How Many Pets Do You Have? (Or, am I a sucker?)

[beejayw1]

Ok, I'm feeling a little like a sucker today and thought I'd see if I'm overreacting (even as I smile).

This past weekend I let myself get talked into taking in a rescue cat who is a purring bundle of charm named Angelface. The problem is, that he makes six (count 'em) cats, not to mention Jesse James, my Lab puppy.

I have a 2,000 sq foot house, not counting the full (but not finished) basement and lots of windows, and the cost to feed another small mouth won't be that bad, but I'm feeling a little odd. Actually, I OWN only 3 cats, the other three belong to my housemate, but still...six.

Anyhow, I 'rescued' Angelface:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid20/p7c2e9ba39ee53ac493ab5af8ec19aa1b/fdb96f1b.jpg

So how many pets do you have? I'm counting dogs, cats, ferrets and birds

[lorilei]

I only have two cats (which is good, considering I couldn't have much more in a two-bedroom duplex :))... but you might feel better when I tell you that for years my parents have been harboring AT LEAST 7-8 pets in a house slightly smaller than yours (one dog, various amounts of cats). :)

My mother is the local "pound" for pregnant stray cats. She nurtures them through their pregnancies, house-trains their kittens and then pays for the "mom" cat to be fixed. Meanwhile, she attempts to find homes for the kittens (and usually the mom). Trouble is, she gets a bit attached... more often than not, she's ended up falling in love keeping the mom or one of the kittens. Fortunately, Khaki (their golden retriever) is a regular sweetheart. She loves the new kitties almost as much as my mother.

Both of my cats come from my mom's little "side enterprise" :)

[aggie94]

Five here: three dogs, one cat, one bird. If we had our own house and had a lot of space, there'd be even more. I hope you don't feel "weird" about it. If it weren't for people like us, some of these guys wouldn't stand a chance. I have to remind myself that I can't save them all (or even close), but if I can help just one more, I'm doing a good thing. :)

[ebobbitt]

beejayw1, I only have you beat by a little. I have 5 cats, 1 dog and 2 horses.

[BlueMoose]

We have 4...3 cats and 1 dog.

My sister (who does live on a farm, thank goodness!) has 3 dogs and I think about 6 cats now, plus 20+ rats.

BTW, Angelface looks just like our Elvis (about 10 lbs ago:rolleyes: ). He was a stray off the street.

[lhall]

Well, I only have one cat now. BUT, when I moved home after college we had 8 cats and 2 dogs, so I've had all those numbers of pets at once.

The reason we only have one cat is he's old and has bad kidneys. If we got a kitten he'd eat their food and it would make him sick. And, we also think the kids are too young for a dog right now. Soon, but probably not until after my old man is gone.

Leigh

[beckms]

I have two dogs, Wrigley and Sparkle, who were rescues from the pound in Austin. They're my babies!

But if you want to get technical, I also have a vermicomposting bin that has about 1000 worms in it...I haven't named them all, yet...:D

[ISAIAH30_18]

I used to have 2 cats. Got married and had 2 cats and a dog. Down to 1 cat and 1 dog now. I can't decide what to get next. My cat is the biggest chicken that ever was so i'm afraid she won't take well to anything. i would love to get the dog a companion but again...the big chicken. If the big chicken weren't my favorite I would go ahead and get a dog....but.......
Yes, our lives revolve around the animals and how they can be the least fluttered by the crazy people around them. :)

[funnybone]

I have none, so I couldn't vote. I guess this post was meant for only those with pets.

[gertdog]

I have one, my dog Gertie. I'd like to have a couple of dogs someday, and for some reason I really want a rabbit, but we're currently apartment dwellers and so a menagerie isn't a great idea right now. Landlords don't seem to like that.

One of my colleagues at work currently houses 28 (yes, twenty-eight!) cats... he is a dedicated SPCA volunteer and often takes home the disabled etc. animals that no one adopts. I'm not sure I could handle 28 cats, but I admire what he does.

[valchemist]

I'm with funnybone.

none.

[ebobbitt]

gertdog I've always heard that rabbits make great pets and they can be litter box trained. I've wanted one too but I've got to wait because I've already got too much "stuff"!

[beejayw1]

Originally posted by valchemist
I'm with funnybone.

none.

