2018

We came into 2018 with 9 dogs and 7 cats but sadly are going out of it three short.

Tali left us in January, a couple of weeks after her 13th birthday. Other than odds and ends she had been so well for so long. I guess her eyesight and deafness where the biggest issue in later days. She had nuclear sclerosis which meant dark colours/places could have been an issue for her, other than an uncertainty of jumping in the van nothing changed. The vet told me Tali viewed the world as if she was seeing it through frosted glass. But for Tali it was not an issue, she continued being headstrong and determine, Tali always did things her own way and as frustrating as it could be we wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I remember the vet told me to get a brightly coloured coat so she could see me and keep up on the walk. What the vet didn't realise was that Tali had spent all her days ignoring me on walks, things would not change because I had a yellow coat! Tali is greatly missed and even today I saw a streak of her obstinance in her granddaughter so I take comfort from the fact that Tali lives on in her progeny ....
The second to leave us was little Billy, or as we'd affectionately called him Billy Bob. He's acquired the name because his little head use to bob up and down as he walked, Steve use to say that from behind he looked like a pigeon. Billy had been a weak feral kitten when Steve found him in the grounds of Glynllifon in 2002. I guess he saved his life was a digestive biscuit and some cold tea. By the time I met him a few hours later he was a hissing spitting little firecracker, but he was so small that I just picked him up and laughed. The years sure did mellow the little man and the feral firecracker became the sweetest of chaps. Until this year Billy had never been ill, but really 2018 had a lot of ups and down for the boy. In June that decision that we dread so much had to be made. I'll never forget saying goodbye to Billy, at the vets he was quiet and calm, the snotty nosed, flea ridden feral kitten in him was long gone. It was all so peaceful and unexpectedly relaxed. As the vet did what he had to do, Billy just nuzzled his little head into my chest and purred away until he took his last breath. Through endless tears there was complete trust and seemingly an understanding of the situation. Quickly, quietly and peacefully our Billy was gone.

In contrast saying goodbye to Tia was never going to be easy and she was true to form till the end. Weak and old she fought her corner till the last, her body was failing her but the tortie spirit was still strong and she bit and scratched her way out of this world in the same way as she'd lived in it. Saying it politely Tia was spirited, saying it less politely she was a nasty bastard .. but as I had said in her defense throughout her life .. she was our nasty bastard. She bit and scratched us both numerous times and more fool any GSD who pushed their luck with her. She hated the other cats but had an affection for Nico, as she'd had previously with Louis. Tia wasn't a strange cat .. Tia was simply what her colour genetics made her .. a temperamental tortie! I doubt I'll ever be tempted to get another dark tortie, one has been an experience, but an experience I'm very glad we had.

"We don't need another cat" objected the husband. Of course we didn't. At the time we still had 6 cats .. but oh my aching heart. By the time I'd decided to have "him" he was reserved as was his brother. But seemingly it was suppose to be and the people due to collect his brother didn't turn up. So I didn't get him .. I got his brother. But I'd already christened him,and the name was still appropriate. I'd thought of that name on another of my sleepless nights. He was a blue/grey so Perry (as in Periwinkle) it had to be. It was a difficult first few weeks, he took longer to come round than the other feral kittens I'd brought home .. but time and patience and now little Perry is a huge character who's full of fun and mischief. He still finds 6 dogs too much, but 2 or 3 are quite acceptable. Hopefully one day soon he'll accept the madness of being with a large family of dogs.
I hope in 12 months time that I'm sitting here writing and that all my beautiful family are still here with me .. and the icing on the cake would be a litter of GSD's either in someones belly .. or maybe even by then in the kitchen!