Special Needs Pets

When they adopt a pet, of course humans want the best possible animal. Some people want a “designer” pet that will be perfect in every way: good looking, well-behaved, and easy to take care of. In that case my advice would be to buy a pet rock. Pets are the same as children—they can’t help who they are but once you have accepted the responsibility of having one, it is yours for life.

Special needs pets can be better than “perfect” pets as they are more grateful, in their own way, for the care you give them.

This subject is close to my heart as I, Friday, am a special needs pet, and so is my pal Pharoah.

When I was young I was extremely aggressive. Although I am very handsome and affectionate, I ended up at the animal shelter as my first human could not deal with me. For some reason I don’t understand my brain snaps and I go from being docile to being vicious in a nanosecond. I am a very loving cat and I certainly don’t mean to cause harm.

I am fortunate as my current human loved me enough to endure the pain I inflicted on her, waking her up at two in the morning trying to bite her nose off or sinking my teeth into her cheek. What was I thinking?

She decided to ask the vet if there was any help for my condition. Although she doesn’t like solving problems with drugs she was desperate and acquiesced to giving me a small dose of Amitriptyline Hydrochloride. I’ve been on this for twelve years now and I can testify that it has changed my life. Even my vet can’t believe what a difference it has made to me. And although I am seventy in human years my blood tests show me as healthy as a kitten.

As long as I get my dose every twenty four hours I am a calm, Zen pussycat. I no longer feel like dragons are chasing me, I no longer feel the need to scalp my human, and best of all, I can tolerate another feline in the house.

Of course, Pharoah is not the cat I would have chosen to share my space as he is certainly an inferior animal, much too fun-loving, and not at all an intellectual like myself, but he doesn’t interfere in my life so I suppose it could be worse.

And just to show how open-minded I am my next blog might even be about him!

(Photo copyright roslyn m wilkins)