Furry Children

I used to think people who were so into their pets were whack jobs, nuts, you know the type - talk to them all the time, dress them up, buy them a Christmas presents...weirdos......well as an empty nester, I am now one of those nut jobs. As the girls have gotten older and almost completely self-sufficient, turning into beautiful young adults, I still find a need to nurture and care for someone, something, thus my furry children reap the rewards.  

Of course I still have my human children, but they don't "need" me like when they were little. They are great fun to do things with, but they get their own food, they know how to do laundry, they drive themselves places, and now have exciting goals as their adult lives are beginning to blossom. In essence I should be thrilled as that means I did my job....but as a Mom I still miss taking care of someone.  

My furry children, Tank, Piper & Cody absolutely LOVE me....unconditionally and no matter what I say or do.  Whatever advice I dispense, they agree. Whatever I put on, they say it makes me look thin.  I get up from my computer and they pop up to follow me in case I need assistance (which I never do). My husband calls them my entourage, my minions.

Hubby and I were talking about the Royal wedding this morning, after seeing a report on TV (one of gazillions) about Wills and Kate, and we deemed that in our land, Tank would be King. While technically he's not the first born, (Cody the Cat is by four years), he would be deemed leader of the furry children. Cody just would not make a good King. He's far too lazy. Cats do good kings not make, yet they're called King of the Jungle. Go figure!  

When the commoners come knocking on my door, Cody isn't there for assistance and to alert me, it's Tank, watching over the Queen Mother and his kingdom. When in the backyard, if any trespassers should go by on their nightly walks with leashes and poop baggies in hand, it's Tank who warns them not to cross the moat or they shall face their demise. Cody on the other hand could care less, they're disturbing his slumber. When I come into the living room does Cody get up out of the recliner and offer me a seat? No, he stretches, yawns, gives me the stink eye and rolls over. When I walk into the kitchen, no matter what time of day, no matter how many times I've already fed him, he meows and meows incessantly until more food it placed in his bowl. Sometimes he eats it, sometimes he looks at it, and walks off in a huff - satisfied he worked me over like the great puppet master he thinks he is.     

Piper is our little Harry, 2nd in line and will never see the thrown, therefore we have deemed her Duchess of Amhearst Court. However, Piper would make a great Princess Diana - she adores everyone who comes her way, she is loved by the masses, and she looks great in any outfit. She's quite the fashion plate and very amenable to any outfit change. Example: We had a Halloween party (with little kids mind you) and we ourselves had no little ones to dress up, so who got it? Tank and Piper. Piper loves a great outfit.  This year she was a policewoman....our own Angie Dickinson, Veronica Mars, Helen Mirren's Jane Tennison from Prime Suspect, or 80's classic Cagney and Lacy.

She watched over all the children the entire night, especially Allison, a 5-month-old who was attending her first Halloween party ever. Piper hardly left her side all night and when Allison tugged and yanked her ears and wanted to chew on them, Piper never snapped or barked, she grimaced but eloquently wiggled her ears out of Allison's chubby little drool-covered hands, and still sat attentively by her side.    

Tank does no like the pomp and circumstance or true appreciation of a good costume or outfit, which begs to question, should he really be king? Kings must wear crowns, capes, and all the regalia fit for such a position....and he's camera shy. He does not like the paparazzi. For Halloween I put him in a cute black and orange glittered bandana, to which he took off as soon as he was out in the yard, throwing it down and running off to watch the boys at the shooting gallery. 

I took them this past spring to get a picture in the bluebonnets, a treasured Texas tradition....as the girls are past this ritual....and who cooperated? Piper - smiling and cheesing it up.  She works it like a fan is blowing on her in a photo shoot.  Tank sees a camera and he turns his head.  "Profile pics only" he says.  "I don't want a profile pic I say, I want you smiling in the bluebonnets like you're having a good time."  No such luck.  Cody standing regal as sentry guard over the scarecrow cooperated quite well for his royal portrait.  

...hmmm....too good for commoners, demands food at the drop of a meow, poses eloquently for official portraits.....maybe Cody is King after all. At any rate - they are what we coin as our furry children and we love them, just like we do the human ones.....