So many of you have asked me about my furry loved ones that I decided to sit right down and let you know who is who and what is what. First, I should tell you that we still have two dogs and only two cats. You might remember that our beloved James, our first and wonderful boy Siamese cat, passed away in 2013. The only thing that was good about his passing was it couldn’t have been more peaceful. He simply walked across the room, laid down by my feet and went to sleep. And that was it. We took him down to the Cape and buried him in the same lovely area where all of our animals are buried.

Now, we still have James’s brothers, who are both alive and well. And it is interesting to know that it seems that James was the alpha cat, which we never knew. And now Victor and Yul seem to be sashaying back and forth to decide who is to take James’s crown as head boy! But let me tell you about these boys. Yul is our boy who we rescued about 5 years (or so) ago. When we got him, he was the biggest and fattest cat I had ever seen. It seems that those who cared for him were a group of farmers, and he went from milk house to milk house and had all the cream he wanted. Well, we never put him on a diet but he never got anymore cream. And now he is still a very big boy but he has lost about 5-6 pounds over the years. He also went from being very standoffish to now he is right there to demand as much attention as we can give. And what is very funny about him, you would think that a cat that is that big would have a big voice, but he doesn’t. He has a very little and very soft meow which really sounds strange from such a big body!

I have saved Victor for last because he is the most amazing cat I have ever known. He is also Siamese and is gorgeous. And where he is different from every other Siamese that we have had is he has no idea that he is a cat! I don’t really think he thinks he is a dog either. Oh no, I think he thinks he is a person who is just trapped in a cat body! And he appears to understand every single word we say. Just like the dogs, when we go out, he mopes around and when we come home, he is the head of the pack that meets us at the door. And if you (or a guest or friend) aren’t careful, he will leap up and land on our shoulder where he will immediately lay down and begin purring. Which isn’t too bad for us, but it is a tremendous shock for an unsuspecting visitor. And once in a while as he is sitting and waiting on the bathroom sink, when Malcolm comes out of the shower, he will do his thing and land on his bare shoulders. Oh, I should mention that you can prepare yourself for his leap if you look at his face because his eyes have a certain twinkle in them which is a definite clue that he is preparing to jump. He is amazingly affectionate and insists on joining any and all gatherings that we might have. This summer we had a dinner type party and all of Malcolm’s Cape relatives came, one of whom hates cats. Of course he was the first one that Victor decided to befriend. And we have pictures of Jim not only holding Victor, but petting him and talking to him throughout the entire evening. And believe me, there is no party or gathering to which Victor doesn’t come and participate in. A cat? Absolutely not. Just a very small person in a cat suit!

And I don’t want to forget our wonderful dogs. Lily, our older Yorkshire Terrier is now blind. But after all her injuries and accidents, she doesn’t appear to find blindness much of a handicap, She also loves everyone and finds Victor a very tolerable partner. She revels on being known as the “miracle dog” and has never had any problems after her fall from my speeding car and landing on Rt. 3 in Massachusetts. I have been told that her recovery was in fact a miracle and that we found her after her fall was even more miraculous! She is our baby and she is loved by all…especially every little girl who is fortunate enough to spend any time with her.

I never thought that we would get another dog after our beloved Oliver died on Cape Cod in ‘12. But life is strange and after Malc said that he always wanted a standard poodle, Sebastian and I found one about four miles from our cottage. Somehow I remembered a breeder that I once knew and we went to see if she was still there, and wonder of wonders she was. And not only that, but she had a 4-month old male that she had intended to keep for herself. But after chatting with her for a while, she agreed to sell him but we had only to 2:00 to come back and seal the deal. So we gave her a small deposit and raced home to find Malc. When we told him about this puppy he said he wasn’t interested! But this lasted about 10 minutes and we were in the car; and not only us, but a carload of Sarah and her three kids, too. Malcolm got there and the woman brought the big fluffy out, Malcolm sat on the ground and the puppy rushed over and sat in his lap! And within minutes, we pooled our money and puppy and all were in the car and heading for home. And no one has ever looked back. Rufus is an exceptionally beautiful boy and he and Malcolm are inseparable. Who would have guessed? Oh, and he loves Lily and both cats as long as they aren’t sitting in Malcolm’s lap. Then he is so sad he is almost unable to bear it. This is truly a man and his dog story (although he does love the rest of us too, especially Sebastian). I think if Malc had to choose between Rufus or me, you would find me sitting on the curb with my suitcase!

So, that is the story of the Reiss menagerie for 2014. We are so fortunate to have cats and dogs to round out the family, and I cannot imagine life without them. If you are considering a pet, don’t hesitate, especially if you want unconditional love…and are willing to give it, too.