Now I feel like an idiot. I wonder if I could alter the poll? Only the moderator can, but still...

Maelynn?

[Maggie]

beejayw1

Don't feel too bad, I have 6 cats and 1 dog. I also have a 2,000 sqft home with a full, but unfinished, basement and lots of windows. Usually, aside from the fur everywhere and high vet bills, I don't feel like it's too many. I've never been able to say no to an animal that needs a home (so chances are pretty high that I'll have more than 7 eventually). Three of my cats are strays from my neighborhood, one was left at my vet's office and nobody ever came back to get him, one is from a shelter and one was the last one left from a litter of abandoned kittens that a friend of a friend found. My dog, Lucy, was a stray from DH's old neighborhood.

I've had second thoughts after taking in every animal I have, but they never last very long.

[BarbaraL]

I've got two guinea pigs. I'd love to have a dog, but I work fulltime (a former supervisor said I should hang a side around the g. pig's neck saying "I'm supposed to be a dog.")

I also like cats, but DH doesn't, plus, the allergist says I'm allergic to cats. Of course, I'm also allergic to the guinea pigs . . ..

[Angela]

One--a dog. If I had my way I'd have a cat too, but little puppy is really quit enough at the moment.

[Jewel]

Originally posted by ebobbitt
I've always heard that rabbits make great pets and they can be litter box trained.

They sure can! :) Bailey, my little Netherland Dwarf bunny was litterbox trained and leash-trained by the time she was 6 months old! It wasn't that difficult, but it took awhile! Some bunnys have an attitude. :rolleyes: The only thing to remember about rabbits if you plan on letting her out of her cage to roam the house, they CHEW. I mean they'll chew anything. I have partially chewed video boxes to this day, a few chewed table legs, and I found several mangled photos of my former MIL that my ex had left under his desk on the floor. :eek: They're famous for chewing electrical cords, so I had to wrap all of my cords in plastic casing so she wouldn't fry herself. Sounds like they're a lot of work, but they're not! I loved having Bailey. She would climb up onto the sofa, run along the back and drop down onto my shoulder and just cuddle. :cool: Alas, when I brought Riley the dog into our home Bailey decided she did not wish to share her master or her home, and her attitude could not be lived with. I had to make a choice, and unfortunately Bailey had to go. :( I gave her to a little girl who had raised rabbits and loved them dearly, so I know Bailey went to a good home. It made me sad. Riley, on the other hand, was thrilled. :rolleyes:

So at this time I only have Riley and Sasha, both dogs! I'd have cats but I'm severely allergic, so one of these days I'm going to try to have another house bunny if I can find one that doesn't mind sharing her home with two friendly dogs! ;)

[ebobbitt]

Did Bailey wear a collar or a harness for the leash?

[Jewel]

Originally posted by ebobbitt
Did Bailey wear a collar or a harness for the leash?

I had her in a cat harness. It was actually funny. We went for 'hops' every evening... (can't exactly call it 'walks' with a bunny :p ) I had several people actually ask me "Is that a rabbit?" 'Scuse me, it's got floppy ears and a puffball tail and it's hopping down the sidewalk. Whaddaya think?! :rolleyes:

One other thing. If you get a female, make sure you get her fixed! The 'season' for bunnies is basically forever. :rolleyes: Once she's an adult, she's rarin' to go. She started getting under my feet everywhere. I accidentally almost kicked her across the kitchen several times because she simply wrapped herself around my ankles. She would sit next to the front door. She'd sit on my shoulder. Nibble my ear more than usual. (I now realize that was probably foreplay. :p ) She was driving me nuts! I finally called the vet and he laughed. Said it was time! I asked her how long her 'season' would last...he said until she "got some" or I got her fixed! It's basically a bunny-hysterectomy. They have to take everything. Cost me $100 and she wasn't that thrilled with me afterwards, but she sure calmed down!Didn't lose any of her playfullness, but at least she wasn't driving me as crazy as before!

[sneezles]

We have 11 pets so I selected 10 'cause that was the highest in the poll.
4 horses
1 donkey
1 mule foal (2 months old last week)
2 dogs
1 cat
1 duck
1 guinea pig

Of course my DH has a young heifer that is attached to him :p ! She follows him all over the pastures! And even butts him with her head when he doesn't pay any attention to her!

