RIP Abby, 2009 = 2026

 My 17 year old black cat, Abby, died this morning.   I knew she was going over the rainbow bridge.   She didn't eat for 3 days.   I put her on a nice warm towel and sat down with her yesterday and talked to her.   It's never easy losing a beloved pet.

We have a year old kitten now, Cassie, who our dog found on our side porch about this time last year in 106 degree heat.   I heard a squawking sound and he had picked her up in his mouth when I let him out for a potty break!   Fortunately, he's mostly a lab mix, so he does have a soft mouth, and I told him, "DROP IT!" (a command which he KNOWS) and out she tumbled onto the hot cement.  I scooped her up with her umbilical cord still attached, rushed her inside, put her on hubby's lap, ran up to the nearest PETCO, and bought kitten replacement formula and we got her started on that.   We never did find her mother.   I actually took her out back and set her (in the shade) on our back lawn and stayed with her while she screamed, thinking her momma might show up, but no cat did, so she is now our indoor cat.   We got her spayed and she sleeps with me and the dog most nights on the bed.   I can hardly roll over! She greets me every morning now and comes for rubs.

Hubby and I are at the point where our 8 year old lab mix just may be our last dog.   We don't know if we have that many years left for another dog, although I wouldn't mind eventually getting a senior one.   I still have 3 of my horses and, honestly, I only get up to visit them maybe twice a year.   It's a 35 minute drive on a very dangerous, narrow 2 lane road and there have been a lot of accidents up on it lately.   They have excellent care, so I don't worry about them and they get annual vet visits, shots, dental work, and they get their feet trimmed.   So, they are in good hands.  I wish I could visit them more frequently, but, after COVID, I just do NOT have the energy.   Most days a trip to the grocery store is ALL I can handle and even then I'm wiped out the next day.

So, it appears our pet ownership days might be ending in a few years.   Our dog is getting older and he's a larger breed, so I expect he will be with us maybe another 2 years.   After that, who knows?

/cd

Our lab mix, Bodie...

Cassie "helping" me with my fabrics. She is 1 year old now.