Pet Appreciation Post

I don't think either of us has mentioned our three pets here on the blog before but I wanted to write a more 'personal' post (without getting too personal, if you know what I mean) and today seemed like the perfect day to do so! Our pets are very special to me, and before this trio of pets we had grown up with our beloved black labrador, Diesel, whom had to be put down in 2009 due to his old age (20!!) and Mischka, a tortoiselle cat whom also passed away due to old age in 2006 (19!!!). Pets brighten up and make a house a home and I really have learnt to appreciate my pets within the past two years.

The first to be introduced to you today is Penelope (commonly referred to as Penny, Muffin, Fluffy-muff and Mooky... yeah, you get the gist of it). Flash back to 2009, one week before our thirteenth birthday (and coincidently our friend Eloise's birthday) when Tayla and I convinced mum to take us to the pet shop 'just to look'. Mum and I were taken by a fluffy, squished face kitten when Tayla spotted a teeny, tiny ball of white fluff cowering under a hanging cat bed-contraption-thing. When she pointed out this terrified and very unwell kitten to us we all knew there would be no turning away. We had the sales assistant get her out of the huge cage for us (she was shivering and would barley move- she was so frightened) when she explained to us that this particular kitten was to be taken to the pound the very next day because no one wanted to buy her as she had been there for two weeks already. We managed to convince mum to buy her as a birthday gift for the two of us (though she really didn't need much convincing) and we took her home that afternoon. Penny had a habit of hiding under and behind the washing machine, along with pulling her face away whenever we got too close (we believe the people that sold her to the pet shop had hit her and cut her whiskers as they were way too short for her face when we bought her) and she hated when we watched her eat, but she slowly began to open up and trust us each and every day. Penny is a  Siamese and Ragdoll cross (when she was a kitten she had HUGE ears.. the siamese in her was very noticeable) and we love her to bits! She loves being flopped over your shoulder for a snuggle, head-butting everything (seriously she will not stop) and rolling, stretching and wiggling all over the ground. Penny is definitely the most photogenic and cuddly of our pets and is constantly on my instagram. 

Next up is our little man, Jett. Jett became a big part of our little family in May 2010. Tayla and I were walking home from the bus stop after school one day when we arrived at our driveway to find mum standing there holding her neck. Naturally, we thought something was wrong and rushed up the driveway only to be shocked by a little black fluff ball clinging onto her chest. Apparently, she had gone to the pet shop (the same store we got Penny from- I know more animals need to be adopted from pounds and rescued but these two kitties could not be left there) to buy food for Penny and when she walked past the cat cage this little guy squeaked at her so she kneeled down to have a closer look at him. Then the sales assistant (coincidently the same one that sold Penny to us) opened the door to get another cat out for a different customer so Jett decided to jump out and attach himself to mum, and that was that, there was no way Jett was going to let my mum go home without him... it was love at first sight! Jett is just a regular moggie but has grown to into a huge cat! He towers over Penny (who is rather small) and his legs are long, lean and very strong. He can't meow properly (something various vet's have said not to worry about) but he squeaks, squeals, screams and cries so he's definitely not mute. Jett loves food, a good chin rub and will bite anything that annoys him in the slightest.

Last but certainly not least is this adorable ray of sunshine, Gypsy. After we had to put Diesel down in mid 2009, we wanted to wait a little while before getting a new puppy or dog, despite all of us missing the presence of a loving dog. Our vet knew how we felt and one morning mum called them to ask for their recommendations on where the best places to buy or rescue dogs were. Next thing we knew, we were driving over to the clinic as a completely random, un-micro-chipped dog had turned up at the clinic, helped herself inside (automatic doors) and sat patiently in the reception room waiting to be noticed. As I'm sure you've guessed, that was Gypsy and it was difficult to resist her huge smily face (she literally smiles all the time, it's so adorable) and we took her home later that afternoon. The vets think she was about a year old when we got her and she had been looked after until she either escaped (something she has done many times since we've owned her- she loves exploring!) or her owners had let her out because they possibly couldn't afford to look after her anymore. Whilst we can't really guarantee it, many vets have agreed that Gypsy is definitely a Husky cross breed and most agree that she has many similarities to a Greyhound (body shape, personality) so we just call her a Husky/Greyhound cross. She is a very active dog and the picture below is literally the only one I have of her where she's not moving around! She loves to run, have a tummy rub and nose scratches (the only time she will sit still)! 

That's a wrap for our little trio! I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thanks for reading, love from Maddie xo