Furry responsibilities

I’m a huge advocate for kids having pets. Whether they be feathered, scaled, furry or gilled, pets offer so much. I grew up with animals and there has never been a period in my life where I haven’t had a pet. I’ve had dogs, cats, fish, a bird, a snake, a chameleon, guinea pigs, a tarantula – I’ve loved them all.

Before kids, my husband and I shared our lives with a dog and four cats. So our kids have never experienced life without them. They’ve learnt to be gentle and loving. They’ve also learnt the responsibilities of pets. Shared responsibilities include feeding the dog and cats and making sure they have fresh water – or in the case of Gimil, our German Shorthaired Pointer, turning the tap on in the bathtub so the spoiled puppy can drink from running water.

The kids have learnt so much already from sharing their lives with our furry companions, but it hasn’t all been happy. This past spring, our senior cat Leela became sick and the time came when we had to make a difficult decision. I’ve lost pets before, but never with a child in the house who was old enough to comprehend what was going on. I spent a week preparing myself to talk with my five-year old.

Not believing in heaven, I wasn’t’ sure how to explain death to her. The day we decided to take Leela to the vet, I sat down with kids in the morning to have a special cuddle with her. I took a picture of them hugging Leela and I explained that she was sick and Mommy had to take her to the vet. Of course Katrina asked when Leela would be coming home and I had to tell her that she wouldn’t be. That night, I sat down with Katrina again and gave her the framed picture of her hugging Leela as a special keepsake.

We talked about death and what it meant, but I really didn’t know how much she understood. Losing a pet is hard, but it’s even harder when you see the innocence of your child trying to comprehend the loss of their friend. Six months later, Katrina still says she misses Leela and often tells complete strangers that her cat Leela died. She keeps the picture on her night table and we often share memories of our furry friend at bedtime. I tell her that it’s okay to be sad and the memories we share keep Leela alive in our hearts.