Meet my Family...

Ok, ok...so I have a human family too, but I wanted to introduce you to my furry, finny, feathery family. They are a big part of my everyday life and they add so much to my life as a whole. The house is never quiet and never lonely with them around.

My kitty Magic has been with me since I was 9 years old! I found her in the hay mow at the farm one Halloween. She was a spunky fuzzy kitten then and she hissed and spat at me. I chased her until she ran into a small hole in between two bales of hay and got stuck. Just her little fuzzy butt and tail were sticking out. I left her there for just a few second while I ran across the driveway into my dad's workshop to grab a pair of his heavy duty gloves (I could see a cat scratch coming a mile away). She was still stuck when I returned and I grabbed her and held her close to me until a could find a box to put her in. She also had an orange tabby brother who hardly put up a fight at all when my brother captured him. With them both in the box, we went into my Grandmother's house to call my mom...praying she'd let us bring them home. When I told her Magic was all white with blue eyes, like the fancy feast cat (a bit of a stretch from the truth) she said "yes"! My brother named Magic's brother Don Milo.

Since then she has been my best friend, my cuddle buddy, and my confidant. She's still with me today and I hope she'll be with me for years to come. :)

Then of course are the silly goldfish. I've had many goldfish in the past 8 or so years, but this big guy, Frasco, has been with me the whole way. He was full grown when someone brought him, along with several other large fish into the pet store I worked in at the time (a horrible place by the way). Since they technically didn't belong to the pet store, I brought them home. Frasco is now approximately 11 or 12 years old and still gets excited to see me everytime I walk by the tank (he hopes I'll a Cheerio in for him). He lives with Little Guy, who I rescued from the feeder fish tank at the local pet store about two years ago. They live in a 55 gallon tank in my dining room where I can feed them bits of my breakfast and dinner (they love bread, cereal, cooked veggies and fried eggs!)

Little Blue is the sole fish in my salt water tank. I have lots of polyps and limpets and tube worms and crabs, but he is the only fish! I've had him for about two years...he's a bit territorial, so I think he likes having the whole tank to himself!

Then finally I have Sam and Michelle. They're a bickering pair of budgies who never keep quiet. While they hang out in their cage alot, the door is always open (Magic's a lover, not a hunter...lol) and this is their favorite outside-the-cage hang out spot...on the cake pedestals in front of the mirror in my dining room cubby. They seem to always be annoyed with each other, yet you never see them apart. Parakeets are flock birds in the wild and like to be around other birds, even if they can't agree on anything! lol It's kind of sad to think about all of the parakeets sold individually by pet stores to live a life of solitude. It's ok if their owner is home all day to be companion, but that's rarely the case. They also need fresh greens (lettuce, broccoli, clover, dandlion leaves, etc.) almost everyday to have healthy long lives. Pet stores don't tell you this either. Grrrr...that makes me mad. These darn pet stores are only out to make a buck (I should know, I used to work at one in the mall!). The only pet store I've ever encountered that I feel good about is PetSmart. They don't sell cats and dogs (they adopt them out and then you can buy the food, supplies, etc. at their store) and they take great care of their small animals and fish. Sometimes you'll even see little treats of veggies in the fish tanks for them to eat! :)

Animals provid endless love to loving humans and are really important in the lives of many people all over the world. Good pets reduce stress levels and provide some of the best companionship around. Who doesn't love to be greeted at the door by a wagging tail? (Yes Magic runs to the door meowing to be picked up and held everytime I get home.) I hope to invite many other animals to come live with me in the future.

There are so many animals out there in need of loving homes. There are sheltors who even adopt out small animals like birds and rodents. Check your local listings for sheltor numbers. You can also donate to help animals in need by visiting ASPCA.com. It feels good to help and feel even better for the animals you'll help save. :)