It’s sort of odd how our “puppy” Sprite seems to feel most comfortable when all four of us are home. She really seems to relax. She sort of has that “all is well in the world” behavior when all four of her humans are home. Of course, now that she is fifteen, it is like having a very old person living with us. We have to plan all of our excursions so that someone is home after being away for four hours… Someone has to be around to pick her up and let her sit in her favorite places… namely my seat of the couch and our bed.
Sprite seems to have an internal clock going on at all hours of the day… Unfortunately, her internal clock is moving everything up earlier and earlier. She now wants to eat her dinner at 3:30. She lets us know when it is 3:30 (almost on the dot!) She also expects to go up to bed no later than 7:00, and when that time isn’t met, she whines and complains until we carry her upstairs to her throne (our bed.)
And, she has become very interested in geometry… always wanting to lay perpendicular to my husband and me… wanting both of us to sleep on our respective edges of the bed.
Sprite does indeed rule our home… with her demands and expectations. But, we all love her, so we “Make it so.”
P.S. Our daughter left yesterday, and already I can see how much Sprite misses her!
Maria BearMountainBooks.com says
Shoot, cats are like that from day one…
Have you tried leaving out some dry food for her at all times? We found with our older dogs that having food around all the time comforts them. Dry isn’t “treat” and isn’t so great that they overeat. They still want their dinner, of course, but I did notice that they aren’t quite so “worried” if dinner isn’t on the dot!!!
Give Sprite a hug for me.
maria
Shirley says
I certainly know what you are going through. I’ve had the same thing with my furkids and of course we do whatever they wish for. It’s funny how they have us wrapped around their little paw. I thought I wouldn’t get another pup after losing my 4th furryone, but about a year and a half went by and we brought home a new pup. Suzie is now almost 3 years old but wow does she have the energy Mom doesn’t. LOL Please give Sprite an extra hug from me.
Kirsten says
I understand SO completely. Our senior citizen (a german shepherd/chow mix) got completely flustered if one of us (there’s 3 of us) was not where they were supposed to be. He’d get completely agitated and would look at me disgustedly if I didn’t turn off the lights and got in bed when he thought it was time!!
I really miss him. Unfortunately, our wonderful Berkeley passed away at home the Friday before Christmas. You are SO lucky to still have your senior. Give Sprite a hug from me. We are so very lucky to have these angels in our lives.
Anne says
I lost my senior in the fall and got a puppy to take over where she left off. You want demanding? Try puppies. Holy moley…It is like having a baby in the house. We have come to a very comfortable truce in the three months she has lived with me and it is getting better…I found that I cannot run as fast as a puppy…and she knows JUST when I am getting into a chapter in my book…then she HAS to go out…oy…but she is a lot of fun and great company and already stolen my heart. Your family and Sprite are lucky to have each other.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, all… Sprite is getting loads of hugs!
Maria, as for the dry food trick… Recently I have been putting a little dry food in her bowl… and then waiting until she finishes it, so that I can quietly replenish it. If she is super hungry, she tends to gobble up all of the dry food, and then she gets sick. Yep, “worried” is a good term to use…
Shirley, I love the words “furkids”! That’s exactly what our pets are. Good grief! I have told my family that if we ever do bring a new “furkid” into our home… he/she will be an older “furryone” who someone else has already house-trained. I will never go through that process again! And, now that you mention it, I doubt that I could keep up with a three year old puppy!
Kirsten, your first paragraph describes exactly how Sprite is. I am so sorry that you lost Berkeley… It must have made Christmas very difficult. I hope that when it is Sprite’s time, she is able to pass away at home, rather than in the vet’s examination room.
Anne, sounds like you are experiencing what Shirley did recently. Puppies simply are not in the forecast for us! It took us a full year to finally be able to take down our baby gates, because Sprite was quite obtuse about allowing us to train her. I truly can’t imagine trying to out-run a puppy at this time! And I wonder if I have the patience it would take to go through puppyhood again…