Family Pets - question for all Pet Talk people

[Karen]

Just a question of curiosity ... were previous generations of your family "pet people" as well? Mine, of course, were, and we grew up hearing stories of Dad's bulldogs, and bunnies, and pets from his neighborhood, as well as Ma's Mastiff mix who chomped her strawberry basket because she pretended to nibble it ... and other dogs and horses of hers.

I think the oldest generation pet photo is one I found going through Great Aunt Bertha's things - I have a blurry - because she wouldn't hold still - photo that MUST be Lorna Doone, the Scottie, as my great-grandmother tries to hold her in her lap for the picture. I had heard stories of the mischief of Lorna Doone, so the fact that the photo isn't clear because she wasn't cooperating just fits the stories!

[kitten645]

My parents are from Argentina and I've heard stories. My mom had a cat named Mono (Bow/Ribbon) cause she put a bow on it's tail. I guess her brothers (all older out of eight kids) would tie fire crackers to it's tail and my mom was so traumatized by it. By the same token, she used to yell at me when we were arriving at some international hotel on holiday and I'd be squeeling about the cat on the tarmac! LOL!
My dad was pretty typical for his day I guess. Professed no like of animals but I'd see him talking and petting our various cats growing up. He did tell of stories of turkeys, chickens and Llamas growing up. He always told the funny story of the Llama sticking his head thru an open window and swallowing a bunch of parts off my grandma's sewing machine :eek:
Family on my mom's side are also horse people and I loved visiting and being "given" my own horse. I only rode him one summer I was there but I loved that horse. *sigh*

[kittycats_delight]

From as far back as I remember there have always been pets in the family. My grandmother loved her cats (both my father's mom & my mother's mom). My grandfather breed and raised horses and my uncle did the same. My great grandmother (father's side) also loved her kitties. She always had a persian or 2. My father was the only one of the lot who was not an animal person. He liked his hounds for hunting but that was it. He was a mean little monster when he was young with the cats until my grandmother caught him. When she did she was mortified and broke a broom across his back as he started to run off and she couldn't get her hands on him. I think he is lucky it was the broom and not her hands.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

My Grandad was a great one for taking in stray dogs - Mum has clear memories of all sorts coming home on the end of a bit of string :D

[joycenalex]

my mom grew up during the depression in detroit ,she didn't have any pets, times were too hard for her family. while my mother did adjust to the idea of her "granddogs"-alex first them lady (brothers' beagle) she didn't know how to pet or cuddle them. 5 years ago, my sister, who lives with her got a very small mixed breed- stuart- and mom finally fell under the spell of dogs. she now carries dog cookies in her pockets to share with the dogs in her senior apartment complex.

[Ginger's Mom]

Interesting thread. Joyce's post about her mother reminds me very much of my grandmother. Although my Mother did have a dog when she was a teenager (an Eskie as a matter of fact), it was she and her father that took care of the dog. Grandmom never really knew what to do with the dog, but when she got older and moved in with my parents she started carrying dog biscuits around in her pocket. :) My father never had a pet growing up, and even when we were children his rule was no four legged pets. Actually, when I was young we had a rabbit, then we had a dog for about a year and a half (all when I was under 10 years of age). But after we got rid of that dog (my father was worried our nasty neighbor, a police officer, would hurt the dog), my father said no more four legged pets, so we had birds and fish. It's funny, because they were in their 60's my parents adopted a beagle from the shelter, and spoiled her like a baby. :)

[Medusa]

I wish I could say 'yes' but my parents didn't have pets. My father spoke of a dog that he knew of when he was a boy who used to chew gum and spit it out in a corner of the room and go back for it later but it wasn't my father's dog, I don't think. I'm not sure how I grew to be such an animal lover. I was always dragging some cat or dog and said that it followed me home. I think it might have something to do w/lack of money when they were growing up, although I'm not sure about that.

[Killearn Kitties]

All my Dad's family were animal lovers. They always had dogs and cats at home while he was growing up. There are photos of several of the animals in amongst the old family photos.

My Mum's family had a few cats over the years, although my Mum herself was not a big animal person when younger. She is more fond of them now. Mum never really wanted me to have animals when I was young, because I'd be upset when they died - big believer in prevention rather than cure my mother.