[aggie94]

Originally posted by Jewel
One other thing. If you get a female, make sure you get her fixed!

Same goes for males. For health reasons, it's better to neuter them. And if you do it when they're young, you can hopefully nip their humping behavior in the bud before it starts.

I agree with Jewel - bunnies can make great pets. They're smart and fun but like any other pet, they need lots of attention and care. Oh, and bunnies are typically NOT the ideal pet for children. Most bunnies do not like to be held, carried, and cuddled. Obviously there are exceptions and most bunnies will get used to their owners to the point that they'll allow themselves to be held and cuddled (but maybe only for short periods of time), but they're not like dogs. They don't seek affection in that way, so they're often a disappointing pet for kids. My bunny (whom I miss dearly :( )was adorable, but he wasn't a cuddle-bunny. He loved to follow me around and he loved to play with the dogs, but he wasn't crazy about being held or carried. He'd sit still and allow himself to be petted for long periods of time, but that was about it. Just do your research beforehand, and you should be fine!

Jewel, if I ever get the photo scanned, I'll send you a picture of my bunny playing with one of my beagles on the couch. I think you'd appreciate it, especially after your story about Bailey and Riley.

[Peggy C.]

I voted one dog, here is my question how do you keep up with all the maintenance on your pets if you have 3,4,5....11?

Otis has floppy ears (I know someof you are sick of hearing about him, but he's my boy:o ) and I have to clean them daily to keep them from getting infected. Last week he had an eye infection so I had to work on that. He has an oily coat so he has to be bathed about every 2 weeks. Let's not even discuss the tartar build up on his teeth that he won't let me brush...and then there is the regular stuff, nails, brushings etc.

How do you do it?

[luv2cook]

I'm the only one who voted 6 - 4 cats and 2 dogs...all rescues but one...

[Mandy]

Only one, for now. My kitty Ginger.

[Dewey]

Well, for now we only have five - 2 dogs, 2 cats, 1 horse. Although I actually have two other horses on the property - one is a friend's retired horse, the other is a "rescue" horse that I'm the foster home for until he gets adopted. Since he has to have surgery next month, and then has a 6 month layup, he'll be with us for a while:D. Fine by me, he's a real sweetheart. Oh, and DH is seriously begging to get another dog. He wanted a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy (we have one already), but after I pointed him to the Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue site, we wants to get a rescue dog. As much as I adore puppies, I always feel so great when we get a rescue animal. (Both dogs and 1 cat were rescues.)

[mochadelsol]

We have 2 cats-Taylor & Freddie, 1 puppy my baby girl magee :D neither of the cats tolerate Magee :confused: she just wants to play. Magee goes where I go, when I leave in the morning she comes along. I work for just a few hours, walk and feed her then homeward. For more play time and alittle nappy!! just a perfect day in the life of a puppy :D

[sneezles]

Peggy,
We have the most wonderful Vet! Last year my dog, Roxie, died after months of not being able to eat properly (she had a conjenital defect). My vet kept her for a week (no charge) to see what he could do to help her but there was really nothing (she was the only one of a litter of 8 that lived beyond 3 months). Anyway, a friend bought me a new puppy at a charity function and my vet gave free puppy checkups for the first 6 months (this one had mange!!! and was the ugliest dog in the world for about 6 months!!;) ). The vet comes tomorrow to visit all the horses and Tex, the donkey! It will cost only $25.00 extra for him to come to the ranch!

[AmyO26]

I just have one now...K.C., a rescued stray cat. I would LOVE to have more, but I am currently in an apartment, and I'm not even supposed to have him! My DF and I plan to adopt a greyhound from a greyhound rescue organization after we get married this summer. Needless to say, we are moving to a house with a decent yard!
Amy

[AndreaU]

2 wonderful Pointer pups- that's enough. One was great, having two is amazing. Any more than that at this point would be too much for me.

[BosunsWife]

I voted two, but we actually have three.

We have a bunny named (appropriately enough for a 3 year old) "Bunny". We also have two goldfish named "Dennis", also named by the 3 year old. She likes the children's program "Stanley" (about a kid who is totally interested in animals on Disney Channel) so both fish are called Dennis.

