You know you're getting to be a (slightly) overboard pet owner when...

[Lizzie]

Here’s one but it's a little gross. Jimmy and I got a urinary tract infection in the same week, no idea why. I took Jimmy to the vet within hours of symptoms. I didn't go to the doctor until the middle of the next week.

Why do we do that?! I do exactly the same sort of thing and keep reminding myself that if I get really sick, they don't get the help they need.

Felix's reponse reminded me of something that I consider normal but that would puzzle non-overboard-pet people. Two of my bedrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs, are litter rooms. There are 3-1/2 litter boxes per cat (I scoop at least once a day, often twice) and I consider that appropriate. I remember giving a work-mate a severe scold when she told me, laughing, how her cat was walking around her one litter box, refusing to go in, because it hadn't been cleaned for a week. The work-mate said she'd pointed out one small cleanish spot and told her cat to use that. I was so enraged, I could feel all the hair on the nape of my neck and arms rise. The scold worked, though, and she told me later that she'd learned a good lesson.

I wonder how many of you have been about to take the last scoop of something delicious from your plate, like the cream from the top of a cake, looked at your cat (or dog's) face and given it to them instead?

[My Peanuts]

Why do we do that?! I do exactly the same sort of thing and keep reminding myself that if I get really sick, they don't get the help they need.

Felix's reponse reminded me of something that I consider normal but that would puzzle non-overboard-pet people. Two of my bedrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs, are litter rooms. There are 3-1/2 litter boxes per cat (I scoop at least once a day, often twice) and I consider that appropriate. I remember giving a work-mate a severe scold when she told me, laughing, how her cat was walking around her one litter box, refusing to go in, because it hadn't been cleaned for a week. The work-mate said she'd pointed out one small cleanish spot and told her cat to use that. I was so enraged, I could feel all the hair on the nape of my neck and arms rise. The scold worked, though, and she told me later that she'd learned a good lesson.

I wonder how many of you have been about to take the last scoop of something delicious from your plate, like the cream from the top of a cake, looked at your cat (or dog's) face and given it to them instead?

Nothing I see surprises me because if I had the money I'd be on one of those shows with like a whole house built just for my dogs. Anyone ever see, I think it's called, Pet Palace on HGTV? I saw it once and I want to see them all.