[Freedom]

My Mum was the huge animal lover. She grew up with cats. My grandmother (her mum) would walk around with one draped over her shoulders. For YEARS this was how grandma walked around when home and in the house.

My Dad grew up with animals as well. Times were different. Mostly, dogs did not come in the house, the exception being my Dad's dog, Tago. Dad was the youngest, so he finally got the 'rules' changed, te hee. They had cats, semi ferals who lived in the cellar and went in and out a cellar window. Mostly, the cats could not be handled. Kittens were disposed of in the river. :( Pets were not spayed / neutered, that just wasn't very common at that time in the area.

For many years they had a chicken farm; at its peak, over 28,000 chickens, For both eggs and eating. The chickens were better cared for than the kids, was the joke in the family. It was free range, with coops, for nests. Dad and his siblings went daily to gather eggs. The chicken farm got the family through the Depression; tough times.

[Cincy'sMom]

Obviously, my parents are pet people :)

My mom had dogs growing up. All of my mom's siblings have or had pets, as do most of my cousins.

My dad didn't have pets growing up. His sisters don't have pets. I only have two cousins on his side, and only 1 of those has pets, but they are recent additions.

I don't know if Ralph's parents had pets growing up or not, but he did have a dog. His parents don't have a dog now, although they love the grandpets and are always willing to watch them.

[pitc9]

I hear stories about when my dad was young and they had dogs, but they were left tied outside and the kids were not permitted to play with the dogs so that the dogs would be "mean" and protect them. :( Then when/if any kid got snapped at or bitten, my grandfather would. "Take the dog for a walk in the woods with a gun" :( It's hard to hear those stories and not feel anger towards him (my grandfather) but it's also hard to be angry with a man who I've never met! He died before I was born.

My mom grew up on a farm, they raised chickens but I don't ever remember hearing stories about any other animals.

As far back as I can remember growing up, we always had cats & dogs.
After raising 4 kids, they have the house to themselves now and have one of each now! I'm SURE they wouldn't want it any other way! Between me and my 3 sisters we have 7 dogs and 3 cats!

When I sent Toby to the bridge 11 months ago, my dad said something that I'll never forget. He told me that he misses Toby more than he missed his dad when he died.

[Taz_Zoee]

I'm not sure if my parents had animals growing up. But I do know my mom's mom always had a cat or two around. And my dad's mom had dogs. The two I remember were Bandit the pug and Benny the poodle.
But I ALWAYS had animals growing up. We had cows, pigs, horses, chickens, turkeys, dogs, cats, bunnies, goats (for a short time) and my sister had a bird for some years. Of course we always had a goldfish for a few months after the local fair came through town.
Most of the cows, pigs and chickens we had butchered and filled our freezers. (sorry:() We never named the ones we knew would be food eventually. Of course we had the ones we did name and those remained pets. :)

[cmayer31]

Both my parents had dogs most of the lives, and my grandparents on my mom's side also had dogs. As far back as I can remember most of my relatives have had dogs. I guess I've done a good job keeping up the tradition. :)

[Laura's Babies]

I don't ever remember there not being a cat in the house. We had Tippy when we were very young, Pretty when we were older. My Grandmother always had a cat that she named from the Bible. You all know I have my Mom's kitty Boo right now, so I guess you could say we are generations of pet lovers. All my kids also have pets and so do my brother and sister.

[shepgirl]

Grandparents had horses and dogs, uncles had a dog and we had cats and dogs come and go as kids. We would drag home strays "just to give them a meal"- they ended up staying...

[ramanth]

Yep.

My dad had a Basenji as a boy. I think they had some cats too.

My mom grew up with cats and Springer Spanials.

After my parents married they had 2 Irish Setters (Rusty died when I was 8).

Grandparents had daushaunds (before my mom was born), cats, Springers, and a Doberman that I remember fondly.

I grew up with cats. Losing the Setters was hard on my parents (Shane was stolen and killed; Rusty died young of bloat :( ) so despite how much my sisters and I begged, they never got dogs again.