We eventually want another dog (we had a german shepherd), but will wait until we are more settled in one spot. DH keeps begging and I keep shooting him down LOL!

[maizeyoats]

Sneezles,
I just had that feeling when I saw 10 animals that it would be you....and I think that is great.
I voted 3 ; but I think I should have voted 4 as I do have a feral cat that comes everynight that I feed. Tried my darndest to adopt; but a feral cat is a feral cat.

[beejayw1]

Originally posted by Maggie
I've had second thoughts after taking in every animal I have, but they never last very long.

Bless you, Maggie, for that.

Actually, sitting here while they play with each other, climb on my lap, butt noses with me, and squeak (miaow? What is that??) I'm beginning to feel pretty good about things.

P.S. to Maelynn: thanks!

[Molli526]

One- my baby Max, he's a daschund. We talk about another, but we need a bigger house first :)

[workinprogress]

2 dogs, 1 cat, and 3 guinea pigs. That is pretty manageable, though finding good pet care when we take a vacation can be a bit problematic. At our most insane, we had 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 birds, a rabbit, and 67 freshwater fish. Six pets seems pretty reasonable by comparison!

[Peggy]

Only 1 pet here: a cat. Our little "Precious". My DD says the cat is her daughter, therefore, that makes her my furry granddaughter.:rolleyes: I don't think our Precious would allow another animal in the house, so one pet it will have to be!

Peggy

[funnybone]

Originally posted by beejayw1


Now I feel like an idiot. I wonder if I could alter the poll? Only the moderator can, but still...

Maelynn?

Thanks for getting it changed! :)

We all forget a "category" from time to time, so it wasn't a big deal. :)

[AZLorena]

I voted 5. We have 5 lovely kitties. They are China, Lucy, Monkey Boy, Puma, and Mehndi. We saw a couple of cute little kittens last night and are kind of thinking about numbers 6 and 7, but I think we will be able to resist. Anyway, pictures of our lovely felines are posted here.... http://members.cox.net/renahead/about%20us.htm

Lorena

[ebobbitt]

Lorena, you have such a cute crew and I love the names!

[dulcecoeur]

I have one very very SPOILED cat. And one she will remain an only cat as firstly I live in an apartment and that's enough pets for now and secondly as she knows she is queen cat and would never allow me to bring anyone else home! Personally, I think it would be good to have a companion for her in the day, but she thinks otherwise:)

[Abby]

One, the cutest red miniature dachshund you've ever seen! Her name is Zoe. She should probably be labeled as toy size because the vet said she'll probably only be 8 lbs full grown!

[Maggie]

Well, yesterday I selected 7 in the poll and today I only have 6 pets. I an so sad, one of my cats was put to sleep yesterday--I knew it was coming eventually but I didn't think it would be so soon.

I just wanted to follow-up my earlier post and say that when it comes to rescued animals; you do what you can when the opportunity presents itself because you never know what the future holds for that animal if you don't. At least that's my philosophy.

The cat that I lost yesterday was The Old Man and I've only had him for about a year--we started calling him the Old Man because the vet said he was well over 10 years old. When I found him he had been hit in the face and his four long teeth were broken off, he had ear mites, fleas, and was nearly starved because his teeth hurt too bad for him to eat. The vet pulled his teeth and fixed his other obvious maladies and he did great. Unfortunately, he also had cancer.

As sad as I am that he is gone, and I was insanely attached to him after all the nursing I had to do for the first month we had him, I am so grateful that I had the chance to help him for the last year of his life. I have no idea what he would have gone through if he was left on his own in the world.

This just confirms my resolve to help out whenever I possibly can.

[sneezles]

Maggie,
Sorry for your loss!

[ebobbitt]

Maggie, I'm so sorry about the Old Man. At least he had a wonderful home the last year.

[Peggy C.]

Oh, Maggie how sad, I'm sure you were there for the best year of his life.

[aggie94]

Maggie,

You were his Guardian Angel and I know he'll always love you for what you did for him.

