Tell me about your first pet…

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Pup Fan

Do you remember when you first fell in love with animals? I was thinking about this today, but I couldn’t identify a specific moment. I just know that I always really loved animals. I loved playing with the dogs and cats at other people’s houses.

Despite the name of this blog, my first pet was actually a cat. I was around three years old, and I fell in love with a white kitten. I named her Buttercup, and she was all mine.

Thinking about the next scratch…

Frankly, she was kind of a jerk sometimes. Every night, she would hop up on my bed and demand to be petted. When she’d had enough, she would scratch me and then run away. It was our nightly routine for years. However, she eventually outgrew that behavior… with one exception. Until she left us, Buttercup would resurrect the old pet n’ bite routine every time my cousin J would come to visit.

That being said, Buttercup was my jerk, and I loved her dearly. She provided endless entertainment – whether she was bringing a live bat into the house or going completely limp the one time we tried to put a harness on her. (Seriously, she froze in place and didn’t get up until we took it off of her.) She was part Siamese and would occasionally favor us with the song (the yowl?) of her people. I adored her in all of her quirky glory. I miss her (and having a feline in my life).

So, tell me… who was your first pet?

How to tell the sex of a kitten or puppy, as explained by a child

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Pup Fan

When I was a kid, I didn’t quite understand how you told a boy cat from a girl cat. My cat (Buttercup) was a girl, but I didn’t know why. I had no choice but to rely on the representations of my parents.

Inquisitive child that I was, I wanted to know more. What was the trick? I didn’t ask my parents. I prided myself on being a smart kid, and I loved puzzles. The clues were all there – I just had to solve the mystery. After all, I’d seen both of my parents flip a kitten upside down, take a look, and proudly declare whether it was a boy or a girl. I just knew that I could figure it out if I put my mind to it.

And I did.

However, my answer to this question turned out to be wrong (and to be honest, slightly ridiculous). Here’s a hint:

I’ll spare you a photo of where else I thought this mark might be…

Yes, after careful consideration, I determined that it must be something simple. Namely, that all kittens and puppies had something written on the bottom of them that told the answer. I suspected that it might be as simple as an F or M (or even B and G for boy and girl).

I couldn’t confirm my hypothesis, as none of our animals were particularly willing to let me to flip them over and do a thorough examination of their undercarriage to find the location of the mark. (I was pretty sure it wasn’t on the paws, as I’d gotten a good look at those.) Nonetheless, I felt certain that I’d cracked the case.

Confident in my problem-solving abilities, I promptly moved on to the next case, secure in the knowledge that I’d figured out the secret to my parents’ expertise.

(I told this story to some of my relatives this past weekend. My aunt then told me a story about a cat that she adopted and named Miss Maizie. When she went to the vet, he took one look and informed her that she might want to rename the cat Mr. Amazing instead. I guess it runs in the family.)

What crazy things did you believe as a kid? Did you ever have a cat or dog that you mistakenly thought was a boy or a girl?

Hello, is it a kitty you’re looking for?

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Pup Fan

Today, Petfinder is encouraging bloggers to talk about how awesome cats are. Now, don’t tell Bella and Tavish, but I happen to agree. My first pet was actually a pretty cool cat named Buttercup.

Fun fact: pom-poms can double as a cat bed

So, in honor of Buttercup and awesome cats (and cat lovers) everywhere, today’s links are feline-focused. Enjoy some kitty cuteness, and then get out there and adopt a cat! (Let me assure you – I would happily do so if Bella and Tavish were not champion cat chasers. Maybe they need to read this post.)

What should you name your new cat? Here are some punny pet names to get you started: Meowie Long, Rachel Scratch, and Meoward Stern.
There are many reasons to adopt a cat. For example, do you need of a skilled goalie in the house?
Or perhaps you just want someone to help you reenact your favorite movies at home? (If you’re not interested in that, I’m going to need you to tell me what your damage is.)
I mean, your cat could even play the role of Simba from The Lion King. Obviously, house cats like to emulate their majestic relatives. (Bonus squee!)
If movies aren’t your style, you could always reenact some classic paintings.
I also hear that cats make great wingmen. They’re total chick magnets. (Duck magnets too, I hear.)
In any event, who wouldn’t want to spend some time having a nice intellectual exchange with their favorite feline?
Cats do have a way with words, after all.

Seriously though, in spite of all of the silly reasons I listed above, there’s only one reason you really need to know. Cats are awesome.