Which is why my sisters and I adopted dogs soon after moving out on our own. :D

[Edwina's Secretary]

We called my mother Dr. Doolittle because she fed so many animals. We had two dogs in the house, cats that were indoor/outdoor/barn cats, and horses. At one time there were three dogs. My mother also fed a flock of wild turkeys, the horses next door, and other assorted wild animals. She has always been an animal person. She had dogs growing up and my father had a dog as a child.

Even though my parents are in their 80's they still must have a dog to make their life complete.

[IRescue452]

My grandmother grew up on a farm where they only had use for working animals. When she was about 10 her dog had puppies and her father made her drown them because they couldn't afford to have puppies around. Then when I was growing up I had an aunt my age who had bunnies (we were like 7). We always though they grew up and died but it turned out my grandmother had them slaughtered for meat once they got big. She just let us think they were pets as they were growing. They had a little dachshund at the time because it was a birthday present for my aunt. It barked a lot and I remember once seeing my grandmother out a window whipping the dog for barking. They ended up taking the dog to the vet to be put down when my aunt was in school, because it had one cancerous tumor and they didn't want to deal with vet bills. They told my aunt that the dog ran away.

Now my grandmother has two dogs that she loves, but she still could be a better pet owner, though I don't think she's ever whipped a dog again. My step-grandfather never had pets and still doesn't like them in the living room or on furniture, though he pets the dogs and laughs at their antics.

My grandfather on my mom's side has had several cocker spaniels he adores, but he hates cats and he always used to torment us kids with stories about swinging them by the tail and throwing them.

I don't remember anybody on my dad's side ever having pets. Not so much as a fish.

My mom and her brother were the pet people who always brought home different pets. The older two aunts didn't have pets until a few years ago. One now has two chihuahuas and a shepherd mix, the other has two min pin mixes or something like that, I've never met them. Both profess to absolutely adore their dogs.

[jazzcat]

My Dad (who is almost 86) grew up in a very small, poor farming community. His Dad, although never formally trained, was considered the animal doctor in the area. He helped care for everyone's farm animals and pets. Unfortunately he died when I was 5 years old so I didn't get to know him but my Dad says I inherited his love of animals.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

No one in my family is really big into animals like I am. My parents did have two cats before I was born and when I was very small (until they passed away) but other than that, the only pets we had growing up were the ones I BEGGED my parents for (a cat and a guinea pig).

Naturally, when I moved on my own I got the pets that I always wanted! :)

No one else in my family is really a big animal lover but I think my nephew is turning into one! He loves coming over to our house to play with our dogs and cats. It's really cool. :)

[mruffruff]

My Dad was always the one who loved the stray animals that came to our house. We lived in a rural area where there were more wild things than tame.

At one time, we had a cat that my Dad swore was part bobcat because he was so big. He was the right color, too. In those days, cats weren't kept strictly indoors. He wandered off one day, never to return.

Dad was a good one for rescuing the local chipmunks and squirrells. He would bring them into the house to doctor whatever ailed them. When they were well, he'd release them back into the woods/yard.

We usually had a dog, mostly in the yard. They never seemed to wander off. None were particularly memorable. All were free, mutts from someone's litter.

Neither of my sets of grandparents had animals, except for chickens (for eggs & food).

After my mother's death, I learned that she was the one who loved animals the most. I always thought she just put up with them for my Dad's sake.

I guess I'm passing on the tradition. I have 12 cats and two dogs. My daughter has always had dogs, and now a cat.

I think I got carried away!

[Husky_mom]

actually I´m the "nutcase" of the family LOL..... the one and only... ;)

my mom and dad did had dogs but they were not theirs, they were the family dog....
my mom parents had 2-3 dogs (a GSD, a maltese mix and a heinz) while my mom was a kid and since they died they never got more for them... my grandma however had a couple mini poodles all her "seniorship"..... and a few canaries, I had been told she always had had birds (budgies, canaries)... so she was sort of a nutcase too. until the day she died... canaries left died next day she passed and dogs were taken by an uncle who later on gave them away :mad: (wasn´t i here??!!)...

my dads parents had 2 dogs also a weimaraner and a heinz that came and stood by.... they kept them till they pass and no other pet was ever in the house..