[tbear1923]

Four here but would have more if BF let me! I have two cats "TangTang" and "Little Kitty" and two German Shep. dogs "Chaos" (who weighs over 115lbs) and "Jinx" (our little helion!).D:\Kodak Pictures\Pet Pictures\the boys in the tent.jpg

[tbear1923]

OOOps sorry for making that picture so BIG!! That is my BF who was playing "fort" with the dogs! We rescued our two cats and together have rescued over 20 animals (cats, seagull, dogs, etc). I wish I could keep them all but we either found happy homes for them or took them to a wildlife shelter.
Animals have been proven to bring people's level of anxiety down and blood pressure just by sitting and petting your pet!
I grew up with rabbits, cats, dogs, fish, pet rats (they make the BEST pets over any gerbil/hamster/etc), ducks, geese, horse, etc.

[ccooney]

I've got two rabbits - both fixed - Fred & Ginger. They are litter trained and live indoors like a cat. I have to be careful about blocking off electrical cords, though, because they chew on them.

[VictoriaL]

Lucky "Angelface"! Actually, he looks like my "Bear"...

Currently we have two cats (age 12, domestic shorthair, black & age 17, domestic longhair, grey) and a dog (130 lb of goofy Alaskan Malamute)

In our 18 years together, my husband have had 5 dogs and 9 cats... and wouldn't have had it any other way (and I want them all back!!!)

[ChristineLiu]

Hmm, I am a little offended that fish don't count as pets! :) I live in an apartment, hence no dogs, and I'm allergic to cats, hence no cats. Fish come in an assortment of colors, are potty trained, don't take up much space, do not shed, and most importantly, do not bark in the middle of the night. I have 1 betta, 2 fantail goldfish, a couple types of tetras, albino corys, algae eaters and white clouds. Man, I just realized how many fish I got. Wow. I'm a freak.

[beejayw1]

Originally posted by Maggie
As sad as I am that he is gone, and I was insanely attached to him after all the nursing I had to do for the first month we had him, I am so grateful that I had the chance to help him for the last year of his life. I have no idea what he would have gone through if he was left on his own in the world.

This just confirms my resolve to help out whenever I possibly can.

Maggie:

This is for you and all the folks who rescue animals. (You may need a tissue):

The Bridge

Unlike most days at Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp and as dismal as could be imagined. All of the recent arrivals had no idea what to think, as they had never experienced a day like this before. But the animals who had been waiting for their beloved people knew exactly what was going on and started to gather at the pathway leading to The Bridge to watch.

It wasn't long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung low and tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been there for a while, knew what his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far too often.

He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain, but with no sign of injury or illness. Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again. As he walked toward The Bridge, he watched all of the other animals watching him. He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross over, the happier he would be. But, alas, as he approached The Bridge, his way was barred by the appearance of an Angel who apologized, but told him that he would not be able to pass. Only those animals who were with their people could pass over Rainbow Bridge.

With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards the fields before The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like himself, also elderly and infirm. They weren't playing, but rather simply lying on the green grass, forlornly staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge. And so, he took his place among them, watching the pathway and waiting.

One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn't understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for a while to explain it to him.

"You see, that poor animal was a rescue. He was turned in to rescue just as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. He never made it out of rescue and passed on with only the love of his rescuer to comfort him as he left his earthly existence. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to escort him across The Bridge."

The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So what will happen now?" As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly parted and the gloom lifted. Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single person and among the older animals, a whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden light and they were all young and healthy again, just as they were in the prime of life.

"Watch, and see," said the second animal. A second group of animals from those waiting came to the pathway and bowed low as the person neared. At each bowed head, the person offered a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears. The newly restored animals fell into line and followed him towards The Bridge. They all crossed The Bridge together.

"What happened?"

"That was a rescuer. The animals you saw bowing in respect were those who found new homes because of his work. They will cross when their new families arrive. Those you saw restored were those who never found homes. When a rescuer arrives, they are allowed to perform one, final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor animals that they couldn't place on earth across The Rainbow Bridge."

[tbear1923]

beejay-
That was SO beautiful..
and yes, I definately need a tissue!

[Dewey]

Originally posted by ChristineLiu
Hmm, I am a little offended that fish don't count as pets!

A guy I used to work with had a goldfish in his cubicle. The fish even knew his name. When the guy would call the fish, the fish would swim to the surface and make a little "bloop" noise (like blowing a bubble)! It was definitely his pet, and became our unofficial mascot of the team.

[Maggie]

Yesterday, as I read the posts written in response to my post about the Old Man, I sat at my desk and cried. You are all so sweet to write the things you did. I would have responded then but since I was at work, crying, I thought I'd better scoot out before someone spotted me.