Also, I give a huge thumbs up to any animal that gives me a reason to make a Lionel Richie reference.

Hello, is it an adorable kitty you’re looking for?

If so, head on over to Petfinder and search for an adoptable cat near you! Then take lots of photos and tell everyone else you know why adopting a cat is the best. The Internet is sorely lacking in cat pictures, after all.

House cats keep falling on my head…

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Pup Fan

When I was a kid, my cat Buttercup always found a way to get into the space between the two floors of our house. (Is that called a crawlspace? I have no idea.) Anyway, my room had a dropped ceiling… thus, the video below is a dramatic reenactment of what occasionally happened to me in the middle of the night.

Luckily, I don’t think any of the ceiling panels ever broke. Usually the cat and ceiling just landed on me with a mild thud. If only we’d had the Internet back then. I could have been a viral video sensation.

In a way, I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who has experienced this particular phenomenon. Any others out there? Maybe we can form a support group. At the very lest, share your stories (about house cats falling on your head or other animal-related housing mishaps) in the comments!

(Bonus points if you can guess the song referenced in the title of this post. Hint: it’s from a movie… so, double bonus points if you can know the movie too. Don’t ask me how to redeem these points. I haven’t thought that far ahead yet.)

Lend me your eyes, and I’ll write you a blog…

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Pup Fan

Earlier this week, I advised you to stay tuned (I kill me) for a post that was somehow related to that overly cute kitten playing an invisible piano in his sleep. This is that post. Be prepared for some serious rambling ahead… both serious in nature, and seriously rambling. After all, you know I love Memory Lane like I grew up there.

Do you ever get the feeling that the universe is conspiring to make you slow down and indulge your nostalgic side? Recently, I found myself commenting on two different blog posts that reminded me of a very special show from my childhood. Does anyone else remember Garfield’s Nine Lives? (If you do, you may be my pop culture soul mate.)

If you haven’t heard of it, Garfield’s Nine Lives began as a 1984 book containing a group of short stories illustrating the various “lives” of Garfield the cat. (I own this book. Fun fact about me: as a child, I was obsessed with Garfield and began collecting Garfield books – including the daily strips, the Sunday Treasuries, and the specials. I couldn’t get enough. I’ll always have a soft spot for that cat.)

The book was adapted into a TV special in 1988. My mom taped it for me when it aired. (Ah, the days of VHS.) I watched that special countless times – I could probably still quote most of it on request (such is the case with many Garfield specials, actually, but this one was by far my favorite). The book is a bit darker than the TV special, and some of the lives differ between the two formats.

Anyway, you may be wondering what this has to do with… anything. While reading this post from Brian’s Home, I made a comment about Cave Cats (you know, a distant relative of the elusive Cave Dog). This reminded me of Garfield’s first life, in which he was… a Cave Cat. In addition, while reading this post from The Chronicles of Cardigan I was reminded of another life from the TV special – my favorite one, in fact. It’s called Diana’s Piano.

Garfield describes this life as the one where he fell in love with music and when he “fell in love with a girl who played the piano just for me.” As a child who took years of piano lessons and had a white cat (like Diana, the feline incarnation of Garfield in Life No. 6), this cartoon was catnip.

It’s a touching story. I just watched it again before writing this post, and needed several tissues. Several. Gets me every time. I highly recommend it, but if you don’t find yourself sobbing or at least getting a little weepy… well, I just don’t know what to think about you.

My cat Buttercup wasn’t as much of a music fan as Diana (she was downright antisocial at times), but I loved her dearly. She was my first pet, joining our family when I was only three years old. In my young mind, this cartoon was us. (In fact, when Diana decides to scratch a visitor and has a look of smug satisfaction on her face, it was like they’d based the character on Buttercup. Seriously.)

When I watched Diana’s Piano again as an adult, I realized that it also touched upon my relationship with another significant animal in my life – my dog Scotti. She entered my life when I was ten years old

Scotti used to hang out by the piano while I’d play (she was much more of a music fan than Buttercup). We were inseparable… and just like the woman in the cartoon, one day I had to leave for college. (As she narrates: “That was a sad day.”) When I called home, I’d ask to talk to Scotti on the phone, and I would ask my mom if Scotti seemed to recognize my voice. I was always elated when my mom said yes. I missed Scotti terribly, and I couldn’t wait to see her again.