as for me, I had small critters since I can recall: chicken, duck, turtles, fish, hamster (my mom freaked when i got him LOL), tarantula, bunnies, cats, birds, even a few foster dogs ....etc... I even bought my own first "real" dog (real as in meaning mine) a Sibe mix... which died two days later to parvo..

but 10 years of constant begging payed off.... I got my first Sibe!!! and you know the story I have had them since so 19 almost 20 years being owned by them.... wouldn´t have it any other way...

and all this years I´ve had them I´ve also have had...well, my actual birds, bettas, a turtle, a bunny....and hoping to increase the crew and drive hubby even crazier... LOL

[gemini9961]

Yep we are pet people too. Growing up my dad had a GSD Max. My Dad also found this little poodle mix, her name was Muffin. I was young when they were around but I do remember them. We got our cats Smokey and Midnight in 1986. Midnight had to be PTS years ago (jaw tumor) and Smokey (RIP) died early this past Saturday morning in my Mom's arms, she was 22. My parents now have another GSD, Shiloh and a terrier mix Kody (he's actually my brother's dog). My parent's also have 2 cats too. My aunt's and uncles have dogs, cousins have dogs, in-laws have dogs and cats. I have always had pets, but mostly dogs and cats. As soon as I moved out with my now husband we got Sadie 2 months after moving into our apartment. Now we are up to 3 dogs and a house. :D I'm pretty sure I will always have pets around.

[Pam]

Good thread! There was always a dog in the house when I was growing up. There was also the occasional bunny, baby chicks and even a couple of chameleons. We never had a cat, though. My mom grew up on a farm in Virginia and animals were a big part of her life, though she remembers her dogs as being mostly outside dogs. :( My dad used to talk about a little Doxy that he had as a child called Fritzi. I even have a picture of Fritzi to this day.

I think my generation takes much better care of our animals (more "well visits" for innoculations, etc. to the vets, and better food) than my parents' generation. My mom's dogs were all fed table scraps but lived good long lives.

[Louie and me]

My grandmother always had a dog. The first I remember was a black cocker spaniel called Pip. When Pip died she got a mutt called Rusty. My niece now has a cat called Maisie and my brother and sister in law just lost their springer spaniel Cody.
My parents, parents in law and sister were never "pet" people and while they tolorated our various dogs, they were not exactly enthusiastic. Too bad - they don't know what they missed.

[moosmom]

Growing up I had TONS of pets. Turtles, gerbils, parakeets and two Airedale Terriers, Tinker's Terror and Samantha Nikki (Father and daughter). I also used to bring home alot of injured pigeons. That just about does it.

[DJFyrewolf36]

My parents have always had pets :D I have fond memories of my dads fish breeding projects and the dogs we always had. Growing up, there were at least three dogs! At one point we had four, but one sadly went to the RB because one of my brothers friends left the front gate open and he got out and a car hit him :(. My parents had cats too and my mom has always been a bird person. Not to mention the rats and lizards I had too ;) I even kept grasshoppers lol.

My parents love animals, and love having them around. Both sides of my family are decendants of farmers and always believed that treating the animals right was the best way. My dad had vaious pets growing up and my mom had horses I know for sure.
My parents still have (or are owned by more accurately) birds, fish and two dogs. Mom even has a chicken ;)

[Jessika]

I think my past generations have always had pets, and not just the "pet" pet but honestly loved their animals... but I'm the first HUGE animal nut I believe. Most of my family members take care of their pets and take them to see the vet annually but probably don't know anything about animal care or needs past training, feeding and watering lol

[Suki Wingy]

I don't think I'm related to one person, at least not for three generations who DOESN'T like animals of some sort. My great grandma used to tell me about the dogs she had, and they had several cats when my great grandpa was alive. My grandparents on my mom's side love animals and always have. They just adopted a puppy. :) My grandpa was an army surgeon and while they were staying in Okinawa, (Japan) they rescued a dog named Lucy, who they took home to Iowa with them. Growing up my mom always had multiple dogs, cats, birds, and my aunt made sure there were plenty of guinea pigs.
Now all of my aunts and uncle also have multiple pets. My uncle and his wife have been on a waiting list for a Eurasier for about a year now.