Well, today I logged on with the intention of thanking you all for your kind words--and darned if I'm not sitting here crying again. This has just got to stop! I am not a big crier--and certainly NOT at work.

I've read the rainbow bridge before so I figured it was safe to skim it. Wow was I wrong. I've never read that version before and here I sit, again, blubbering like a big weirdo.

So, Sneezles, ebobbitt, Peggy C., aggie94, beejayw1--you all made me cry. Thank you.

[beejayw1]

Originally posted by Maggie
So, Sneezles, ebobbitt, Peggy C., aggie94, beejayw1--you all made me cry. Thank you.

Yes, and you made The Old Man dance in his last year, so thank YOU!

[stefania4]

We have two. Our ancient golden retriever turns 12 tomorrow! He has an active life of maintaining his bone collection, volunteering at a children's home, and playing with his favorite squeaky toy.

Our other dog was a stray that we found on the street; she's still skittish around other animals, but is surprisingly good with my youngest niece. She has also befriended a toddler up the street, who calls her "the doggie with the waggily tail."

[julia]

We don't have any pets because DH is allergic to cats - he is technically allergic to dogs, so we don't want to stir up any allergies. He can still go places where dogs are around without taking antihistimines (sp?), but he needs to take something if he goes whereever there are cats.

[ChristineLiu]

Originally posted by Dewey


A guy I used to work with had a goldfish in his cubicle. The fish even knew his name. When the guy would call the fish, the fish would swim to the surface and make a little "bloop" noise (like blowing a bubble)! It was definitely his pet, and became our unofficial mascot of the team.

One of my friends used to have a goldfish that would swim to the top of the tank and let us pet him. He will also feed from your fingers.

[ChristineLiu]

Originally posted by julia
We don't have any pets because DH is allergic to cats - he is technically allergic to dogs, so we don't want to stir up any allergies. He can still go places where dogs are around without taking antihistimines (sp?), but he needs to take something if he goes whereever there are cats.

There have been studies showing that for people with dog or cat allergies, the allergies subside with constant exposure to the allergen. Taht's why people who are allergic to cats and dogs but also have them as pets become tolerant to them over time. But if you discontinue the exposure, for example, if you move to somewhere that's pet-less, and you come back, your allergies will come back in full force.

So, I think this is justification for us who are allergic to cats and dogs to have cats and dogs.

Other studies also suggest (and I agree from personal experience) that long dark hair/fur dogs and cats are more allergenic than their lighter counterparts.

[aggie94]

Originally posted by ChristineLiu
There have been studies showing that for people with dog or cat allergies, the allergies subside with constant exposure to the allergen. Taht's why people who are allergic to cats and dogs but also have them as pets become tolerant to them over time. But if you discontinue the exposure, for example, if you move to somewhere that's pet-less, and you come back, your allergies will come back in full force.

So, I think this is justification for us who are allergic to cats and dogs to have cats and dogs.

Other studies also suggest (and I agree from personal experience) that long dark hair/fur dogs and cats are more allergenic than their lighter counterparts.

I've found this to be true from my own personal experience. I've always been horribly allergic to animals - mostly cats, but dogs too, especially long-haired ones. I've gotten used to my own animals now but I still have allergic reactions when I spend a lot of time with other people's animals. I do agree that people build up a tolerance with constant exposure. My allergist still thinks I'd be better off without any animals, but medication keeps my allergies in check so I think it's a small price to pay to have the company of my furry (and feathered) kids. :)

[HDgirl]

Only one...my kung fu kitty Artemus. Sometimes I think about adding another cat but Artemus has a very strong personality and I don't know if that would work.

I really miss not having a dog. It's coming up on one year since I had to put Karmel down and I just don't want to go through that again. Maybe I'll change my mind down the road.

[BlueMoose]

Maggie,

So sorry to hear about The Old Man. You were such a blessing to him in his last year. We need more people like you in the world.:)

[Maggie]

Man, you guys have been so kind in your responses to my post. I hesitated to add my sad story to what was otherwise a pretty happy thread--but I'm certainly glad I did. Although I've never actually met any of you, your concern has truly touched me.

[Janet K]

oops...

