# Tell us about your pets.



## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I love animals but I'm not owned by any at the moment. I miss having them around. Here is a thread to show off your pets or tell us about how intelligent and funny they are. 

I'll start it off with a story of Cassie the Wonder Dog who was a beautiful part mongrel, part dog. One day while occupied at the computer (when am I not?) she came and poked at my leg with her paw. Annoyed I told her to wait, I was busy. She kept poking at me, looked into my eyes and sheepishly wagged her tale. 

"What do you need? Do you need to go outside?" She sat down. "What then? Show me." She got up and walked toward the hallway, then waited for me to follow. Intrigued I got up and followed her into the kitchen where I had put water on to boil and had placed a pot holder too close to the stove element and it had caught fire. That was one smart dog! They are all smarter than we give them credit for. You can be sure she got a very big treat that night.

What about yours?


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

I have two dogs, Molly and Lily. Molly is 7 and she is a black lab/cocker spaniel mix. I adopted her when she was 6 weeks old. Lily is somewhere, I think, between 3 and 5 years old. She's half poodle and the other half is either bichon or maltese. She was a rescue. She was found filthy and hungry roaming the streets, so I took her in. She has been a member of the family now for just over a year. Here they are...


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

I currently have a red-eared slider turtle named Shuckle  I've had him (or her-not quite sure) for 5 or 6 years now. I used to hand-feed him when he was small, but now he's so large that he nips my finger when taking the food, so I just drop it in the tank. He likes to bask on his rock, and swim aimlessly in the tank. I let him run around my room sometimes and he frighteningly fast! I also fill up the bathtub and let him swim in there sometimes.

Past pets include frogs, toads, lizards, fish, hermit and fiddler crabs, and giant African millipedes.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Tapkaara said:


> I have two dogs, Molly and Lily. Molly is 7 and she is a black lab/cocker spaniel mix. I adopted her when she was 6 weeks old. Lily is somewhere, I think, between 3 and 5 years old. She's half poodle and the other half is either bichon or maltese. She was a rescue. She was found filthy and hungry roaming the streets, so I took her in. She has been a member of the family now for just over a year. Here they are...
> 
> View attachment 14612


Very nice to have you back at TC, Tapkaara!


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

Weston said:


> Very nice to have you back at TC, Tapkaara!


Thanks, Weston!


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

I had a beagle for 11 years; she and I were inseparable. Stubborn and remarkably willful, typical for beagles, her aristocratic resolve made her only more lovable.

She died in my arms 2.5 years ago, and not a day goes by in which I don't think of her. I haven't had a pet since then, but I will never forget how much I loved her. Dogs bring a very special kind of joy into your life. I imagine that cats do too, although I've never had a cat.

Tapkaara, your dogs are beautiful, and they look especially cuddly.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

Novelette said:


> I had a beagle for 11 years; she and I were inseparable. Stubborn and remarkably willful, typical for beagles, her aristocratic resolve made her only more lovable.
> 
> She died in my arms 2.5 years ago, and not a day goes by in which I don't think of her. I haven't had a pet since then, but I will never forget how much I loved her. Dogs bring a very special kind of joy into your life. I imagine that cats do too, although I've never had a cat.
> 
> Tapkaara, your dogs are beautiful, and they look especially cuddly.


So sorry for your loss. I know all too well what that is like. And yes, both of my pups are quite cuddly!


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

I'm a typical Cat person even if the family had two successive Border Collies (first named Fetch, second Wiggles) when I grew up and a bunch of stray cats, have cat right now, a crazy black Norwegian Forest Cat (slightly mixed) aptly named *Fartein* after a Norwegian composer I dig!

/ptr


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

I can talk about my pets alright.  I might bore you out of your brains though. How about I just list them? 

2 dogs (Rosie is a kelpie cross cattle dog, and Ari is a Dobermann cross Rottweiler - yeah that's right, don't come to my house uninvited :lol 
3 chooks and 3 roosters plus 4 chickens 
11 goats (I shall tell you their names just for fun: Jane, Amelia and Stanley(twins), Poppy, Clover and Jasmine(twins), Cindy, Mindy and Mandy(twins again...), Daphne, Ruby... Have I missed any? Nope, ok). 
1 horse (Wade) 
2 cows (Elaine and Ebony) 

I might post some pictures later.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Apparently I have two fish...


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Apparently I have two fish...


*Apparently*??? 0_o


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

This is our Jazz, almost 11 and still very lively.


Jazz in Paris by Art Rock (Hennie), on Flickr

He understands a lot of words of course, but also smaller things: when I get the shopping bag, he leads the way to the supermarket (which is a different roads from where we usually walk).


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

I had a dead jellyfish in a jar that was in my possession from 2004 to 2012. Does that count as a pet?


