'About cats & dogs' archive

In the tradition of ‘Brokeback Mountain’

They’re both male, they’re not related by blood and the white one, Maki, is as virile as most he-cats I’ve known. The smaller one, though, whom we call Pssst because we can’t agree on a name for him, is more mild-mannered and more of a follower than an instigator. We have also observed how he [...]

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Cats and social taboos

Back in the old neighborhood, there was a stray male cat that got all our female cats pregnant. He was a large cat, black and white (we called him Blackie), and there were times when he would sneak inside the house. He got Sam’s old cat, Bebe (a stray kitten that we adopted), pregnant more [...]

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Contrary to popular belief, cats and dogs can be playmates

All I really wanted was to post an entry with lots of photos about how we spent a relaxing Sunday playing with the pets, doing paper crafts, cooking, baking… But there’s been a twist in the comment thread of the entry about monkeys and how paradigms are formed and my perspective took a turn. I’m [...]

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Can you get salmonella infection through the skin?

We have pets. A lot of pets. That’s Astro the pit bull and he’s on a Beef Pro diet. Twix, the pomspitz, eats soaked and mashed dry dog food. The cats eat Whiskas. In short, they are all on a dry pet food diet and they’re like little pigs. No, seriously, they are all round [...]

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Cat on the window sill

For the longest time, I have been trying to take a decent photo of Pepper’s bushy tail. My idea was to post a photo of her tail and make readers guess what it is — a feather duster, a portion of a stole or some other thing. But because Pepper keeps moving her tail, most [...]

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Lesson learned from observing the pet

If I could always have things my way, I’d be updating each of my blogs everyday. I like writing things as they happen; I like writing down my thoughts almost as soon as they cross my mind. But it’s been a busy week. Family first. Two family dinner get-togethers in three days. And yesterday was [...]

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The only time he slept on our bed

I like taking photos in a series — they’re like movie stills. Back in the old house, I took photos of Astro falling asleep on my foot pillow. Recently, I was able to do the same with Twix.

That was the first and the last time Twix slept on our bed. We don’t even allow him [...]

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A birthday gift for a 16-year-old girl

Sam is turning 16 on August 20 but we gave her the birthday gift of her choice last Sunday.

His name is Twix (after the breakfast cereal chocolate bar, according to Sam) and he’s a pomspitz — a crossbreed of a pomeranian and a Japanese spitz. And, yes, we keep him as far away as [...]

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Breastfeeding is still best for babies

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We walked the dog and roused the neighborhood

I’ve told you about Poco’s tragedy. After what happened, I couldn’t bring myself to even look at Astro. It’s like seeing him in a different light. And I wondered how Sam would feel about him, if she would like him less, if she would care for him less. Sam cried for two days and two [...]

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