[julia]

Originally posted by aggie94


I've found this to be true from my own personal experience. I've always been horribly allergic to animals - mostly cats, but dogs too, especially long-haired ones. I've gotten used to my own animals now but I still have allergic reactions when I spend a lot of time with other people's animals. I do agree that people build up a tolerance with constant exposure. My allergist still thinks I'd be better off without any animals, but medication keeps my allergies in check so I think it's a small price to pay to have the company of my furry (and feathered) kids. :)

This won't work for my husband - he used to live with 5 people, 5 cats and a dog and his allergies were much, much worse after that (two of the cats belonged to him and his ex-wife).

A couple of years ago I was researching hypo-allergenic dogs and read a quote by a vet that said if there were any allergies at all not to risk it, it could be dangerous. As I'd prefer to have my husband around for a while I'll skip getting a dog or cat and make do spoiling the neighbours' dogs.

I do joke though that we should buy another house, one for him, one for me and the dog :)

[Peggy C.]

http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4291791833

If that worked, which I doubt it did, that is a picture of my dog Otis!

Ok it didn't work the way i thought it would, but if you click on it it will link you to his big happy face!

[phantomcg]

Well, I voted for 9, but I guess I really have more. We have two dogs (both between 12 & 13 - a Dalmatian and a Keeshond), three cats, 4 fishtanks - that's where the 9 came from. However if you add individual fish, well, then I have 21 plus the 5 shrimp, 2 crabs, 1 starfish, and, what the heck, 2 anemones - Ok, Ok, I confess, I live in a zoo with 31 animals. Wow, that sure sounds like a lot!!!!

Cheryl

[Carolina68]

The terrible thing about living out in the country is that people just drop off their unwanted animals. As of this past weekend, I now own 4 cats (or should I say they own me :D ) and 1 dog. Originally, I had 1 dog and 1 cat. About 5 years ago, 2 tiny kittens showed up by the mailbox, and then this past weekend, we found another kitten in our driveway. Seems like I am now working just to pay the vet bills and buy pet food! :eek:

[lhall]

Ok, I've voted already, and I only have one cat but...

I have a major case of kitten fever. SIL sees babies and she wants more (not immediately, but soon) I love babies, buy seeing them doesn't make me want another one. Two is plenty.

Kittens are a completely different story. I had to take Vlad (the cat) to the vet today and they have 4 itty bitty kittens up for adoption. The litte grey one was so adorable. IT (didn't check between it's legs!) had the most adorable eyes. I WANT A KITTEN, OR TWO, OR THREE!!!!

I know I can't have one now. Not just because of $$, but because of Vlad, but I STILL WANT ONE! HELP!

Leigh

[lisalee]

I voted none although I hope to have a dog again within the next 6 or so months. Boy, do I miss my two that died last year. One passed away in March after a stroke, and the other one in July. They were 12 and 14 years old, so I guess it was time but still. . . In my dreams, I have enough property to have at least 3 or 4 dogs!:)

[jenner42]

Well, I've technically got 4 animal friends running around my 2 bedroom townhouse: 2 cats and 2 bunnies. The the bunnies are both fosters, as I volunteer with the Gainesville Rabbit Rescue (http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/FL144.html) . I just love the companionship of animals!

[jms0310]

I have a dog (Doberman puppy we just got 3 months ago), a cat (that looks EXACTLY like the picture posted by beejayw1), and an amazon parrot. I would have about 50 cats if I could but I hardly have enough time to spend with my 3 pets, especially with the new dog. Everyone is always commenting on how many pets we have but now that I have read the other replies I don't think it is that bad!!! It's amazing but some people we know do not like pets so they don't come over!!! And now, with a "mean" Doberman in the house a few others probably won't come either. Oh well! We have a 2700 sq foot house so the pets have plenty of room and if they act up I always put them away. I just can't understand people sometimes!!!
Jessica

[ChristineLiu]

Originally posted by lhall
I know I can't have one now. Not just because of $$, but because of Vlad, but I STILL WANT ONE! HELP!

Leigh

How old is your kitty? If it's not too old, it'll be better to introduce him to another kitty. I thought it's better to have more than one cat otherwise they get lonely and antisocial. I know that's what happened to a cat I know. My friend had to give her up because she got way out of control.