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I had a dead jellyfish in a jar that was in my possession from 2004 to 2012. Does that count as a pet?


Only if the jar contained the said dead jellyfish during the relevant period.:lol:


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

We have had a range of pets. Our current survivor is my name sake Taggart, a border terrier, who is now nearly 16. Here he is as a puppy on his first holiday in Ireland:


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Taggart - the dog, not the man - is possessed of a certain low cunning. For most of his life, he had an Airedale bitch as his companion. Della was also top dog & owned all the toys. All Taggart could do was whine and wait till she'd gone to sleep before he'd nick the ball or whatever. But Della also liked to be the guard, the one who rushed to the window to bark at passers-by. So one day Taggart went to the window, yapped with excitement - 'look what's coming past'. Della hurtled to the window and Taggart snuck back to her bed and picked up the toy. Mission accomplished.


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## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

We have 2 dogs Phoebe, is nearly 3 and a Border terrier crossed with a Poodle and Jazz, he's 4 and a Jack Russel crossed with a Poodle
Here's a link to a picture of them in Scotland last year

__
https://flic.kr/p/cqtmb7


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

I invite all your pets over to meet ours.

View attachment 14674


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Vaneyes said:


> I invite all your pets over to meet ours.


I begged my mum for one of those Komodo's when I was like 12, but no, no, no pets that's on the WWF red list.. I still haven't quite forgiven her... 

/ptr


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

cwarchc said:


> We have 2 dogs Phoebe, is nearly 3 and a Border terrier crossed with a Poodle and Jazz, he's 4 and a Jack Russel crossed with a Poodle
> Here's a link to a picture of them in Scotland last year
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/cqtmb7


The Doods are gorgeous, cwarchc!


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

Vaneyes said:


> I invite all your pets over to meet ours.
> 
> View attachment 14674


my cat says hi to your komodo 








in spite of the mean pose, she's a very playful cat. She wakes me up in the morning by poking my nose with her paw. If I don't wake up soon enough the claws come out.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

I have one animal at home. Since I would have nothing less as a companion, the critter is, of course, the handsomest and most endearing beast in the entire world.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

Vaneyes said:


> I invite all your pets over to meet ours.
> 
> View attachment 14674


Buy your own pet food!


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

PetrB said:


> I have one animal at home. Since I would have nothing less as a companion, the critter is, of course, the handsomest and most endearing beast in the entire world.


You have a pet aardvark? ! ? Cool!


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Weston said:


> I love animals but I'm not owned by any at the moment.


Yeah, I'm sorry to say I'm not owned by any animal either.

:tiphat:


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

In order of age:

Rusty, the American Pitbull Terrier
Homer, the Blue and Gold Macaw
Shippo, the Jack Russell Terrier/Chihuahua Mix
Bones, the Mini Pinscher 
Jaws, the outdoor blonde cat
Kitty Kat, the outdoor Siamese 
Cleo, the indoor Calico cat and daughter of Jaws and Kitty Kat
Gringa, Chino and Negra - Jaws and Kitty Kat's babies


I know,...I have a problem...pics to come!


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

Still haven't bothered with the pictures...  

But I've got a story about my annoying horse Wade. A couple of years ago I had got a bucket of water for the goats and put it outside the gate. The horse who got to the bucket first put his head in it and literally washed out his mouth. Afterwards the bucket was full of horse slobber and bits of grass! Then neither Wade or the goats would drink from it so I ended up getting another. Again, Wade put his head in it and drank. And drank. And drank. Until there was only a quarter left, then he shoved his head against it and tipped it over into my shoe. 

To say the least, I was angry. Now I see the humour in it, but straight after carrying two buckets of water (nine litres each) I wasn't laughing.  

(Needless to say, I gave up after that, the goats could very well walk down to the dam).


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

I have a dog and plays the piano and a canary who sings. They often perform Schubert songs together.


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## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

My three cats:








Ben, Wendy, Claudia.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Lunasong, I find it strange/surreal that they're equidistant. Is that your doing, or theirs?

And, Claudia must be messier?


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

DavidA said:


> I have a dog and plays the piano and a canary who sings. They often perform Schubert songs together.


Yes. We underestimate the musical talents of our companion species. I once had a dog very talented at improvising Boulez pastiches on the piano.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

Weston said:


> Yes. We underestimate the musical talents of our companion species. I once had a dog very talented at improvising Boulez pastiches on the piano.


Trouble is cleaning up after it


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## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

Vaneyes said:


> Lunasong, I find it strange/surreal that they're equidistant. Is that your doing, or theirs?
> 
> And, Claudia must be messier?


Yes it is very odd because they don't usually sit like this. Claudia is sitting in the "Cat-preferred" spot, that's why we just leave a towel there.
Wendy is a cranky old lady and does not often choose to sit with the others like this.


