What ever became of Tigger?  Tigger was a very cute Orange Tabby with mittens for paws ( the scientific term is Polydactyly, meaning he was born with more than the usual number of toes on both of his paws).  He was a very cute and spirited feline and much loved by my husband’s family. I remember him most for eating Tinsel off the Christmas tree one year and then the aftermath when it tried to come out the other end.   When Tigger was around the age of thirteen he failed to come home one evening.  He was one of those cats that was allowed out during the day, but when you called him just before dark, he would dutifully come home.  I have always wondered what ever became of Tigger?  Did he become ill and curl up under a bush and pass on?  Maybe he got into someone’s open car window and they drove off unaware and when he woke up he was not in his usual neighbourhood and didn’t know how to get home.  It has been many, many years since his disappearance, and yet I often think about him.  It is hard to have a member of the family disappear and never hear from them again, not knowing what his fate was, has always plagued me in a way.  It’s hard enough losing an animal to Cancer or some unfortunate accident, but not having closure is definitely hard on the heart.  I often like to think he meandered along the nearby creek, getting further and further from home, and  some absolutely lovely lady, who had recently lost her cat of 16 years spied him and offered him a place to sleep that night, and well, he just never left, he decided he didn’t have the heart to leave her.  The odd thing, my spouse and I were  visiting the other weekend and as we were walking our dog on the cul de sac, where my parents-in-laws live, I saw this very old, scraggly Orange Tabby by a person’s front door and I had to stop myself from walking up to check it’s paws to see if it had Mittens.  I  pondered aloud to my spouse whether there was a chance that this was dear old Tigger.  He was quick to remind me that that cat would be around 26 if it were still alive…no, it couldn’t be.  I am sure he is right, there is no way that it’s the same cat, but in my heart of hearts, I thought how wild it would have been if Tigger had never left the cul de sac, that he just decided the grass was greener just around the bend.   Closure, as hard it as it is to say good bye, at least you know how the story ends, but for some, maybe a cliff hanger is a bit more interesting and easier to swallow.

Do you ever have those days, where your get up and go, has got up and left you?  Well today was one of them for me.  I often joke that I am part dog and the other part energizer bunny, but today I felt surprised as when I looked at the clock and realized it was time for the afternoon walks, I found instead of wanting to head towards the door, my mind was begging me to make a detour to the couch and have a nap.  As much as I wanted to curl up in a ball and have a cat nap, I ignored that urge and got suited up and went outside, and am I ever glad I did!  I know darn well, that if I have a power snooze, regardless of how short it is, at three a.m. I am going to be wide awake and pondering what to serve for lunch at my daughter’s baby shower or what I need for groceries that week.  I know that I will lay there willing myself back to sleep, only to finally drift off fifteen minutes before the cat decides it is time for me to get up, and then the whole viscous cycle starts over again with me being tired in the middle of the day.  The great thing about getting out today, I know when my head hits the pillow tonight I will be out like a light.  And when I am that tired, I am less likely to hear the dog and my spouse having a competition of who can make the loudest noises when they breath through their mouth, whilst the cat purrs like a back up singer filling in the gaps.  My get up and go, did get up and leave me, but I was dog powered, I put on the boys leashes, between them and the ice, I was  propelled forward and that was all I needed to get my motor restarted.  Thank goodness for walking partners that don’t let you slack off when you really think you want to.

Can I love you better?  Recently a member of my household has had their heart broken. It is hard to watch someone else feel sad and not know what to do!   Then I realized that the dog and the cat intuitively know what to do, and frankly it is impressive.  They just ‘be’ there.  Both animals have parked themselves on the end of the bed or curl up at her side.  They aren’t looking for anything in particular, they are just a silent presence in the room. And no, it isn’t coincidence that they are asleep by her feet, as most days that cat is curled up behind me by the desk and the dog is under it.   I keep feeling like there is something I need to say , that there is wisdom I should impart that will make things better, but if I pay attention to my furry friends I realize that there are no words and that I should say nothing.  All I need to do is be there if she wants to talk, and that I should let her come to me when she needs me.   In the interim, I shall let the boys be there as a silent strength keeping her company and giving her love.    The answer to my question, I do believe that animals can love you better, because they are so much wiser than us, they know how to be a support and provide strength to those that need it.  What a gift it is to be born with the innate sense of how to love selflessly.

