Sunday, August 11, 2019

Getting Our Pet Fix

No matter where we housesit, we inevitably get attached to the pets.
We frequently bring up pets that we have cared for and laugh at the dachshund that wanted to attack swans twice his size

or the one-eyed English dachshund that disappeared into a badger hole, 

or the puppy that grabbed a frozen squirrel and ran away from us. 

It's no different here in the Berkshires where we're caring for a 15-year-old, arthritic yellow lab and two cats.
We were warned before we arrived that the dog, Jenny, is having trouble with incontinence. And that has proved to be true. Most mornings when I come downstairs to teach at 6 a.m., I have to clean up the floor where she has left her pet nuggets overnight. But that's part of pet ownership, isn't it?
The cats are quirky in that they follow us when we walk the dog.

We don't go on real roads, but we do walk along a dirt road sometimes, and if a car should come along, the cats are smart enough to disappear into the ferns and plants along the road. The problem is, they don't always come back out.
There have been plenty of times that Earl or I have had to go back searching for them, and there they are, hunkered down in the same spot where they jumped off the road, as if they couldn't possible find their way back.
One day last week, the pet's dinner time arrived and the cats were not milling around underfoot. I fed Jenny and asked Earl if he had seen the cats. They're indoor/outdoor cats. We lock them inside at night because there are so many predators that would like a tasty cat morsel.
We both tried to recall when we'd last seen the cats.
That morning, Earl and I had gone for a 5-mile walk, but Jenny hadn't come and the cats usually only followed when the dog was along.
Earl went onto the front porch and started calling for the cats (they do come when they're called sometimes).
Jenny ran to the front door to be let out. I opened the door and she raced past Earl and up a path into the woods, barking crazily. She barked and sniffed and ran a zigzagging path until we couldn't see her anymore but we could still hear her.
After a bit, she came into view still barking and running.
We couldn't believe the way she was moving. This is an arthritic dog that gets medicine every morning and evening. But we had been out of her meds for three days.
"I feel like I'm in an episode of Homeward Bound," I muttered to Earl.
He went in search of the cats, heading toward the grandparents' home down a different trail.
About 10 minutes later, as I stood on the front porch, I saw Kepler, the black cat come bounding down the same path that Jenny had gone up. He stopped and looked behind him in a paranoid sort of way. There came his sister Tanna after him down the hill.
They both came into the kitchen for food as if nothing had been amiss.
I could picture them up in the forest, lost, until they heard Jenny barking and searching for them. She led them home.
So, in a way, it was like the movie Homeward Bound, only the cats were lost because they just don't have a good sense of direction.
Not too long now, we'll be leaving behind these pets that we've grown attached to, but we know there'll be future pets to enjoy.

8 comments:

John and Lynn Phillips said...

No way to get dogs meds renewed? It doesn't seem good to quit them :( that's a cute story...he definitely led the cats home!!

Paulita said...

John and Lynn, Yeah, we got the meds renewed. I guess it's a fine line between sedating her too much and controlling her pain. Don't worry, we're taking care of her, even though her incontinence problem is increasing, even when the door is open!!!

Just Me said...

Loved this post.

OFFER said...

Invest with 200$ and get a returns of 5,000$ within seven business working days.Why wasting your precious time online looking for a loan? When there is an opportunity for you to invest with 200$ and get a returns of 5,000$ within seven business working days. Contact us now for more information if interested on how you can earn big with just little amount. This is all about investing into Crude Oil and Gas Business.

Email: investmoneyoilgasfast@gmail.com

Unknown said...

me dil rakhta tere kadma ch Play Bazaar
tu chakk ta shi me naal tere hi lenda rhnda tu sun ta shi vekhi aaj na naa kr di aaAJ DIN VALANTINE DAAA Satta King

Prince said...

Satta King very cute puppies i really like that very cute puppies i love it visit us to go tha results of satta result bhot hi bdiya hai ye sb blog supewrb blog Play Bazaar

Satta King said...

Buy a programmable thermostat. An Energy Star programmable thermostat will regulate your home's temperature year-round, both day and night. Always set your thermostat a couple of degrees less than you think the temperature should be, as you won't really notice the difference in your home. An Energy Star thermostat will save you about $180 a year in heating costs.
play bazaar
satta king

Unknown said...

When Play Bazaar applying for a home loan, try to look good to the bank. Banks are looking for people with good credit, a down payment, and people who have a verifiable income. Banks have been raising their standards due to the increase in mortgage defaults. If you have problems with your credit, try to have it repaired before you apply for a Satta King loan.

Cockadoodle Doo or Cocorico?

 We stood in the middle of the road, having walked together 13 miles that day and Claudine grasped my forearm. "Mais non! It doesn'...