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## Ebab (Mar 9, 2013)

A tom cat from the neighborhood is with me whenever I'm at home. I think he's from a household with kids, and it seems he prefers the relative tranquility of my place. This has been going on for quite a few years. I don't know too much about cats, but he must be a senior now; he is still handsome though, and absolutely looks after himself; regardless the amounts of garden dirt he brings in, he always smells pleasantly clean. He's rather timid, and not very bright, but sometimes (no longer in recent years) he absolutely insisted on going out at the street side of my place, I guess in order to do what a tom cat must do. I felt hesitant considering the dangers but I let him out. I adored that he was so timid and still found the courage to face what really must have scared him ... and maybe he found some pleasures that I will never have any idea of.

Anyway, I was always glad when I'd find him back safely.

A pleasant company indeed.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

My fat siamese(and "whatever else got in the barn" as one guy put it) cat, 10 years old, striped and not talkative, he's the best companion I have for sure. When I was feeling depressed he came down to my room more often, and would even whack me in the face and stick his claws into me when I was sleeping. He also went over to one of my pieces of sheet music lying around, the Brahms opus 118 no. 1 and took a bite out of it. The question I pose is this: does that mean I have to learn it now?


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Years ago we had a cat called Peg, black & white, half-Persian, and she would always jump on my knee when I was playing the recorder and try to butt the instrument out of my mouth. Since she also butted her head on my hand as a sign of affection, I wasn't sure if she loved my playing or hated it. But certes, she had a fascination for piping. 

Which came in useful when she got stuck on top of a bird box at the top of a very tall birch tree. She wouldn't come down until I brought my recorder out & started playing. Sorted!


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

Shuckle eating


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Taggart & I are tired today because this morning at 3.am we discovered that our Border Terrier (the *real* Taggart) had lost the use of his back legs. Animals always fall sick on a weekend or bank holiday when vets are double price. Anyway, our dog is 16 and obviously doesn't have much time left so we thought his number was up and lay awake worrying. However, he improved in the morning. We took him to the vet on call this afternoon and the dog has a weak back leg. He's had an anti-inflammatory injection and we've got painkillers to give him, so hopefully we will have him a little while longer.


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## TrevBus (Jun 6, 2013)

3 Pugs

Ginger Pug/Jack or Parsons Mix 13. Blind but still going strong. Like his owners, diabetic. 
JosieBelle Miniature Pug. 10. My wife's dog w/out a doubt. Rescue from puppy mill.
Trevor Silver Fawn Pug 2 Mine, whether I want him to be or not. I do.
Love them all.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

No. The animal has made specific requests that they not be photographed, written about, etc.

I have terrific respect for the animal, so I am honoring its requests.


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

My wife and I adopted a family of wild rabbits that inhabit our back yard. We feed them carrots virtually every day. It seems that the rabbits are the only ones who eats the carrots- there are also chipmunks and squirrels back there but they have no interest in carrots. Our neighbor also leaves carrots out for them but they don't eat those(ours are organic).

They are quite friendly and come close to us when we are sitting out there. Fortunately, there are no outdoor cats in the neighborhood. Occasionally, we see a hawk flying overhead.

The best things about having them as pets are 1) you don't need to take them to a vet 2) when we go away, we don't have to hire a pet-sitter to come in three times a day 3) if we forget to feed them there's plenty of grass out there for them to munch on. 
The perfect pets!


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

They look very cute - but I don't think gardeners usually regard them as the perfect pets!


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## Bix (Aug 12, 2010)

Well I have a number of little ones - Two kitties that live with us, two that live with my mother in law (it was cruel to move them with us), two guinea pigs or winkie piggles as we call them who live at work (we use them as therapy). I've uploaded pictures on my profile of the felines.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Apparently I have two fish...


Update on the two fantail goldfish, the bigger one's a bully. The smaller one ate the bigger one.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

Ebab said:


> regardless the amounts of garden dirt he brings in, he always smells pleasantly clean.


this is one of those cat mysteries, they always seem to end up smelling nice and all they have is their tongues and paws.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

Bix said:


> I've uploaded pictures on my profile of the felines.


hello, fellow black cat owner


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

We are sorry to say that today we had to have our last pet animal put to sleep. Our Border Terrier (the original 'Taggart') was sixteen years & seven months old and had been blind & arthritic for quite some time, but he still loved to be with us, and we will always remember him fondly. After 38 years of sharing our home with cats and dogs, the house feels empty now...









Farewell, Taggart - you were a good boy, a lively, affectionate 'total terrier'.


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## Jos (Oct 14, 2013)

Sorry for your loss, Ingelou. I had a dog once that lived to be almost 17, a mongrel foxterriër, and i remember the sadness of the day we had to "put her to sleep" after so many years with us.
Will you be getting a new dog someday ?