My cat can read my mind…  I am going to be honest, I am confused why the cat can read my mind, as we’ve only known each other for just over five years and my spouse has no clue what I am thinking and we’ve been together for over 28 years.  It is interesting how my hubby can’t figure out what I want for Christmas or anticipate if I am going to go left or right in the hallway, when my Romeo can!  And he can do it in such a way that he doesn’t bang into me, no, he just cuts me off (I think this is his way to remind me that I need to keep up on my physical fitness by checking my reaction time!   If I can manage to leap over him and stay up right, he has done his duty for the day in keeping me healthy).  I was musing last night, why is it that I find it so irritating that my man can’t figure me out, but the cat, he anticipates my every move and it drives me a little batty.   If I am going to close a door to a room, Romeo will rush into it, so now I have to go extricate him so he won’t be trapped.  Last night I went to refill his dry food container and when I went to return the bag back to the closet, my dear Kitty rushed to the spot where I keep said food and parked himself there so that I either had to move him or find a new location for the bag, no, that’s not vexing in the slightest.  It is not exasperating at all that when I go to sit down, my fluffy boy jumps up and perches in the chair where my bottom is about to  land, oh what fun!  Another agility test to see if I can avoid CAT astrophy and  not crush him with my weight?   If I am about to use my iPad, then he will quickly run over to lay on it or in front of it, the  list of his psychic abilities goes on and on, and on.  If only there was a way that my spouse could harness this talent my feline friend seems to have.   If the two could find some way to be a little more like the other, if the cat could care a little less what I am doing and my hubby could step up his attentiveness just a tad, imagine the world I could live in?  Someone would just have to invent a Breathe Right Strip for my dog and my life would be truly GRAND!

The Dog ate my homework…  You know that comical phrase you hear that kids use to get out of why their algebra isn’t done?  I am starting to believe there might be some validity to it!  I have this little friend, he is the most adorable looking little guy, but my oh my, is he naughty.  It never ceases to amaze me how he can somehow determine what to destroy based on it’s value to his people.  For example, there was a load of presents under the family Christmas tree and what does he grab…a very small box with a very expensive bracelet in it and he destroys the thing, he literally obliterated it!  He has this uncanny knack.  So the other night he has a sleep over with me and instead of crating him, as he had already been in a crate for a few hours when I picked him up, I let him sleep with my daughter (as the cat was in my room, which he is very curious about and wonders what it might taste like).  She got up to go the bathroom in the middle of the night and he took off like a shot and she was too tired to give chase.  He came upstairs and stood outside of the door with the kitty snack in it…but alas, no one was letting him in…what to do, what to do, he thought.  Well, the humans weren’t letting him in so they need some sort of message that denying him the ability to have some early morning excitement was definitely not cool!   He wanders into the Living Room and sees a basket with my news papers and recycles…he decides to pull those out, and then BINGO, he’s found his target, something to really impress upon me that he didn’t appreciate my locking him out. Underneath all those papers was the Photo Album from my daughter’s wedding, he somehow removed all those flyers without a rip, in fact, they were almost nicely piled beside the basket.  He spent the next while trying to remove the photo album with his teeth, I mean, who knows, maybe he wanted to peruse the photos since he had nothing better to do.  All I know, is the album cover is definitively toast!  So the next time I hear someone use their dog as an excuse, the dog ate my cheque book so I am unable to get my rent to you right now, or I can’t finish my taxes as the dog ate my T4 or honey, I really did get you an anniversary card, but the dog ate it….I am going to give that person the benefit of the doubt.  In my humble opinion,  it somehow seems that dogs are very intuitive about what they pick and choose to make their point with when they are displeased!

