A View Of Cats And Dogs From An Animal Lover’s Heart
Posted: Friday, December 30, 2011
by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html
It is a mystery that a household of siblings can grow up under very similar circumstances and from them, so many drastically different views or feelings. We were all raised among cows, mules, hogs, chickens, cats, dogs and even a few goats, ducks and geese. Some of those animals were raised for food and we all knew that meant they must die for us. Others were to produce eggs, milk, butter and to help raise vegetable foods. A way of life.
Regardless of what caused it, I learned to love every animal we had and it broke my heart each time we had to slaughter any of them for meat. Although there is great differences in animals and their capacity to interact with humans, I found that every last one of them would respond favorably to love and kindness.
I’ve even had chickens, which are usually wild and aloof with humans, which would come and eat from my hands and even a few which, if I squatted down, would come and hop upon my knees and allow me to gently rub them.
Sadly, I have killed a number of animals in my life, but I remember them each one and I suspect I will do so until my own death. I can recall killing only three dogs and they only because of circumstances which I deemed was for their own good. Those are as vivid as the day they occurred. I cannot dwell on them much or tears come into my eyes.
Dogs have always been my favorite animal and I cannot help but feel there is a human inside them that just can’t express itself or communicate with you. They have attributes which all of us should try to emulate. If you treat one properly, they love you without reservation. You can even punish or abuse one, and they only try to figure out what they did wrong that disturbed you. If one is hurt or dying, they are more concerned for your feelings than their own. I have had occasion when one was dying and I was holding him tightly. He knew he was dying but he licked my hand as if to let me know everything would be alright. They are like that. I had an older brother who had to destroy his dog one time…he shot her and she wagged her tail at him as she was drawing her last breath.
I’ve said many times and I am sincere when I say it, that I believe God gave us dogs to show us how we should be. Thankful, full of love, forgiving sincerely and appreciative of any expression of love, even a pat on the head. There have been thousands of times in my life that I would have given anything to have had the ability to convey to some of my animals how much I loved them. Even my little House Finch “Little Bit” who used to sing so beautifully for my pleasure (I’m sure). I would open her cage and she was a little frightened when she came out but would fly to my shoulder and sit quietly while I typed on my computer.
Now, we are down to only having two cats, but there is a stray one which has fallen in love with me, that I have been feeding outside. I am currently considering having her spayed and adding her to the family. I still throw out bread crumbs and bird seed for the wild birds, but most have deserted us because of so many cats. Not ours, but strays. This neighborhood, is a favorite one for those who are getting rid of cats. The street is very quite and they drop them regularly.
Our oldest cat, Tillie, was a stray which I befriended and took her and one of her baby kittens in, a year or so ago, stays in my office (junk room) behind me across the room laying on a shelf. When I leave to go to the grocery store or some other place, she just about goes insane while I am gone and will find a window overlooking my driveway and wait for my return. Cats are not the same as dogs, not nearly as humble and forgiving, but they truly do love you and can’t help but worry about you.
My wife sometimes comes into my junked room and talks rather loudly to me, partly her nature and partly because I can no longer understand her if she doesn’t. But when she does this, Tillie is very shortly over at my desk mewing consoling messages to me. She honestly thinks my wife is possibly bothering me. I believe that extreme bonding she has towards me, goes back to when she was a skinny, pregnant stray which I fed and petted and finally fixed a box with bedding in our outbuilding for her to give birth…which she gladly obliged. Her life at that time was very uncertain for her and now she gets 3 square meals inside a warm house and a sunny window to lay and remember. I wish I could relieve all of the stray dogs and cats of their worries and give them a happy home…but I can’t.
I have written several previous articles concerning my animals. If you care to read any, here are three numbers:
swa269648
swa270000
swa412905
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Thanks for the view. Yes- we remember all pets and all kills.Thanks Jack, for reading and the comment.
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