When I was a little kid, we had two dogs at different times. The friendly one was named "JJ", I believe.

My only memory of him was of him walking into the bathroom as my dad was attempting to yank my tooth with string and doorknob. JJ entered and exited the bathroom quickly on that. He was a calm lab mix.

Not sure why we didn't get anymore dogs. But he was good for more than pets; he was good for little kid hugs.

Miss MollyCat, age about 15, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, October 7, 2009, while being bathed in the Catnip Spa at her veterinarian's office. An autopsy revealed that Molly had an unsuspected heart condition which would have ended her life in a short while. Molly's adopted mother, Catherine, was very sad to lose her feline friend and companion of so many years, but believed that Molly exited her comfortable life in a way that she would have preferred, peacefully and without pain.

Molly was Himalayan, with soft gray fur, big green eyes, and preferred her own space on top of a table or shelf instead of a human lap. One of her favorite activities was to watch Catherine cook dinner. She loved grilled turkey made by Fancy Feast, warm milk, and lying about on the back deck of her home. During winter months, she could often be found in the sunniest location of her family's living room. Christmas was great fun for Molly, as she loved to lie on the packages under the Christmas tree. When the gifts were opened, she liked to slide under the scattered wrappings, thinking that she was hidden from everyone. Of course, she also enjoyed all the treats and toys she was given during the holiday season from her many relatives. Molly was the Alpha cat within her home, being the eldest and with the most seniority. She did not tolerate much interference in her life and daily activities from her two brothers, Saber and Charlie. She loved catnip, her scratching pad, and chasing butterflies.

Molly came to live with Catherine and her husband after being abandoned by some unfeeling wretch near Catharine's sister's home in a small town in North Carolina during a fierce thunderstorm in the summer of 1995. The sister rescued Molly and took care of her for awhile. She was at least a year old, if not older, and was expecting, but the vet ended Molly's pregnancy and helped her regain her health. From the time she was rescued, Molly never had another moment of hunger, thirst, or fear of not being wanted.

Miss MollyCat is survived and sorely missed by her adopted parents and extended human family, her feline brothers Charlie and Saber, her canine sister Patches, and numerous cousins.

Molly's body was cremated and her ashes will be scattered in a field in which she often played. May she rest in peace and know that she was truly loved and will never be forgotten..

Oh you all have made me cry. I will write something about my dear Ladybug when I can do it without crying.

Lady has not been forgotten by me, lefty....and Opetuaries are a great way to make sure others don't forget her, either. I wish newspapers would allow these kinds of memorials to our animal friends to be printed up. Many animals are more deserving of being remembered than lots of humans are...

Catherine, I am so sorry. I am sure she was special to you, especially since she was your mother's cat originally. Big huge hugs to you and to your sister.

The best thing anyone ever said to me when my Lady died was something like "a person who can knowingly love so openly an animal they know will live so shortly is the kindest person of all"... I know I did a terrible job of remembering exactly how my friend put it, but it was sweet and really did make me feel better, because I know I loved her so much.

And you are that and more, dear lefty...you are indeed that. Thanks so much for your response. I can remember Lucy at my parents' house. Seems like she was always there. She may have been even older than 20. She really disliked dogs except for one my father called Little Dog. Little Dog was blind but lived to a ripe old age himself. Any other dog Lucy would not tolerate.

Once my parents kept a dog for my brother while he went on vacation. Lucy left. Where she went, nobody knows to this day. Dad scoured the neighborhood, knocked on doors, asked people to be on the lookout for her.

When the dog went home, Lucy came back, none the worse for wear!

Animals are so awesome!

I think you are pretty dear yourself, cat.