On my dad's side, my grandpa retrained abused horses and my grandma used to ride before she got married. She said my grandpa made her quit riding english since he was a 'cowboy'. (What a silly thing to do!) My dad even dug up a photo of my great grandpa, apparently he kept playing truant in order to go to the barn. :) My grandma later managed a racehorse, she still talks about her. My dad was the true ecologist though. He spent his childhood days catching snakes and reading college level books on animals. He even took a baby crow from its nest and raised it, his Archie. While that was a dumb thing to do, he succesfully raised Archie into a healthy adult crow who was more like a free ranging partner in crime than a pet. My dad was even crazy enough to keep a constrictor in his yard and bought two dosen chickens and let them loose for the snake to hunt and eat.

Even my step-parents each had animals growing up.

[Grace]

Neither of my parents had pets growing up. My mother did allow us (my brother and I) to have one cat when we were in grade school. But after she died, there were no others.

I must have always loved cats. There is a picture of me, when I was maybe 3, sitting in a haystack surrounded by cats - and I was smiling.

My brother had a black lab, Pal, for years. He took her everywhere - to work, to the nursing home to visit my mother, out on his boat. He was devastated when she died.

And I've had cats all my adult life. When Douglas and I got married, we did get a dog - he had grown up with cocker spaniels. Jenny was a Westie mix - a cruelty case at age 3 months. She lived to the ripe old age of 15. Now we have 6 cats.

[shais_mom]

my mom and her side lived on a farm so they didn't have indoor pets - didn't really 'believe' in them. They had outside dogs and cats. And a pony at one time I believe.
My dad on the other hand - had baby pigs and lambs in the house - the token goose at a time.
Several dogs and cats. He still talks about their dog Trude who Grandpa used to let upstairs to wake him up and she didn't stop until she'd pushed him out of bed. He still talks about TC - (Top Cat) a cat they had that was 38 inches from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail who used to box with my grandpa when he tied his shoes, until Grandpa came away with bloody knuckles. And the time dad had spent the nite with friends at a Marathon Horror movies at the drive in and as he was putting the car away TC jumped from the rafters of the barn on top of his shoulders! And he didn't stop until he was upstairs under the covers - he left the barn door open as well as the house door!
Another time he had a bottle baby lamb that my great-great-grandma used to feed in her rocking chair. Well, that baby lamb turned into a 150 pound buck and Dad brought him into the house and he saw my great Great Grandma in her rocker and got all excited and came running at her and jumped into her lap- and knocked her and the chair clean over! my dad took off upstairs with the buck in close pursuit!!
The nite my grandma died we said that there were probably so many animals in her room to follow her to the Bridge that there wasn't room in there for anyone else! And she was buried with a copy of the Rainbow Bridge.

[chocolatepuppy]

I grew up with cats and dogs. The cats were outside cats, they could come in the house, but no litter box, they had to go outside. Most of them would disappear after a while.:(
The dogs were my dad and brother's hunting dogs. They too lived outside. I do remember when it got extremely cold outside the dogs came in the basement.
When I was seven my parents got a poodle! I thought he was all mine!;) Of course, he was a house dog.
We had rabbits, mice, and fish also over the years. When I was a teen my now hubby, got me a few ducks!
So no wonder I love animals.:) Great thread Karen.;)

[Hellow]

My Dad's dad had a ton of beagles and used to hunt with them. My moms mom hated animals so obviously not a animal person!

[critter crazy]

My grandmother was the only one that I can think of that had pets. She had toy poodles. I had a cat at one point while growing up, but that was all till I was a teen, and my mom married my stepdad, and he had a chihuahua mix. I have always loved animals, just never realy got to have any till I was an adult. then of course I went nuts, and had to have them all!!! To hubbys dismay! LOL!!:D

[CountryWolf07]

Yes.

My grandparents had a Black Lab, then a Chichuahua - My mom's parents.. My dad's parents always had dogs - from a Basset Hound to Beagles to Bloodhound to Alaskan Malamute..

