It's strange the patterns that animals create. Stan and I went through various permutations of cats and dogs in our life: 1985: cat; 1986: cat cat; 1991: cat cat dog; 1991: cat cat dog cat; 1996: cat cat dog cat dog; 1998: cat dog cat dog; 1998: cat dog cat dog cat; 2001: dog cat dog cat; 2003: cat dog cat; 2003: cat dog cat dog. That last permutation, Persephone, Plato, Caligula and Lucifer Sam seemed the best. Everyone got along so well, there were no tifs or rivalries, as each of those pets had come into our household when we had at least one cat and one dog, so they adapted well. They could be then divided into other permutations: the old animals (Persephone and Plato), the young animals (Caligula and Lucifer Sam); the solid-colored animals (grey Persephone and black Lucifer Sam) and the white bibbed and booted animals (Plato and Caligula); and of course the cats (Persephone and Caligula) and the dogs (Plato and Lucifer Sam).

Now there is a new permutation. They are unable to pair up, as now there are only three. They are the boys, two dogs and a cat. Caligula seems to ft in so well with the dogs--they are all the same general size. They each have something that distinguishes them...The Pug is the heaviest. Plato is the tallest. Caligula is the fattest. But they're all around the same general size. And they look like a pack. Three Amigos. The Good, The Bad, and the Snuggly, and all three share those three different qualities at one time or another.

We had Persephone put to sleep around 4pm today.

I don't know what will be next. It's a bit odd me being the ONLY female mammal in a house full of males. Males, when neutered, do seem to make the best pets though. But I'm not against getting another female cat either. I'm also indifferent to color. (It must be short-haired, though...no more long-haired cats due to allergies). I'm in no hurry. I think maybe a vacation will be therapeutic. We'll pack up all the boys and travel, and not worry about leaving a sick cat at home who has to be medicated.

I held her in my lap as the vet injected the needle. I could feel all the tenseness and stiffness leave her body as she went limp, and I was glad I did it so she wasn't so sad anymore.

Labels: Animals