the moniker of D.B. for Dad Bod).

It was one thing to raise one puppy when the hubby and I were 20 years younger, but two puppies 20 years older is something else! I think this is how my parents must have felt when they found out I was on the way, 11 years after my brother. Talk about starting over! When Moose was a wee pup long before we adopted Red, we had the benefit of my mom to let him out for potty breaks during the workday. She lived seven houses away and loved her grandpuppies, and was always available to lend a hand when needed. Sadly, these boys will never know their grandmom, but despite that, we couldn’t ask for better timing to bring home a pair of squirmy pups. These guys arrived just before my hubby’s summer vacation from his job. With one of us being home for a couple months, it was easier to house train them and acclimate them to the household.

It’s tough starting over with new dogs when your prior pups lived to such an advanced age. It will be a learning curve for us, but one that is well worth it. We entertained thoughts of other breeds, but there is nothing quite like an iggy. To know them is to love them. We have experience with IGs, so it was a no-brainer for us. (Corgis and dachshunds were considered, shh). What I wish for Capone and Cosmo is a lifetime of love and fun, plus the longevity to rival that of their predecessors. They have some huge paws to fill and although they can never replace Moose and Red, Capone and Cosmo are welcome and beloved additions to the family.

End of An Era

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It was inevitable given their ages, so I was somewhat prepared. Although it’s been over a year, my heart remains broken. It hurts more than I ever thought possible to announce that both Moose and Red have passed away.

Moose lost his battle with kidney failure on February 9, 2022. Sadly, it was also his Gotcha Day, having brought him home that day in 2003. He was in the end stages of the disease for a year and a half before succumbing to it at age 19. He remained status quo for quite some time, but he declined rapidly and the decision to let him go became obvious. I was the first person to hold Moose so long ago, and as I promised him, I was the last to hold him when the time came.

We worried about how Red would react to losing his buddy of almost 17 years. Red did better than we expected. In fact, for a while it looked like he was on track to outlive his brother. His appetite increased, and he even gained a bit of weight. His mobility had been more limited, but it was improving. His senior bloodwork was fine. We believed we had more time with Red, so it came as a shock when he passed away in his sleep at home. Maybe it was a broken heart, not wanting to go on after the loss of his brother. Red passed on April 6, 2022, exactly eight weeks after Moose.

It was one thing to lose Moose. Even though we anticipated it, we were still devastated when it finally happened. I had hoped he would see his 20th birthday, and for a long time it seemed possible.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be, as he left us nine months before.

Just when we were beginning to resign ourselves to a one-dog household, as awful as it was, we lost our beloved Red. Losing one was terrible, but two in such a short time frame, after so many years, was devastating. It all played out how we assumed it would, when one passed, the other would soon follow. I had hoped there would be more time in between, however.

I’ve titled this post End of An Era, because in a way it is. Moose and Red lived far longer than I ever would have expected. Eighteen and 19 is impressive for any dog. I miss them both every day. There are no more pills to cut up, no acupuncture appointments to keep. Yoga mats no longer line slick floors. The bumpers to keep the boys safely in bed are now stowed away.

My heart breaks every day. I cry for my boys, wishing we had more time, yet knowing we had longer than most pet parents are afforded, and for that I am grateful. I only hope they knew how much we loved them. They meant more to us than they’ll ever know, or that I can express in words. As I held Moose for the last time, I told him it wasn’t “goodbye.” It was just “until next time.” Goodnight, sweet princes.

The Integration

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Since his first vet appointment, Bram has been microchipped and registered, and an appointment has been made for his neuter. The office has been turned into a makeshift room for Bram. He’s been in seclusion from the other pets until his two week quarantine following his initial vet visit is over. Don’t feel too sorry for him, he’s in a climate-controlled environment and has all the feline necessities including a bed, scratching post, and litterbox. He even has a new flatscreen!

We have been keeping him company in his room and occupied with a variety of toys. He is friendly but has too much interest in playing with human hands. That is something we’ll need to address. The resident cats have patrolled the hallway outside of his door a few times. They know he is in the room, but at least no one is incessantly hanging out by the door. They all know the drill, whatever is in the room will come out eventually. Bram has seen Tiger twice. The first time was when we carried Bram into the room by way of cat carrier. Bram hissed at Tiger from behind the metal door, but that was it. They also saw each other briefly when the office door was opened.

