On June 10, 1998, we rescued ZEUS (Zeussie the Pussy Cat) from the Winnipeg Humane Shelter. He truly acted like a king, true to his name … that is – king of our condominium. It is and always will be his domain. Here he is in his natural position, even though he is trying to kill me by lying in front of the stairway to trip me. Yvonne thinks it’s all in my head, but even today I am convinced that if I don’t change his litter on a timely basis, or feed him exactly before 6pm each day, the cat thinks of ways to get rid of me! Just look at those beady eyes, thinking of ways to do me in!
Nah .. Zeussie wouldn’t do that to me .. because he’s the greatest cat in the world!
And he’s smart too! He knows where everything is in our house. If a door or kitchen cupboard is open even the slightest, he instantly knows something is wrong and then just has to investigate. Our condominium is two floors, with a basement. He likes to rest, in idle mode, in ‘Middle Earth’ on the main floor. This is his best advantage to listen for unusual noises and to protect us. We know for a fact he normally just sleeps all bloody day except when he’s eating his kibbles and trying to spread his used litter all around our basement floor. Well, that is between the times he was scratching and destruction of our couch, loveseat and chair.
Did I mention that he is really quick on his feet too? Yes, I know .. it doesn’t look like it from these pictures, and sometimes he waddles around very slowly and majestically about the house, or is just sleeping. But – open the front door just slightly, and he is at your feet trying to escape. I don’t know why he does this, because he never goes anywhere. The times he does get out the door, he just lies down and rolls around on the dirty sidewalk or porch.
Back to the story, here is how I pictured him each night – waiting for me to fall asleep so he can sneak into my bed, climb on me and start ‘cleaning’ his scratchy tongue on my whiskers.
Well, then Zeus’s life changed when on February 28, 1999 we got MAX (Maxxie Paxxie Dog). Yes – I make up silly, but catchy nicknames that usually (a) rhymed and (b) ended with the “eeee” sound – just like I’ve been doing all my life with all of our pets. Maxxie was the greatest dog in the world. But, now the two greatest pets in the world had to share the responsibilities of the house. And, it was worked great!
Zeussie would watch for open kitchen cupboard boards and see if anything was moving inside, or rather I should say, underneath the fabric of our furniture *sigh*, and Maxxie would watch outside our front window for people so he can bark and wag his tale at them! Maxxie sure is a friendly dog. Because he was a pup in the late winter when we got him, he was ‘socialized’ during the summer warmth season, and took a great shining to all people and animals during regular walks. And Maxxie and Zeussie got along famously too.
Here is picture of Maxxie and Zeussie wrestling, although if you notice, they are in the same spot as the first picture. I think Zeussie was trying to ‘capture’ Maxxie and roll him down the stairs to his demise!
Everything changed when in September 2002 we got SOPHIE (Sophie Woffie Girl). Maxxie wasn’t the greatest dog in the world anymore .. he became the greatest “Maxxie” dog in the world!! Of course, and Sophie was the greatest “Sophie” in the world!
Sophie is small for a Papillon. Because we got her in the fall, she didn’t grow up with the option of many walks and socializing with other people and animals, because it started to get cold really early that year. She has no hair on her belly and she would just go out and do her business on the porch, then come back into the house. She coped quite well on her own, because the world revolved around Sophie. What’s hers is hers. What’s Maxxie’s was hers. What was Zeussie’s was hers. What’s not hers, is hers. And so on, and so on. Here is a picture with “her” football toy.
Our dogs and cat gets along great together. Although, Sophie can be pushy. It’s quite funny really. Sophie will go nudge up to Zeussie and start to lick his ear just in order for Zeussie to start licking her legs, believe it or not. I guess she knows that a good massage is necessary everyday and as Queen of the home, she’s entitled to it! Here are a few pictures of Zeussie and Sophie together.
And where’s Maxxie as all of this is going on? Well, if Zeussie isn’t in the mood to ‘pleasure her highness’s wishes, the two Papillon dogs will gang up on the cat and chase them from end of the house to the other end over and over. It’s actually fun to watch, and we give them good praise for ‘exercising the cat’. But, other than that, Maxxie is more or less hiding out on some pillow either on the bed or the couch, or tucked away on a chair waiting for all of the “kerfluffle activity” to pass.
Well, if you want to see more pictures of our pets, you may click on the link at the bottom of the page where it says Jump to the PapillonLvr’s Dog’s Website
Take care.
HART
http://www.PapillonLvr.com
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