Rats? On The Other Hand

The last post was about the menace of rats.    https://crookedcreek.live/2019/06/12/rats/   Rats in the city, rats in the house or on the farm can be real pests, but as with most things in life, there is a flip side.

Rats Make Affectionate Pets!

My granddaughter, Kate, and her husband, Tom, live in a flat in Cheltenham in the UK that does not allow cats or dogs. Kate has always had several pets from the time she was born and could not imagine living very long without one or more. So, a couple of months ago they adopted two rats and here they are: 

Meet Sergio and Earic (he’s the one with prominent ears!) These Fancy Rats were purchased from a pet store and are now part of the family in Kate and Tom’s home.  Kate says they are very smart animals and can learn commands such as fetch, spin, jump and come. They are not picky eaters and are easy to care for. Sergio is seen in the picture above in one of his favorite places, riding on Kate’s shoulder. Earic is here with Tom. 

Earic & Sergio

 

So before we become too opinionated about any subject it probably pays to learn more and to have more experiences. I look forward to meeting Sergio and Earic in person when I return to England!

 

“I do feel like by buying rats from a pet store, you are saving them because if not, they would get fed to a snake or something.” Nikki Reed

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Looking Back

Do You Remember?

• Sprinkling laundry and refrigerating it in a plastic bag before ironing? Do you even remember ironing?
• Cars not having air-conditioning, turn signals, seat belts nor heaven help us, cup holders?
• Dialing a telephone, i.e., spinning that dial with one finger?
• Car hops who delivered your food order which you then ate in the car?
• Visiting folks without calling before dropping in?
• When you kept up with relatives and friends by writing letters, known today as snail mail? 

• Blue Laws which required businesses to stay closed on Sunday? And, then later when they were allowed to open only after church “let out” at noon?
• Women not wearing pants to church or much of anywhere else? I remember the first nurse who wore a pants uniform in our city. There was an article and photo in the local newspaper!
•  When cameras had both film and flashbulbs? 

• When schools had recess?
• Books were not audible?
• When passengers smoked on airplanes during flight?
• Farmers (usually the wife) killing their chickens for food? 
• When unwanted pets were “dropped”?  Sadly, it still happens today. Here’s one named Jackson that was fortunate enough to be found and adopted.

I Remember

And the list could go on and on.  I make no judgment. For the most part, I like the ways things are today and I love technology. That does not mean I don’t grow nostalgic at times thinking about how some things were in the past. 

Cats

Photo by Kate Puckett Elliott – Australia

 

Advice 

Never go to a place where rescued animals are up for adoption unless you are planning to adopt. It can be heartbreaking. It can lead to a dysfunctional relationship. 

2006

Several months after the unexpected death of our beloved cat, eight-year-old Annie, we felt we were ready to adopt another cat. We went to Shamrock Foundation http://shamrockpets.com to select another cat who would hopefully be as loving as Annie. We did not find that cat on our first visit but we filled out adoption papers listing personal references and our veterinarian and agreeing to a home visit if requested. We wanted to be ready when “our” cat appeared.  

In a few days, we received a call that a nice young “tortie” was available. We had no idea what that term meant, but soon learned it is short for tortoiseshell. These cats are usually a combination of two dark colors with little or no white and the pattern is somewhat like that of the shell of a tortoise. Fun fact, they are almost always female, because the few males born are usually sterile. 

We went in to see this “tortie” who had been brought to the shelter because her owner had too many cats to care for. We watched as she played with balls and string and after about an hour decided to adopt this little girl who still had stitches intact from her recent spaying. 

Meet Zoe

2008

While shopping for supplies for Zoe at a pet store we accidentally stumbled into a nest of large cages containing cats for adoption. The Humane Society of Kentucky https://www.kyhumane.org from an adjoining county had about a dozen cats there. I tried to ignore them, but it was impossible. While standing by one cage a large caramel and white cat stretched out his paw through the grid and gently touched me. I instinctively stuck one finger inside the cage to rub the top of his head. That was an action that sealed our future as a family. 

After much deep consideration and discussion with my husband and friends, I knew I had to return for that cat. Long story short, (I know, too late!) We became a two cat household. Twice as much litter to scoop, hairballs to clean up and vet bills to pay.

Unfortunately, I did not consult Zoe. She would have clearly said “NO!” Little did I know that male and female cats (especially those who have been “fixed”) are not going to get along well. 

Meet Elliott 

 

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