Pets - A Tribute to Isabel

I had planned to write a post about pets for a few months.
I just never found the words that could adequately describe how I feel about them.

How much you just love them with your whole heart.
How much they truly become part of the family.
How much joy it brings you to watch them play.
How much it makes you feel happy just to see them happy.
How much it feels so wonderful to give them a 'treat' and see them 'smile' up at you. 
How much every ache and pain is diminished the moment you pat them.
How much after a stressful day its amazingly comforting to have them by your side and to feel their company.

    And.....

How much you cry and cry and cry and cry when they pass....

Which is what happened yesterday :'(
One of my furkids passed away.

RIP Isabel

Isabel was one of my two ferrets. Anabel and Isabel are sisters who came from the same litter. I affectionately referred to them as my "Bellas". I got them at just 8 weeks old. I fell in love instantly. Although I don't like to play favourites, Isabel was definitely just that! She was so easy to train. She was always so affectionate and wanted cuddles all the time. Anabel is just very 'ferrety' and is far more interested in running around finding new smells instead of having a cuddle! 
Isabel would even kiss me when I held her and said "kiss for mummy".

It just felt so very very wrong this morning as I picked up Anabel out of their sleeping hut and moved her across to their play-pen on the other side of our house. I'm used to having my hands full with 2 cheeky Bella's running through my arms! 
These two were always attached at the hip....

.....and always in a funny position!

Having playtime in the garage & after coming back from answering the phone one time this is how I found them!

My husband recently spent a weekend making their playpen into a permanent fixture with tunnels and levels for them to jump up etc. I will never forget their delight as we added each new level for them to jump up onto - oh the fun of chasing each other around!

They often featured on our 'family' Christmas cards:

Poor Anabel - I'm not sure how she'll cope without her sister by her side 24/7.

I'm truly grateful that our parents always allowed us to have pets when we were growing up.
We had dogs and cats and guinea pigs and rabbits and birds and mice and even ducks!
And now as a parent I think its so great for children to learn how to care for animals and also its a great way to teach them about life! There's something about seeing the love a child has for their pet that warms my heart beyond what words can say!

Perhaps you could just say that I'm a pet person!

And so I must not forget my kitty either in this post about pets!

I truly do love all my furkids soooooo much! 
Here's one of my babies:

she sleeps through the night and doesn't need her nappy changed ;-)

She makes great company when working from home:

She makes great company during playtime too:

And although she doesn't overly enjoy cuddles, she always tolerates them!!!

And she understands that when you lose one of your other furkids, sometimes you just need to sit and cry.... and cuddle:

And when she lies on the end of your bed and looks up at you like this:

..... how could you NOT fall instantly in love and feel like she truly is just as precious as your human kids ;-)
  

So if a picture says a thousand words....
I guess I didn't need to think about what to say all those months ago.... I could of just posted these pictures! 

Question of the day:

Do you have furkids?

Did you grow up with pets or just have them as adults?

DID YOU KNOW?

People are happier and healthy with pets!

It's now a proven fact that people who own a pet are less likely to suffer from depression and loneliness. Pet owners also tend to have higher self-esteem. Children who grow up with pets are less likely to suffer from asthma and allergies. Pets are also somehow linked to a reduced chance of suffering from a fatal heart attack!!!

If you don't believe me then check out these links for further reading:

• Pets Keep People Healthy 
• Healthier hearts for cat owners 
• 5 ways pets improve your health 
• Are people with pets happier and healthier 
• Health benefits of pets 
• Pets & Human Lymphoma 

So this Friday - be healthy.... and adopt a pet :-)