Why am I hurting so deeply over the inevitable loss of Kai, which his vets say will happen only weeks from now? I guess to those who love their animal family members, that is mostly obvious. For me, it goes deeper. Many people say that they “would not be here if not for their animals”. For me, however, that is not just a sentimental metaphor, or even a deeply ingrained feeling. It is a literal truth.
Category: Animals
This Little Kitty
We’ve been adopted. We are held at a distance, and she is terribly afraid. Those who rescue animals often talk about the “baggage” they come with. Well, this kitty has brought the whole darned baggage compartment with her, the poor thing.
Another (Brand) Bites The Dust
Were you a Merrick user? Have you decided to switch, now that you know they will be a Purina product from now on? If you are switching, what brands are you considering? Are you going to stay with Merrick and see if they make good on their promises in the long-term?
2015’s Rehab Failure: Imprinting in Baby Wildlife
On my Animal Family page, I describe briefly how my pet Starlings and House Sparrows arrived in my life. In addition to the various other animal-servant hats I wear, I’m also a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. In particular, I care for baby songbirds, raising them for release back into the wild. Most of the time, this…
The Truth About Starlings
Not long ago, I was watching an episode of a DVR-recorded television show in the den. The television is near our large aviary. Stars likes to sit on a high rope perch, where she can look down at the screen. An email came through on my cell phone, so I paused the playback for a few minutes to tend to it.
Stars, began to chatter. She started with, “Hi, Hi, Hello, Hi.” After each greeting, I absentmindedly responded in kind. Finally, sounding quite insistent and even frustrated, she blurted out, “I see to Mommy’s TV!”
Apparently she was growing impatient that I had paused her show. I pressed Play, and she happily returned to watching the program.
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