Always been around dogs. :)

[Karen]

It's funny, this thread made me think of my paternal Grandma, my beloved Grandma. She obviously loved dogs, as Dad grew up with bulldogs, but when she came to live with us after Grandpa died, we had our German Shepherd, Sheba. Well, Grandma really didn't think dogs belonged on the furniture - not the sofa, and not beds. After the first time she came in the living room to find Sheba asleep on the couch and scolded her (poor thing, she didn't know new person meant new rules) she never found her there again. Did Sheba still sit and sleep on the couch? Of course! But even deep asleep, she'd somehow hear Grandma coming, slide down and curl up on the floor, and at least pretend to be sound asleep. So Grandma might find a warm, dog-shaped spot on the couch, replete with fine black dog hairs, but she was never able to scold Sheba again!

(Oh, and how do I know she really did love dogs? Well, Sheba was never pear-shaped until Grandma came to live with us!)

[Catlady711]

I think I'm about the only true pet lover in my family. Some of my relatives "like" animals and have owened one or two at some point, but I think I'm the only one that feels lonely without a pet.

[Argranade]

My cousin and aunt are huge pet lovers.

They had dogs, cats, bunnies, birds, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters and who knows what else lol.

My grandparents had a dog, a budgie and a pigeon that would follow them all the time.

Both my parents had a pigeon that would follow them, dogs, cockatiels, bunnies ect...

Growing up my parents were never involved with animals, but that changed when I was born lol.

[Catty1]

Dad grew up with at least one dog...one of the favourite 'family debates' that lasted for YEARS concerned what breed Min (the dog) was. Just one of those questions you hear at all the family events over the years, and there is never an answer, and that's ok!;) I don't recall they had any more animals...one uncle had a cat, my Dad and Mom had two cats at a time, and two Golden Retrievers later on. My sister and I were cat nuts, and have always had them in pairs - my sister went for Oriental breeds, the cats that would not be kept for breeding, and I always rescued.

My mom's side - she grew up on a farm, so there were cats and a couple of dogs. She loved the horses, and still loves them - she says horses are 'just like cats'. :)

I remember we went out to my grandma's farm (mom's mom) one time, and almost all the cats had distemper...Dad had to take care of them by shooting them...at least, with his cop training, it was quick. :( This was in Glenella Manitoba, literally in the middle of NOWHERE...the closest vet would have been at least two hours. :(

Many of my cousins on my dad's side have pets - but almost none on my mom's side.

Neat thread, Karen.

[cassiesmom]

There were two meezers in my family when my brother and sister were little. I believe my great grandparents had a dog. An aunt and uncle had a dog and another aunt has two cats.

[Cincy'sMom]

I think most of these pictures have been posted before...quite a long time ago, but they are some the pets fromthe past.

Me about 30 years ago, with one of the 2 dogs my parents had before children, Simon
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf35b3127ccebfa52b1d8cad00000036100AbM3LVi3cuG Lg

My dad with Mickey and Simon
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf35b3127ccebfa52b000d8000000036100AbM3LVi3cuG Lg

My grandma and one of their dogs, Toby
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf35b3127ccebfa52b8d8c3d00000036100AbM3LVi3cuG Lg

My aunt and Pierre
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf35b3127ccebfa52b058cb500000035100AbM3LVi3cuG Lg

My grandma and Sooty, My aunt's dog (Sooty is one of the first dogs I really remember from childhood)
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf35b3127ccebfa52ba40d2400000036100AbM3LVi3cuG Lg

[Casper]

I don't recall anyone in my ancestry to be pet people aside from a few on my dad's side.

My Dad, of course, was one of the biggest animal lovers I ever met. I could probably name off every animal he has ever had after hearing his stories so many times(and I never got tired of them, either!). While going through some stuff in the garage we came across a paper of his from when he was in grade-school, just learning how to write. It was all about his horse he had growing up and how he loved her so so so much. :) It was really sweet.

My grandmum(Dad's mum) especially had a love for dogs. She was not too awfully old when she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis. At that time she had a dog that never ever left her side. He walked right beside her wherever she went and would nudge her hand until he knew she had a steady grip on his collar.

My great aunt, who took care of and watched out for my dad in his late teenage years, was the biggest cat lover... ever. I have heard a lot of stories about her, but the one that stuck out the most was the fact that when she died, her will stated that all the money in her possession(which was a very nice sum) was to go to a particular cat rescue.

