The moment I realized I wasn't going to get the baby brother that I so longed for, I wanted a dog. Having written many letters to the shopkeeper of babies with no reply and given up hope I decide that a dog was the next best thing and that was easier because I could just ask Father Christmas. He never managed to bring a dog so I turned to my greatly loved and dependable dad and mum. They didn't want one at first so I invented an imaginary dog called Trigger. He followed me everywhere and we were best mates.
Eventually the imaginary dog thing must have worn them down because one wonderful morning my dad brought home a puppy.
Oh the magic of that moment, the wonder and delight of her little wriggly body, her little tongue covering me with kisses, her sweet puppy smell. I was obsessed by her. Sally. My childhood companion. My faithful friend and ally.
After Sally many other wonderful dogs came into my life and I always though of myself as a dog-person. Those pleading eyes, full of devotion, those wagging tails, that enthusiasm for life, for walks, for woods, for chasing sticks and balls, the barks of joy, the barks of protection, how could a cat do any of those things?
Then one day a cat came into my life. It was a mystery how she came. There probably is something in the withes and cats thing, because that's how she appeared, in a sort of magic way, at a time when I needed someone. She's till here, many years later and now I am a cat person too.
She spends a lot of time arranging herself in positions so she looks sweet, cuddly, endearing and making me go 'awwww.'
She gazes at me in the same way as my dogs did, all googly eyes and devoted expressions. She greets me at the door when I come home. She climbs on to my lap and so I am forced to sit still for long periods.
She keeps herself very clean, it is quite fascinating to watch how she does it.
Of course I don't take her out on a lead or romp around the countryside leaping and barking.
I wonder why I ever though you couldn't just be both.
Do you feel like a cat person or a dog person?
