It started with witnessing utter joy between an orangutan and a hound dog. Youtube videos are pleasant distractions when one is slogging through writing a novel, no? (Here’s a post about the ones I’m working on) As you can guess, my fave videos involve dogs, preferably ones that look like mine. Dogs are absolute experts at befriending anything and everything…
When I mentioned the video to a friend, she replied, “Me too! I love looking at interspecies romances.”
Is that what they’re called? Now short breaks turned into hour-long procrastinations… add in baby goats and owls and… and so it goes with YouTube… That’s why I’m sharing just one more with you — so as not to impose on your busy day, it’s got five not-so-romantic romances rolled into ten minutes…
Cute, weird, adorable, scary… what a diverse world of creatures we inhabit! Here to show us in real-life terms about the benefits of human-animal relations is Brendan Christoper, a blogger out of Derbyshire, United Kingdom. Besides writing, he’s a hands-on educator who introduces his wild menagerie to people of all ages at events, parties, and classes. Read on for how even his pets aren’t thrilled with veterinarian visits…
I’m Taking My Pet to See the Vet (Wish me luck!) by Brendan Christopher
Forest, my cat, is suspicious, so he slinks behind the sofa. Then, spying from a safe distance, he spots me fumbling with a pet carrier. There’s no turning back now.
As I creep towards Forest, I pretend to act casually. But, in one swift move, I scoop him up, place him into the box and attempt to shut the lid.
Somehow, he always manages to leave at least one paw on the outside. When I push that one in, another pops out like a jack-in-the-box. Eventually, we’re ready, and that’s when the drama begins.
To be fair, Forest is usually compliant when going to the vets — well, except for a couple of issues. One involves the journey.
He hates the motion of travel and lets out the most pathetic meow he can muster. This noise sounds like a baby in distress and is designed to wreck my emotions.
Now I’m racked with guilt as I drive. But mercifully, the journey’s short, so I’m spared any lasting trauma.
On arrival, he’s usually calmed down. However, as we cross the car park, the howling starts again because he doesn’t like the instability.
There’s just another man with a cat in the waiting area and me. I sit opposite, but the two cat boxes happen to face each other. So, naturally, we humans start complimenting each other’s pets.
Meanwhile, our cats hold a growling contest for no apparent reason. They clearly hate each other even though they’ve just met. I think to myself, ‘it’s a good job they’re on neutral ground and not meeting in a back alley’. (Or perhaps they have – who knows with cats?)
Anyway, as Forest prowls around like a big caged cat, we’re summoned. I place the box on the vet’s table and carefully unleash my feline.
Instantly, Forest makes himself look massive by fluffing up his fur and thickening his tail. However, he fails to intimidate the vet — on the contrary, she finds him cute.
All goes well until its temperature time. At this point, the vet dares to hold his bushy tail whilst inserting a thermometer. Thankfully, Forest is a gentle soul, so he tends not to bite.
Once the ordeal’s over, the vet declares him a ‘good boy’, and I beam like a proud parent.
On the way out, he looks at me as if to say, ‘And I thought I could trust you. Typical human.’
Finally arriving home, I open the carrier, and Forest shoots out. He sniffs the box, glares at me and flicks his tail in disgust — that means I’ve been snubbed. However, as soon as I stroke him (and open a packet of food), he’s back to his loving, purring self.
Well, almost… he gives me that look as if to say, ‘you’re forgiven this time, but NEVER trap me in that cat snare again!’
The only problem is I’m taking Forest for another check-up in six months. Even though I know it’s for his own good, I doubt he appreciates my efforts.
Do you have a favorite animal?
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Atlas loves to go in the car but as soon as he sees the vet office through the windshield, he starts to cry:-( But she’s so nice to him that he always gets over it quickly!
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My doggies have always seemed to somehow know quickly into the ride, but they still would rather be in the car with their people & on the way to the vet that home ❤
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Thank you for sharing!!… I use to have dogs but for a number of reasons, these days my friends are outdoors, including a independent cat… it seems that they start out as pets and end up being family… 🙂
JUST MY DOG
He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds;
My other ears that hear above the winds.
He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea.
He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being:
By the way he rests against my leg
By the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile
By the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him.
(I think it makes him sick with worry when he
is not along to care for me.)
When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive.
When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile.
When I am happy, he is joy unbounded.
When I am a fool, he ignores it.
When I succeed, he brags.
Without him, I am only another person. ,With him, I am all-powerful.
He is loyalty itself., He has taught me the meaning of devotion.
With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace.
He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant.
His head on my knee can heal my human hurts.
His presence by my side is protection against, my fears of dark and unknown things.
He has promised to wait for me…, whenever…wherever–in case I need him.
And I expect I will–as I always have.
He is just my dog.
(Author Gene Hill…)
Have a wonderful Valentines day and until we meet again..
May flowers always line your path
and sunshine light your way,
May songbirds serenade your
every step along the way,
May a rainbow run beside you
in a sky that’s always blue,
And may happiness fill your heart
each day your whole life through.
(Irish Saying)
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what a fabulous way to put it ❤
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I like most animals. As a pet I had a bird and a cat so far. My cat could not be examined when he was grown up. For vaccination I needed a cage with a double wall, with which he could be pressed firmly to the outside wall, so that the vet could give him the injection through the gaps in the cage, But that was after really bad experiences with vets.
I also adore interspecies friendships. It is more usual for animals in captivity. But even in the wild park rangers have discovered it, a real romance, between a female giraffe and a Kudu buck. They were regularly “absconding” together from their respective herds. That was in one of the big national parks in Africa.
Things are happening, the world is changing …
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sorry about the vet for you & kitty. I had a cat that would yowl so much that it unnerved me while I was driving. love the zoo story!
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You mean the giraffe-kudu story? That was not in a zoo, that was in a huge national park, no lack of same species specimens.
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even better! ❤
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I’m having a bit of trouble commenting at your site. sometimes I get so very frustrated with wordpress – I’ve tried online help chat with them but of course the prob never happens when I try to show them…
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Oh, I am sad to hear that. Would you tell me what your trouble is?
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it’s happened at several sites unfortunately, not just yours – I’ll be able to ‘like’ a post, but then when I try to comment, it keeps telling me I need to sign into WP — even tho I’m signed in, sigh
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I’m an animal lover so I’m not going to discriminate 🙂 but as a compagnion I liks dogs the most.
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I feel the say way 🙂
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Reblogged this on Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News.
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tx for the reblog, Ned!
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