This week I took a LEAP out of the world of canines an fee-lines an JUMPED into the world of BUNNIES. (See what I did there?)
Stormy Castle is only my fourth leporine (I Googled) innerview-ee, but I remembered that rah-butts don’t always be-fren fellow pets of the canine persuasion, probly cuz one of us is the Predator an the other one is, well, Lunch. (But NOT in most of the circles in which us local pets travel. Plus, there’s that Fluffmouth issue.)
A Nice Lady greeted me an my assistant an escorted us in. In the corner nex to the lanai slider was a fenced, bunny-sized, 2-story house with a little front patio! Tray Cool Kibbles! Then I spotted Stormy, reclining on the lanai.
As me an my assistant got sit-chew-waited, the Nice Lady picked Stormy up an carried him inside, whereupon he snuggled into her lap.
Stormy is a very good-lookin’ bunny: a 3-pound ball of snowy white fluff with white nose, black ears, an black eyes with dramatic black eyeliner.
“Good morning, Stormy,” I said. “I’m Bonzo. I’m delighted to meet you!”
“Good morning, Mr. Bonzo,” the liddle fluffball said, his voice soft yet firm. “This is my Mom, Cazz. My Dad is Paul. He’s elsewhere. I also havva brother Joshua, 8, anna sister, Ella, 10: Totally Crunchy Carrots!
“I don’t wish to appear rood by not getting UP to greet you, but, me being a prey animal an all, had we met under different circumstances, I would be 5 miles down the road by now. But Mom says you’re a FREN, an you’re gonna write a STORY about me. With a PICK-shur! Is that correct?”
“Absolutely, Stormy! I have the greatest respect for ALL fellow pets, an I’m eager to hear your tail.”
“EGG-celent!” Stormy replied, hopping down from his Mom’s lap, an settling in under the coffee table. I opened my notebook.
“I am a rescue rah-butt, an my tail is a liddle complicated,” he began. “You see, Mom an Dad have long been Rah-butt Fans, and over the years have had several rah-butt pairs.
“Anyway, back in twenny-twenny-two, it was right when that big swirly storm was coming, called, umm, Hurry-cane Ian, when Mom spotted a rah-butt hoppin’ all over the nay-berhood. ME. For some reason, I’d run away from where I was s’pose to be. The humans weren’t bad or anything. I guess it was the Call of the Wild.
“Anyway, after 2 weeks of chasin’ me around, Mom finally caught me. Durin’ the storm, I spent three days in the laundry room: At first, I was a Total Mess, wet an dirty, an my hansome fur was Yukky, so Dad an Joshua got me all clean an spiffed up. (I’ve always loved bein’ groomed. Still do.) I was quite comfy, an I felt very safe. I began groomin’ myself an, when Mom came in, I licked her hand inna frenly way an climbed into her lap.
“But they ree-lized I must have a family somewhere in the nay-berhood, so Mom put out a Lost Bunny notice with the HOA. I don’t know what that is but pretty soon all the naybers knew about me, including my owner, who came an got me. Even tho I’d only been here for 3 days, Mom an Dad an Ella an Joshua were sad to see me go, but they knew it was For the Best.
“THEN, a few weeks later, I got another wild bunny urge, escaped, an was hoppin’ all over the neighborhood again. I was happily dining on veggies from a lovely garden when the lady who owned the garden noticed HAWKS circling right above me. Then she spotted ME. She quickly grabbed me Just In Time. I still get the CREEPS when I reelize I coulda been TOAST.
“My owner decided to let the Nice Lady keep me, which she did till August twenny twenny three, when she had to relocate to Elsewhere an couldn’t take me, so she put a Bunny Needs A Home message on Facebook, with my pickshur.
“Well, when Mom saw it she realized it was The Same Bunny she had for 3 days – ME! An that’s when I finally came back to here!”
“Woof, Stormy, that is an amazing tail. An it sure seems that you finally windin’ up HERE was Totally Meant To Be!”
“Absolutely!” Stormy agreed. “Mom an Dad were thinkin’ about namin’ me Boomerang cuzza how I came here, then went away, then came back. But, they finally decided on Stormy cuzza them findin’ me in that hurry-cane.”
“Well, it suits you,” I said. “So, now that you’re here permanently, what’s life been like? I did notice your Seriously Pawsome fenced 2-story residence.”
“Yes,” Stormy agreed, “it is totally Crunchy Carrots, for sure. (An I have my own Litter Tray for Doin’ My Duty.) I also have the entire lanai, fenced backyard an pool patio to hang out in. I can see other animals an birds, but they can’t get in to, well, turn me into Lunch.”
“Yes! That’s always a good day!” I concurred. “Do you have any other human famly? Animal frens? An what sorta foodstuffs do you like?”
“There’s Gramma Andrea an Grampa John; Gramma Christine; an Aunt Joanne (she’s comin’ to visit pretty soon). They all live in the U.K.
“As to foodstuffs: I’m a Leafy Greens kinda guy, big fan of Kale! SPIN-itch! Carrot-an-Dill treats! The only pet fren I have is our cat, Rosey. Ackshully, although I’d LIKE to be frens, Rosey so far is, like, I Don’t THINK So! Maybe she’ll turn around one of these days.”
“So, what’s a typical House Bunny day look like?” I inquired.
“I love relaxin’ on the lanai, an I have the whole backyard to hop about in. I don’t swim, in case you’re wonderin’. I like playin’ Hot Wheels with Joshua an Barbi dolls with Ella. Me an Ella are BFFs. Mom says it’s a U-neek Relationship. Ella puts dresses on me, an I even have a pink origami hat. Very Crunchie Carrots!
“Sometimes Mom tells Ella, ‘Just let him be a rah-butt!’ But I don’t mind.”
“I also enjoy snuggling with Dad an Mom an lickin’ Mom’s arm when we’re watchin’ TV. When she stops pattin’ me, I put my nose under her hand an bump it to remind her. She says I’m a ‘Lovely Bunny.’
“When her Book Club ladies are here, they sit inna circle with me in the middle on the carpet, puh-litely enjoyin’ their conversation. I am a Very Lucky Rah-butt, Mr. Bonzo! Maybe it’s cuz I have not one, but 4 rabbits feet.” He winked.
I cudda listened to Stormy’s tails for hours. Headin’ back to the office, I was thinkin’ about the pawsome, often unexpected friendships that can happen between very different species. It made me feel happy.
Till next time,
Don’t Be Shy
We are always looking for pets with interesting stories. To set up an interview, email
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