Time passed. I graduated and finally moved into an apartment off campus. (One that allowed pets, of course. That was an essential requirement.) However, by the time I graduated college, Scotti was twelve years old – really too old to leave the comfort of my parents’ house. It just wouldn’t have been fair to her to uproot her, move her to an apartment hundreds of miles away, and expect her to adjust to my hectic schedule. I felt guilty that we wouldn’t be together, but I think it was the right decision. Luckily, she didn’t hold it against me – every time I saw her it was like we had never been apart. (She did – slightly – hold it against me when I adopted Bella and would bring her home with me for visits. Although they only met a few times, I am sure Scotti was wondering who this interloper was and why I kept bringing her home.)

Scotti is gone now. It’s been several years since I lost her, but I find myself thinking of her often. She was truly my dog in a way that I’d never imagined could happen. We had other pets when I was a kid, but the two of us were like peas and carrots. A true team. I can’t imagine my childhood without her by my side – she features prominently in the majority of my memories.

I realize that I’ve come to define the different phases of my life based on the cats and/or dogs that were with me during each time. (Does anyone else do that?) Each “era” is different, but they’re all special. Just like the wonderful creatures I’ve been lucky to know – to paraphrase the song that inspired this blog title, I always got by with a little help from my (furry) friends.

Thanks for indulging my sentimental side… it’s funny what will inspire a trip down Memory Lane, isn’t it?

Flashback: To all the dogs (and cats) I’ve loved before

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Pup Fan

It’s almost the first anniversary of I Still Want More Puppies, so
I’m sharing some of my favorite posts with you this week. The post
below originally appeared on November 15, 2010. Hope you enjoy!

With this post, I reach a bit of a milestone – 100 posts! For a while, I was stumped regarding what to blog about for number 100. (I then went on vacation, which resulted in a total post hiatus… more to come on that later.)

While driving earlier, it hit me – the perfect way to commemorate my 100th post. I’ve decided to dedicate this post to all the pets I’ve loved before. (Yes, that’s a nod to the Red Headed Stranger – bonus points if you figure it out without clicking on either of the links.)

Anyway, you obviously know lots about Bella, my current fur child. I’ve also introduced you to some of my past loves – Shadow, Sparkle, Bourbon & Pedro. Today, I’d like you to meet the rest of the pups and cats I shared my house with growing up…

Each of these wonderful animals (as well as the ones above) really deserves their own post. So many stories to share – definitely a topic for future discussion. For now, I’ll just stick with the basics…

I should start at the beginning (a very good place to start). My first pet was – believe it or not – a cat. A white cat that I named Buttercup. (Don’t ask me why… I’d love to ask my three-year-old self the same thing.)

She wasn’t the friendliest of cats to start with, but that’s a story for another day. She was my first love.

Next, I’d like to introduce you to Kandi, a chihuahua that my dad adopted and brought home one day. Note – when she got older, her tongue began to stick out all the time. We used to say that her spring was broken.

Quite the character, that one.

We also had a Norwegian Elkhound named Lady – one of the many dogs that found us over the years.

I loved to cuddle with that gal.

My sister also had a cat – though Tiger joined us when I was much older. She was once our neighbor’s cat, but decided to adopt my sister instead. She even decided to have her kittens in my sister’s lap – I believe my sister was around three at the time. Talk about a surprise!

Last, but by no means least, I must introduce you to the source of my terrier love. When I was ten years old, I met the most wonderful dog. My parents had promised me I could get a new dog that would be officially “my” dog. I considered many breeds, and had my heart set on a Scottish Terrier. However, when I met this girl, that plan went out the window. I’d already settled on the most creative name (sarcasm intentional) for the Scottish Terrier I had convinced myself I was getting. Thus, Scotti the Toy Fox Terrier joined our family.

Take note of the teddy bear in the photo to the right… this is one of the two teddy bears that Scotti adopted and carried everywhere.

Long story short, Scotti was by my side every minute from the time I was 10 until I left for college (as well as every moment I returned home during college and beyond). Definitely a girl’s best friend.

I have tons of wonderful stories about each of these special animals (as well as several other animals who didn’t live in my house but were responsible for some great memories). I’m sure I’ll be sharing them over many nostalgic nights in the future.

For now, I just want to say thanks for reading my blog – the first 100 posts have been fun, and I look forward to many more.

In closing, say hi to your puppy for me… and then give him or her a big hug.

To all the dogs (and cats) I’ve loved before

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Pup Fan