As I was out walking today in the brisk temperatures, thinking how Spring is feeling a might bit on the wintry spectrum, the sun decided to make an appearance.  Amazing, when the clouds recede how liberating walking outside can be and I began humming  “I’m walking on sunshine.” (by Katrina and The Waves for those that aren’t musical enthusiasts).  I highly advocate walking a dog thirty minutes, regardless of what the thermometer reports the daily temperature to be, even if the cloud cover is heavy and condensation is dampening your spirits.  Getting out with a furry friend helps to  put ones head in the right space.  If you don’t have a dog, find a local shelter and volunteer, it’s a win win for you and your canine companion! Not only are you both getting out of the four walls that confine you, communing with nature and getting some exercise, you are also being altruistic.  Now don’t get my wrong, I want your business…so if you are working, or got a bad cold or away on vacation, I am very happy to get out and give my head the chance to clear and to oxygenate my lungs and get the blood circulating, but afford yourself the luxury of getting out and about with a pooch.  They are guaranteed to make you smile, you will have to do some squats picking up a poop or two and perhaps you will get a great song stuck in your head, or compose the idea for that novel you have always wanted to write or even better, just clear you head of all the excess noise and confusion that life tends to offer.

Today, I was out walking with the dynamic duo, Mattie and Pud.  Mattie, is like an energizer bunny and is turbo powered, we can’t walk fast enough.  Pud, is more about sniffing everything in sight and taking his time, his thought being,” we’ve got a whole half hour to kill, what’s your rush chickie?”  When we first started out, Mattie in the lead, Pud, was walking out in front, it’s his favourite day of the week…Garbage and Recycle day.  So much fodder on the ground to sniff and try and pick up, but the kill joy on the other end of the leash is always saying “drop it!”  Ten minutes elapses and at least a dozen times I have had to remind Master Pud, that he is to let go of his current find.   We are walking along, and Pud is to my right and I look down and he smiles up at me, as he often does (literally, this dog smiles).   I look down again a few moments later and realize that I can’t see my little friend, his leash is trailing behind my legs and he is walking to my left, just out of my line of sight.  “hmmmmmmm…..” So I stop, much to Mattie’s dismay, as we had so much more ground to cover, and there is Pud with a piece of ketchup covered Tim Horton’s wrapping in his mouth, looking as pleased as punch with himself.  His eyes, if only I could have gotten a picture…it was like catching your child eating a bag of chips right before dinner.  “What?, blink, blink… What?”  I ask him to drop it, and he does without a second thought and off we go, and I keep him out front now where I can see his crafty little self.  I had a grin on my face for the rest of the walk, and so did he.

“I may be old, but don’t underestimate me…I’m not dead yet!” A little while back, I was at a family gathering and my sister-in-law had made some amazing desserts, one of the items being a Cheesecake that was gooey, covered in caramel and oh so delicious!  One of our elderly family members is a diabetic and has to watch his sugar in take, but was allowed to have a piece.  We were all visiting and were spread throughout the house after having dessert, when one of the kids came and whispered in the ear of their parent.  Turns out there was a a nice chunk of the cheesecake sitting on the dining room table, my Father-in-law grabbed his walker and made his way over to the dining room table , surreptitiously parking himself beside it, grabbed a fork, and while all of us were engaged in conversation, he almost completely demolished it.  And I don’t think he was too impressed he was discovered before he could polish the whole thing off and break into the container of Butter Tarts.   Everyone was aghast, who knew he had it in him to be so crafty!  As I mentioned, this is the week of the geriatric pet sitting, I took one of the old gents with me on a road trip one day, I had packed his food, plus a snack for my spouse.  We had to do a few errands on the way to our final destination, I had Brule set up in the van with his bed and some water, and we literally ran in to put a deposit down in a store for some carpeting, I was gone all of ten minutes.  Brule, is 13 years old, and moves as slow as molasses in January.  I had left the bag in the car with an apple, two bottles of water, a baggie with four honey garlic meat sticks (cut in half) and some rubber gloves.  When I returned to the vehicle, Brule was happily slumbering on his bed and we drive off.  Fast forward to about five o’clock in the afternoon and I am starting to feel a might peckish, I go grab the bag and yell out to my spouse “When did you eat the meat sticks?”  He replied he hadn’t touched them, odd I think and scratch my head…I go back and look in the vehicle under the seats, and everywhere else I can think of, but no meat sticks. “Are you sure you didn’t eat them?” I yelled out, the reply was still no.   I call home and ask my daughter if I had left them on the counter, nope! Plus, I remembered, when I had gotten into the vehicle at the beginning of our journey, all I could smell was those honey garlic pepperettes.  I am still baffled how the 13 year old dog, who can barely navigate the stairs or getting up off his pillow in the morning, managed to climb over the impediment that I had situated between the seats, got into the Lululemon bag, managing to not disrupt the apple, or rubber gloves, that were on top of the baggie filled with meat, leaving things looking as it had when I left it and  got back to his pillow, after eating the meat sticks and not leave a SHRED of evidence of his debauchery!  Now that is stealth, who knew the old guy had it in him!  And much to my relief, those pepperettes passed through him without issue and I can now laugh at the Meat Muncher Caper!  Yup, he may be old, but when there is incentive, that sly old Lab has game!

