• Thursday-What'sUP January 20 - 05:47 pm

Everyone, I'd like you to meet Smokey! He's one lucky cat, having been adopted from the Copper Country Humane Society, by Janine Beveridge and her family. Right off the bat, Smokey had his eyes opened wide to what it's like to be cared for and loved. After all, being treated like the baby in the family with a bottle to drink and a pacifier to calm down with, isn't something every kitty gets to experience. Janine said Smokey was cooperative for photo ops like these when he first moved in, but has since wised up and doesn't let them do much more than hold him like a baby anymore.

Wouldn't it be nice if every kitty and puppy had a loving home like this? If you're in the market for a new best friend, check out your local Humane Society... there's a cat or dog there who'll thank you for giving it a home.

A new approach to "Cat Eyes"!

Looks like another cat with a mind of it's own. Those are the type that use any part of the house for a bathroom, and don't forget the barfing. Overlooking those drawbacks I guess they can be a comfort...........

Such cute pictures!! Made me laugh right away this morning!!

What an unfair comment! ANY pet is subject to barfing, potting in areas of the house. 90% cats that use other parts of the house for relieving themselves is mainly due to human error or laziness by not keeping the litter box clean. People barf too and go in their pants! Go behind the scenes of a hospital or nursing homes.

I agree, Janie. Well said.

Janie, the only time one of our pets used the house for a litter box was when they were upset or sick. I went to a store where the Humane Society was showing pets. Precious had wanted a cat to replace the one that had passed on. I am not an animal lover, don't hate them or would do anything to harm one. So I called her and when we entered the truck that held the animals Jimmie the fat white cat made his presence known. He fell in love with my wife and vice versa when they met. He still at twenty two pounds thinks that he is a baby. When the grandkids come over he greets them at the door. He especially likes my grandson Tim. Our other animals have given us a sense of calm. Jimmie the fat white cat has even won me over. He still is not allowed on my Lazy Boy though. I am happy he has entered our life.

Yes,illness is a major reason too. His comment struck me a bit hard because yesterday our daughter and son-in-law had to make the loving but tough decision to put their cat down due to renal shut down, and missing the litter box was one of the first factors of this condition. It was not the fault of their cat.

Gosh, what the heck is in that bottle?? Looking at those eyes, I believe that cat has had one too many!! J

Looks like a Russian Blue if I had to guess....

All together now....awwww! What a precious kitty...we had a "Smokey" years ago. Yep, all creatures have 'problems', our "Tippy" who's going on 12yrs of age is 'going that route' now, but hey, they don't do it on purpose, their little minds don't think that way, purely age and health problems. :>

My cats, including Smokey, know exactly where they need to use the bathroom and that's in one of their litter boxes. We have never had a problem with them going anywhere else. It's all about the training and showing them where to go. Cats are very smart animals and this one is quite the character.

When I first saw the pictures of the cat I thought just as Capt Paul that it looks like a Russian blue. We have one of those and he a a really nice cat. We also have Siamese that thinks the house belongs to her!!!
Really like both cats and dogs but cats are easier to train.

As a veterinarian, I see the love expressed by
cats to their significant others. I have often
said that a male neutered cat is the best pet you
can have because all they want is to be petted and
they will lay on your lap all day.
They give you unconditional love. They are there
for you. They have antics that are so amusing that
it fun to watch. One evening we toned the lights
in the veterinary office and the cats went into
the Cirque de Soleoi acrobatics.
My brother has a therapy dog,so when my sister
was in a step down facility after a car accident
and we celebrated
Thanksgiving at that facility that year that dog
was the hit of the
day. When my wife was in Bon Secours hospital with
leukemia{she recovered} a Catholic priest talked
to me. He asked if I knew the healing power of
pets. Yes I said. He said that a Lou Gehrig's
patient But she was in the hospital and would not
allow hersself to smile. So the priest asked the
family to bring in her pet. Oh no!A large German
Shepherd. But he dog slid up on the bed softly and
put his head near hers she smiled so much that
tesrs came her face.Pets love , heal accept us and
notice disease, fire etc We don't no a good deal
when we see one.

Great post Skeskitalo.
A doctor prescribed a great remedy to a friend of mine that had high blood pressure. "Get a cat or get a dog".

S. Keskitalo:

I'm in full agreement with you on your pet observations. For years we had a border collie with ALL the border collie traits until one day when our youngest broke his arm.

As long as James' arm was in a cast our dog did not do any of the normal idiot border collie traits; like barking at all hours, walking under foot, running after nothing and jumping through anything to get a crumb. Our dog was almost protective of the injured person while the cast was on.

When the cast came off our dog returned back to 100% border collie.

JT

You're so right, Tom, about cats being easy to train. When our "Tippy" was found on a neighbor's front porch and we took him in, we didn't have a litterbox at the time, so my husband cut an entry into a cardboard box, added a little cardboard ramp to climb up (because he was so tiny), and Tippy adapted immediately as if he knew exactly what to do without being coaxed. He was only 8 weeks old and as far as we knew, he had been 'dumped', so he couldn't have had any 'formal training'.:)

What a great picture and appropriate that today's theme is pets. My Scottish Terrier, Cai, turns 14 today. Attaining the respect and love of a domesticated animal takes a special person and over the last 3 years of reading this page it is very obvious that there are several of those special people on the UP!

Liz, we have 2 Scottish Terrier family members. Brimley is 8 1/2, and Brody will be 6 next month. They are cousins. Yes it does take a very special and committed person to love and enjoy a pet who gives nothing but unconditional love in return!

Kitties will always be my favorite, despite their "issues." I've known plenty of man cubs of all ages whose habits were much less acceptable. (I still have the cats.) I have two rescue neutered males and they are soooooo loving, Stinky and Bagheera. Bagheera curls up on my lap and looks up so lovingly at me with adoring eyes that I know if he could talk he would say "I love you soooooo much." I have a female rescue cat as well named Kissa and she doesn't leave my side when I'm home and loves to have her belly rubbed. I think they know they've been saved (or in most cases, are saving someone).

I'm going to the CC Humane Society on Saturday to pick out my next kitty...and I can't wait!

I had 2 extremely spoiled and pampered cats that were put down at different times in the past couple of years..both got so sick (and even during those sicknesses, one cat piddled on the floor one time only!)...and I miss them terribly...having finally gotten past the lastest round of grief...I'm ready. And I can't wait!

And yes...my doctor told me too..."Get another cat"....Gotta LOVE that prescription~!!

I LOVE these pictures today!!! Bless the Beveridges! Perfect pics! (Or is it PURRfect pics??)