We now have a female boxer, great dogs. Very lively, playful and a bit "clownesque", not the smartest cookie though...
I'll post a picture here soon.

Cheers,
Jos


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Thanks, Jos :tiphat: - that is a very kind post. At present because my aged mother may need us suddenly, we cannot get another animal, but I dream one day of getting another Airedale puppy & maybe a kitten at the same time, so they can grow up together.

In the meantime, I have my fiddles and Taggart has his piano. 

I love boxers & look forward to seeing your photo.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I'm sorry for your loss, Ingelou and Taggart. It is a moment I dread for our own Jazz, who is 11.5 now, which is too damned close to the average life expectancy of a cocker spaniel. Fortunately, at the moment he is still in almost perfect health.


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## Jos (Oct 14, 2013)

Here she is,

" please dump the iPad, I want to go for a walk..."

View attachment 28469

View attachment 28470


So I'm of for our evening walk!

Cheers,
Jos


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Jos said:


> Here she is,
> 
> " please dump the iPad, I want to go for a walk..."
> 
> ...


Gorg-g-g-g-g-eous!!!!


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## sabrina (Apr 26, 2011)

I have a blue quaker who sings, dances, talks, sometimes in context, really amazing! Says good morning in the morning, good night when night comes. He says "bye bye" when we prepare to leave…Knows when it's time to eat, and calls my husband to come…Says "come back" when we leave his area…and many more.
Animals are AMAZING. Luckily some parrots have managed to learn our language, just to prove how bright they are.
He loves singing, mostly opera sopranos. He is quite shy, and he always sing when he is inside the cage, mostly on the bottom…He does not like to be recorded either. I only managed some small films with my iphone from far away, and if I get a real camera he shuts up.


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

Arthur the cat gives his considered opinion of Berg's Violin Concerto as played by Rebecca Hirsch and the Netherlands RSO...


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2013)

deggial said:


> hello, fellow black cat owner


And another here! This is Athena:
















The top picture was taken the day we brought her home at age 5-6 weeks (she's 7 years old now)--got her from an animal shelter. The bottom picture is amusing to us: she's strictly a indoor kitty, but one day we couldn't find her--she had sneaked out of the house and was sunning herself in our front garden!


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

And another here. This is Thomasina (1994 - 2012) as an old lady - my daughter's favourite of our four family cats. Not great for music listening, she would only tolerate sitting on your lap if you were completely motionless!


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## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

My cat is uber-cute, she was born without a tail, and she survived being viciously mauled by a coyote when she was just a year-old kitten. I've had her for around 16 years now!


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## Piwikiwi (Apr 1, 2011)

My cat turned 20th in October! She is going blind and she has meds for her thyroid problems but otherwise she is quite healthy


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## Jos (Oct 14, 2013)

Total madness in the house; meet our latest member of the family , Boris. Today 8 weeks old, full of life, energy and very adventurous. And a bit of a daredevil too. She is completely accepted by the older dog. Amazing how rough these boxers can play without ever hurting eachother. The older one can also be very rough in her correctional measures, but the little one learns quick that way. I can just sit for hours and watch ! 

View attachment 29654


View attachment 29652


View attachment 29653


Allright, allright, I'll stop now.....

Cheers,
Jos


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I had a dead jellyfish in a jar that was in my possession from 2004 to 2012. Does that count as a pet?


Sure -- not very or at all interactive, but that is the current [anti]social trend, and you are a youth


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

kv466 said:


> In order of age:
> 
> Rusty, the American Pitbull Terrier
> Homer, the Blue and Gold Macaw
> ...


Since this post, Homer has flown away or was stolen; the latter I find hard to believe knowing his temper with strangers. Either way, I hope you're well my beautiful buddy!

I'm glad I kept his cage because living in it now is my sister's green Amazon parrot who I've been taking care of.

Also since this last post, Negra (one of the 'baby' cats) had a litter of her own and so I let them stay. One, big and happy tribe of feral cats.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I don't have any pets , but I've always considered my two darling nieces Alexandra and Rebecca to be
my pets . They're the sweetest girls in the world .I love them to pieces !


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Lucy: 1998 - 2014

She passed away yesterday 

The cat with a 'personality' all her own and very loving.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Oh, sorry to hear it - we had a black cat boy who died last year at about the same age. He was the most loving & characterful cat we'd ever owned: black cats are very special. 
I am sure she had a lovely life with you, but oh how you'll miss her.


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

Krummhorn said:


> View attachment 38297
> 
> 
> Lucy: 1998 - 2014
> ...


Sorry to hear that. We've had 4 cats in our household over the years, two of them surviving to a great old age. You miss a fellow being when you've lived with it for a decade and a half or more.

And yes, all of our four had / have very distinct 'person'ality characteristics.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Thanks for those thoughts ... it is a huge loss ... we seem to get very attached to all our furry creatures


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