My furry, purry little friends

We have two non-human family members, Toby, the dog, and Luna, the cat.

Toby and Luna

Toby came to us from a puppy mill rescue. Maybe because he didn't get a happy puppy-hood the first time around, he seems to be more than making up for it now. He loves to wrestle and play!

Toby is a happy pup now that he has a family to call his own

When Evan's friend's cat had kittens he said he would take one. He visited her from the time she was just a few days old, until she was big enough to leave her mommy.

Tiny baby Luna

 The same day the rescue group called to say we could come pick Toby up, Evan's friend told him Luna was ready go home with him. So it was that, by coincidence, both little furry people joined our family on the same day.

The small but mighty Luna

Getting to know each other

In the beginning, Luna stayed in Evan's room. She was so tiny compared to Toby, we weren't really sure she would be safe around him until she was bigger.

When we finally introduced  them, Toby just smiled and panted and sniffed at her curiously. He was totally enchanted by the angry little ball of kitten fluff hissing and spitting at him and was eager to be her friend.

Toby was eager to wrestle right away, Luna not so much.

For Luna it wasn't exactly love at first sight. She gave him the cold shoulder at first, hissing, spitting and puffing herself up whenever they crossed paths.

Luna's curiosity about this big (to her), fluffy, friendly person finally got the better of her. Before too long, they were galloping around the house, playing and endlessly chasing each other.

"Wrestling? Who, us? What makes you think that?"

Whenever somebody is feeling sad around here, the remedy is to go curl up with Toby, preferably in a blanket tent.

A cuddle with Toby is good for the soul

Although our Luna is a feisty young lady, she does have her snugly moments.

Luna sharing a little love with  'her' human, Big Brother

Having the animals to love and care for was very healing for the kids.

Toby is a gentle, sweet tempered animal who loves to cuddle and wrestle in equal measure.

Luna likes to supervise group activities. She especially enjoys board games and insists on having a turn with the dice like everybody else.

She even likes to help me compute.

Luna 'helping' me write.

At night the animals and I curl up in "our" room. There is nothing quite so cozy on a cold night as being in bed with a good book with a cat on my knees and a dog curled up at my side. 

Sometimes somebody gets a little testy . . .

Yet it never ceases to amaze me how much room two small animals can take up. I swear, I think they expand during the night like sponges dropped in water.

....but mostly, they make good bedfellows.

As I'm typing this Luna is sitting on my lap, keeping me company. On weekend mornings, when I have time to linger with my coffee, she often enjoys a good lap sit. But just sitting isn't her style, she likes to stretch out and be held like a baby.

Luna having a lap sit

Recently somebody said to me that they don't believe animals have feelings like humans do. I had to disagree, because I am the fortunate recipient of the love and affection of these two every day.  They love each other, they love their family, and their family loves them.

Quite often, as I watch Toby wrestling with the kids, or when Luna is curled up next to me, purring, I feel a deep sense of gratitude that I have them in my life.