After the isolation period, it was time to start the integration process. This can take a while considering the number of critters residing in the house. As long as this process takes all the time it needs, and isn’t rushed, things tend to work out. Before we added any animals to the mix, we let Bram have the run of the house solo so he could get the lay of the land before meeting his housemates. He was able to locate the bowls, litterboxes, and scratching posts.

From there we continued integration in stages, from the easiest pet to the most difficult. We decided to let Bram out only when the dogs were out. Once he was acclimated to them, we introduced him to Vlad and Barnabas, and then finally the oldest cats Tiger and Tiki. It took a few weeks, but it seems to be going well.

When Moose and Red were younger and prone to chasing, we crated them when introducing new cats. In Bram’s case, we left him out when the dogs were sleeping on the couch. He jumped on the couch with the boys and sniffed them. No problems there. On another occasion, we let Bram out with the boys when they were awake. They were walking around, and Red was barking. Bram wasn’t bothered by them. The dogs don’t see well, but I’m sure Bram has a different scent from the other cats.

After a couple weeks we added Vlad and Barnes. Barnes hissed and wasn’t the welcoming brother I expected him to be. Vlad wanted to play with Bram, but he was unsure at first. I’m happy that both seem to get along with him now.

Finally, we added the two older cats. Tiger took to him right away, which surprised me because he was the one I was most worried about. Tiki isn’t thrilled but tolerates him as long as he doesn’t get too close. She is like that with the others anyway, so it’s good to see she treats her new brother like the others.

Bram is now out of his room full time. He’s happy to have the run of the house, and I am happy to have my office back. Training cats to stay away from doors is an ongoing process when you have one that has previously been outside. So far Bram has shown little interest in being a door darter. Everyone gets along reasonably well. There is no hissing or chasing, which are all signs that the integration is heading in the right direction. We’re happy we decided to take a chance with the little guy.

I’m pleased to report that since the above was written, Bram has been neutered and there is household harmony among the fur kids. (Human hands are safe, too).

The Patter of New Paws

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I’m embarrassed to admit that I have been away from my blog for so long. I created content for the site since my last post, but I just never published it. Several events transpired during my break, some good, then bad, then good again. I will bring this site current, but it may take a while to catch up with past pet anecdotes. Let’s start with something good that’s happened.

We were quite content with four cats. That was a number that seemed to work for us. The loss of Annie and Ozzy reduced our number to two for about a year, but missing the chaos that multiples can sometimes bring, we adopted two more cats a couple weeks apart (Barnabas and Vlad).

So much for even numbers. A family member found a friendly stray, did we want it? No room at the inn was our usual response, but for some reason we caved. I think it was in part because of the melancholy surrounding Moose’s kidney failure diagnosis. My husband and I needed something positive, an exciting hello when a tragic goodbye drew near.

Having agreed, I asked for a photo of the kitty, which showed it drinking water outside. A brown tabby with white feet. I’ve had two in the past; both Puff and Annie were brown tabbies. I hated to think of it outside in the summer heat with no permanent place to call home.

The cat rescuer traveled to where it was usually seen, and it voluntarily went into the cat carrier. The kitty arrived at our house on July 9, 2021. We never released it from the carrier, instead we went right to the pet urgent care down the street to check for a microchip. There was no sense in falling in love with someone else’s pet. A scan failed to find a chip. Kitty wasn’t part of a colony, as neither ear was tipped. I secretly hoped kitty would be a female I could name Lizzie. We only have one female; the others are males. No such luck. Kitty was an unneutered male with claws. They weren’t able to do any vetting of the kitty, but our normal vet was able to squeeze us in that night.

Kitty was named Bram on the way to the vet, in keeping with the vampire-themed names of two of our other cats. He was very good at the vet’s office. Bram was swept again for the presence of a microchip and still none was found. It turned out that he was a young man of 10-11 months, or a teenage kitten.

Bram had little flea dirt on him, but he did have ear mites, so I was given a topical to treat them along with any other parasite or worm he could have. (I think he may have been expelling something in the days that followed, so it was good that he had the medicine). He tested negative for feline AIDS and leukemia, so he was safe to bring home and keep. Bram will have to be kept isolated from the rest of the menagerie for two weeks, and if there are no signs of anything upper respiratory or otherwise unusual going on, he can begin the integration process. He also received a rabies shot during his visit. Welcome to your new life Bram!