h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A few things I've discovered about living with pets:

1) The most macho guy will turn into jelly when you hand him a tiny kitten.

2) Dogs think a litter box is their own private cookie jar.

3) You can't believe everything the vet tells you, especially when he's trying to sell you something.

4) No matter how much you pay for dog beds, they will sleep on yours instead, and no matter how much you spend on cat toys, they would rather have a newspaper to shred and a box.

5) Cats and dogs live together happily as long as the dogs realize that the cats are in charge. And...

6) Don't let a dog afraid of thunder follow you to the bathroom. It's really hard to pee with a dog on your lap.

How true, these words of wisdom.

Yo, Dmitri. How are you and Elektra? I hope it is cooler there than it is in Missouri.

This is all true. Cats are well entertaned by mice, large bugs and lizards as well. Their prey is not so happy about this, however. They are also charmed by a cheap metal toy called a cat dancer as well.

It was pretty hot for awhile - we had a couple of weeks in the 100s - but it's been cooling down to comfortable 80s-90s recently. Right now, it's raining, which is good for crops and temperature, too.

You surely didn't need to stay away so long to learn just those simple truisms.

So true, Elektra. A friend is wanting to get her toddler a lizard. I warned her that said lizard wouldn't last long with a cat in the house.

I know, BG. I'm going to do a better job of sticking around from now on.

#6 is making me very glad that we don't get thunderstorms around here (about the only thing that could--I love storms!) Our is a boxer, y'see...

A place with no thunderstorms, Amy? Really?

Welcome back, Hyp!

Hey Hyp .

. heheh. Funny pet facts, especially no 6 , enjoyed them greatly, especially reading them at 2.45 am. . Be good to have a pet. I'd like a lizard, of course. . Or whippets.

Not many, anyway. There might be a couple claps of thunder every year or so. We tend more towards horizontal rain.

Hi Hypatia, glad to see you're utilizing your new kitteh so effectively.

Amy, we don't get many T-storms where I am, either, although 40 miles North of here they get them all the time. In the desert, in the summer. Go figure.

Another truism for you. Ahem...

#7 Cats will only try desperately to get out when the door is closed...forget to latch it on a breezy day, let it pop open, and they will completely ignore Forbidden Territory.

I'd agree with everything you say there, Hypatia, except possibly about the vets. No vet has ever tried to sell me anything, and they've always been very helpful, although they don't seem to know much about guinea pigs.

Hyp, Hyp, Hurrah!

Luckily my dog ignores thunderstorm and has too short paws to hop on my lap anyway.

As for guinea pigs, vets usually know how to cut teeth and clip nails, that's about it.

I've never been owned by a cat, so all my knowledge about them comes from Simon's Cat. They say it's all true.

Some of the comments to the videos on Simon's Cat are as funny as the videos - cat owners who want to share similar experiences.

I especially remember a man who stepped into the shower cabin one morning, still half asleep, and failed to notice his cat following him into the cabin.

When he turned the shower on, the cat screamed and clawed its way up his back to escape the water and clung to his scalp, making *him scream too.

Must have been quite a shock - I bet he was wide awake afterwards...

I'm imagining this.

I agree that vets are usually clueless about guinea pigs. We used to take our guinea pigs to Herr Dr Braun in Cologne. He did his best. He was funnier with the hedgehog, though - Spike got off the table and ran around the room, with the assistants yelping.

Watching veterinary assistants grab huge handfuls of paper for insulation before they pick up a hedgehog...worth the price of admission.

My vets (3 person practice) are really good with my critters, but I do wish they weren't always pushing me to buy the expensive pet food, grooming items, flea meds, etc. that they sell.

Oh! Love Simon's Cat. What a hoot.