Be Thankful

[cheranne]

Kitty Korner

November 25, 2008

Be thankful for cats

As you count your blessings this Thanksgiving, don't forget to be grateful for the felines that share your world. Without cats — and, yes, dogs, too — existence would be mighty bleak and we humans wouldn't be smiling nearly as much.

Dr. Pat Richardson, veterinarian at Broadway Oaks Animal Hospital, puts it beautifully. He says: "Pets are here to make us happy." And he's oh-so-right.

Who would dry our tears so sweetly if it weren't for pets? (My friend Anne says her kitty, Lady Gray, saw tears the other morning and promptly hopped up to lick them away.)

Who would warm us better than blankets if pets weren't around? (My Gatito noticed me shivering a few minutes ago and turned into a furry heating pad.)

Who would greet us with such sincere pleasure if pets weren't part of the picture? (Members of my outdoor pride prance down the driveway to the gate the minute they hear my footsteps, and my indoor kitties continue the greeting with gusto once I get the key in the lock.)

Most important of all: Who in a world minus pets would remind us to smell the flowers, admire the butterflies, feel the wind and enjoy the crunch of autumn leaves instead of complaining about fall's endless raking? (Muffin was pouncing on leaves and having such fun yesterday that I decided not to fret about the leafy carpet on the lawn.)

Pets can teach us a lot if we will only watch and listen. The little creatures we care for are wise in so many ways. You'll never catch a cat or canine worrying about a big mortgage, a costly car or designer clothes. Tuned in to the true secret of happiness, they'd rather spend their time celebrating life's small and simple pleasures, which are, when all is said and done, the greatest blessings of all.

[Ham]

My cats (as if one could own them) and I thank you..