I like to be reminded of all the stories I have heard about my family... its nice to know my sister and I are not the only animal lovers!

[krazyaboutkatz]

My dad didn't have any dogs or cats but he did have a few pet rats. His father also had a pet rabbit and I think he let it in the house because it was litterbox trained.:)

I heard stories that my mom was constantly bringing home stray cats and maybe even a few dogs. I don't think that her mom and dad liked this very much though. I do remember my grandmother telling my mom that she couldn't believe that we would allow our cat to eat off of plates that we would use.

I know that my Uncle,which is my mom's brother, has a dog so he's also an animal lover. My dad loves cats now but he and my mom don't have any animals at the moment because they travel quite a bit.

Both of my SIL's are very allergic to cats so they'll never have any.:( One of my SIL's is also allergic to dogs so it doesn't look good for allowing my neice or nephew to have any furry animals.:(

My brother and his family,who live in San Diego,finally have a dog. They also have a snake and few frogs.:) His son is a huge animal lover and he wanted to go visit a dairy for his birthday so he could see the cows. He did get his wish.:)

I've always loved animals and I was lucky that we always had some kind of animal when I was growing up.:) As most of you know,cats are my favorite. I know that in my family, I'm known as the crazy cat lady but I don't care.:)

[BC_MoM]

My dad's side is really into horses, my mom's side have been dog owners, but not real lovers. But our family has turned my grandparents and the rest of her siblings into true dog lovers ever since we got our three. :)

[joycenalex]

karen, i laughed at reading about the oval warm spot. I'd come home early some days, and I'd find the dogs/cats sleep spot (varied by size) warm in areas where they shouldn't be(like my pillow:eek:)

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

We always had 1 or 2 cats when I was a kid. I don't think though that one of my parents had pets. My mom was a city girl, living in a very small house, together with 4 other kids.
My dad was born in the city too, his parents had a butchery. No pets either, I think.
My brother has a cat and a rabbit.
My sisters has 1 dog, and 4 horses.

[sirrahved]

My dad had animals growing up, for sure. I am certain his parents had them as well. They both lived on farms.

My grandma tells of a dog that they had when my dad was young. The dog had learned when a certain show's theme song came on that the school bus was about to bring his kids home. As soon as the song came on the TV he'd jump up and watch out the window.

[lizbud]

We were not able to have pets when we were children. My Dad's
people had a black Chow but it was never allowed inside. It was kept
chained to his doghouse next to a shed. Mom's people were farmers
in Ireland & had animals around but they weren't treated as pets.

[Trisst]

My parents had no pet history whatsoever before me and my brother came along. I dont suppose u can blame my mum, who lived in a house with 6 other kids and my dads mum is a headmisstriss so i guess things could be pretty strict there.
Plus both my grand parents hate cats and are scared of dogs. The only pet person in my family is my grandma who keeps pigeons... but theyre not really pets since theyre for the pot!:p
when i was litle i begged for pets all the time. I loved animals. My parents were also curious to have a pet so they got a cat. And thats how it all started!

[Twisterdog]

My mother grew up on a ranch, so animals were not pets. They had barn cats that kept the mice under control, and a herding dog that moved the cattle. But no pets for the sake of having pets. After my grandparents retired and moved to town, my grandmother had Persian cats, a pomeranian and canaries, though.

My dad, OTOH, always had a pet or two growing up. They weren't "family" pets, as his was a rather disfunctional family. They were pets he found, because he liked animals. Once, someone gave him a wire haired fox terrier. Once he had a coyote as a pet!

We always had a dog growing up. But only one at a time, and it was a pet "for the kids." After all of us kids grew up and left home, neither one of my parents ever got another pet. My mom isn't an animal person, she prefers plants and grandkids. But my dad loves animals, I never understood why he didn't get a pet. I bought him birds once for Father's Day, he made me take them back. And my sister and I have tried to give him dozens of dogs over the years.

My sister and I both have eight dogs, and are involved with rescues and shelters. But my brother has never owned a pet.

