Hi, Pet Buddies!
My daddy was a wise old dog, and something he shared when I was a carefree young pupster came back to me the other day. What happened was, one of my Sebastian dog pals, Livie Gibbs, mentioned a pet in her household she thought would make a pawesome interview.
His name’s Mr. Bugatti. He’s well traveled … an adventurer. She really built him up. I was about to arrange a sit-down, when she casually added, “Oh, by the way, Bonzo, Mr. Bogatti is a, um, CAT. That’s not a problem is it?” and she gave me that irresistible wide-eyed look only a perky little King Charles Cavalier can pull off.
RinTinTin help me, I thought.
Here’s where my daddy’s wisdom comes in. Just as I was about to comment that Livie MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED THE CAT THING a little sooner, I remembered daddy telling me that facing a challenge builds CHARACTER.
I took a breath and a slurp from my water bowl. “No problemo! Of COURSE not! It is the 21st Century, the Post Species Era. What’s his number?”
I was still muttering “builds character, builds character” when the door opens. Livie and her brother Riley, an English Golden, greet me and we exchange Wag-and-Sniffs. Then – a low meow. “Good afternoon, Mr. Bonzo.” Padding calmly out from behind Livie and Riley is this white fluffball with big green eyes and a splash of butterscotch over one ear.
“I am Mr. Bugatti. My friends call me Boo, and any friend of Livie’s is a friend of mine.”
Humm. Cool. “Nice to meetcha, Boo,” I said, and meant it. No hissing. No claws bared. And he was pretty good-looking for a cat – white except for that ear and the top of his head and that raccoon-y tail.
“So – tell me about yourself,” I said. Livie and Riley curled up on the floor. Their human mom Peggy and big sis Kati sat on the couch, all smiley. Boo licked his paws, settled in.
“My first memory was living in a house with dozens of other cats, down in South Florida. It was a cat-astrophy! I was a wreck. My new mom and dad rescued me and named me Mr. Bugatti, for the car. I lived in their office and I was happy. But,” he swiped his eyes with his paw. “Dad passed away and Mom’s other cats didn’t like me. So I had to go.”
“Oh, Boo, that’s pawful!”
“I lived with my dad’s sister Barbara in Connecticut, which was great. Then she sold her house, bought an RV and, boom, off we went! We were volunteers, building Habitat for Humanity houses. I was Official Navigator, and we saw New Mexico, Colorado – and Florida. Then, in New Mexico, the RV broke down and we stayed in a motel while it got fixed. I could run all over, hide under beds, jump at the walls. You never realize how fun walls are until you don’t have any. Barbara saw how happy I was so she decided to find me a good family with a real house, and actual walls.
“Did I luck out! My new mom works for Habitat and heard about me and now I have a Forever Family. I play with Livie and Riley and get treats, even filet mignon sometimes. Everyone laughs when my Inner lion comes out. My tail fluffs, my eyes get boogly and I gallop around the house. I may even take a swipe at Riley, but it doesn’t hurt. Actually, we’re best buds, and sometimes I pretend I’m a big, bad Golden Retriever just like him.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Riley wink at me.
“I gotta be honest, Bonzo, no offense, at first I was NOT a fan of pets of the canine persuasion. But, hey, we’re all in this big ol’ sandbox together, right?”
“Doggone right, Boo!” I said, thinking of my daddy.
Till Next Time,
The Bonz