It was interesting, I was chatting to a person today about dog walking services, there are lot’s of them in the region, she was describing to me how things work with this one business and it got me to thinking as I was out walking.   Why do I like pet sitting and dog walking, because I love animals.  And I will be honest, I often feel guilty for charging people, but that is counter intuitive to having a business.  I would like to make a suggestion when people are hiring someone to pet sit or dog walk, make sure that the person you are hiring is someone you can trust.  For example, if you hire me to walk your dog for thirty minutes, that is what your dog is going to get, thirty minutes of walking time…not, I go in and get your dog, we drive over to an off leash park, I let your dog run around for fifteen minutes and then drive them back to your place.  Don’t get me wrong, if you are okay with that,  great!  Things to be conscious of,  sometimes people use contractors, so you meet one person, but that may not be the person that is walking your pet or coming into your home to feed the cat,  and also take into account that the individual may fluctuate.  As well, the  person that is contracted may or may not be an animal lover.  Going to an off leash area for a walk sounds great, but you have no control over what other dogs are going to be there and incidents happen.  That being said, incidents can happen anywhere, no circumstance is perfect, you can’t plan for the unexpected.  All I would like to suggest is, just make sure you know who you are entrusting your pet to and have a discussion about the service being provided so there are no surprises.   I am not trying to suggest that taking care of someone’s four legged friend is like brain surgery or you need to be a rocket scientist, but I think you should have the right motivation for providing that service.  A person who has pets of their own, is a good start.  I am the type of caregiver that if you tell me you plan on being home Thursday night, I will text you before I go to bed to make sure you got home, so that I know Fifi isn’t waiting for his insulin injection, in case you missed your flight and are not there to administer it.  The pets I take care of, they are extended family, they are my friends and as much as I appreciate being paid for the services rendered, I will also be the one who is crying my eyes out when your pet passes away ( ask me what my nightly prayers sound like because I got a list of dogs and cats…Zola, Nishka, Whiskey,  Max, Jasper, Buddy, Playto, Data, Nina, Luna, Tramp, Belle, Penny…just to name a few, that have left their paw prints on my heart).  Perhaps you prefer the concept of things being very business oriented, and I respect that, I only suggest, that you consider what it is you want for your pet and don’t be afraid to ask questions.   You have to find the right fit, what works for one person, may not be ideal for others.  For some it is about cost, for others it is finding the right person who you feel comfortable with, ultimately though, which ever route you go, remember, your pet is receiving the care.

Just what makes that little old Ant, think she can move that rubber tree plant?  Or how about that expression, small but mighty!  It never ceases to amaze me when I walk my wee friend Mattie how strong she is! Mattie is a Terrier cross, a wee wisp of a lass, that maybe weighs 12 pounds wet. She may be small, but man oh man, does she have some chutzpah!  There are days that I think if I harnessed her to a sled, she could pull me around!  She has a delicate frame and a sensitive spirit, but one should not underestimate her!  I love her spunk, she has so much moxy when we are out for our walks I feel put to shame.  I think I walk fast, I think I walk with purpose, but Mattie, she is like the energizer bunny and I admire the heck out of that!  My food for thought today is, don’t assume if you get a small little dog that you will be the leader or that if you get a big dog, it will drag you all over the place, as my mother used to say, don’t assume, it makes an ass out of U and me :o)