[Glacier]

We always had two cats growing up--one for me, one for my sister. And we always had a dog, but the dogs were outside almost all the time. Cats were allowed to roam at will and many never came home. Vet care was minimal, although my Dad is the first spay/neuter advocate I ever knew. We lived in the country and often found strays. We were allowed to keep them, but my sis and I had to save up our allowances and get them altered. I'm sure Dad had a deal with the vet to pay the real bill later. Even in the late 70's, 20 bucks form a 7&5 year old didn't cover a spay!

My Dad does not like cats and barely tolerates dogs. My Mom is a cat lady and frequently tells my Dad that within 24 hours of his death, she'll have a house cat! My parents were just here. It took them longer to drive up here than they stayed to visit! They stayed for five days cuz that's all my Dad can stand of my zoo. Even that is seriously pushing it for him....that's why he usually offers to pay my airfare to come to his house!

My sister has one cat, but we have serious differences in how they should be cared for....her cat is allowed to roam, eats crappy food and if it got seriously ill, I have no doubt she'd just put it down. She shares custody of a small terrier mix with my brother. About a week at a time is all she can stand of a dog, even less if it's a big dog! She hasn't been to my house in over five years.

My one brother has small dogs, including the one he shares with my sister. He went to remarkable lengths to prolong his last dog's life, but I suspect that was more his wife using his Visa card than my bro's choice.

The other brother has never owned a pet. His wife wouldn't let a goldfish in their house. Animals are dirty, messy, germ balls as far she's concerned. I've never seen her kids with dirt on their faces, a toy on the floor!

[Cinder & Smoke]

We always had two cats growing up -- one for me, one for my sister.
And we always had a dog ...

My Dad does not like cats and barely tolerates dogs.
My Mom is a cat lady ...

My sister has one cat ...

My one brother has small dogs,
including the one he shares with my sister ...

The other brother has never owned a pet.
His wife wouldn't let a goldfish in their house ...

And then, God created Tamara ...
And the Animals said "This is good; Thanks, God."

:D

[K9karen]

My mom had a puppy as a young woman (I saw the picture) but it died from distemper. In those days, people didn't invest (or have the money) for shots etc. Her dad, my grandpop, had a GSD and a cat. The dog, tagless of course, and although very obedient, strolled off one day in search of adventure and was stolen by a local tailor. The dog ran back to my grandfather, but the tailor had gotten a liscense, and although the police knew the dog was my grandfather's, couldn't do anything about it. Isn't that sad?

My mom always loved GSD's so when we got Mz Princezz Logan, altho she's a mixture, mom said it brought back memories.

During a reading with a psychic, she mentioned a black and white dog with my parents!! That was my mom's puppy! Isn't that :cool: (Cody isn't with them-he's too busy guarding the Bridge)

[jennielynn1970]

I think it gets passed down from my dad's side of the family, lol.

My grandpa was a total nut about cats. He and my grandma had a bunch of indoor cats, and then also neighborhood strays that they fed. ALL the strays had names too! When my grandpa died and we cleaned out the house, there was so much cat food stock piled, it was just crazy. At that point he only had 2 indoor cats (Tiny and Lucey), but still a bunch of strays he fed. There were over 200 cans of cat food, 40 boxes of dry food, and about the same with Tender Vittles.

Also, in his will, he left most of his money to the church, but the rest went to Tiny and Lucey. He wanted to make sure they were well taken care of. He was a good guy with a big heart.

My dad will feed any stray animal. It can be a raccoon, a skunk, a opossum, basically anything with fur or feathers, lol. All you have to say is "hey, there was a ____________ sitting outside earlier" and within about 20 minutes there will be bowls of food sitting out here and there for them.

At the moment he's feeding some ducks that have decided that they like the cracked corn at the bird feeder. There are 5 of them total, and they're just so darn cute, lol. They wade up the creek, walk up the neighbor's yard, and cross the little road to my parents' house to get to the bird feeder. My dad also set up a stand with cobs of dried field corn on it as well. He's too funny. My mom just rolls her eyes, but she loves it as well, although Dad is more of a softy than she is, lol.

[K9karen]

And then, God created Tamara ...
And the Animals said "This is good; Thanks, God."

:D

AMEN to that!