Once upon a time, our pets
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been surrounded by animals: chickens, geese, cats, ducks, dogs, guinea pigs, rats, rabbits, goats… and each of them has marked my life in its own way, forever.
Over the years, I’ve naturally had to say goodbye to many of them, which is always very difficult. But I hold on to all the good memories and, above all, to the fact that they were much loved. Their lives, however short, were beautiful.
This article is for all of them, whether they’re still here or have already joined animal heaven. To pay tribute to them, to thank them for all they’ve given me and all they still give me on a daily basis: a lot of love… and a little (a lot 😉 ) of worry. The quality of many of the photos leaves something to be desired, as most were taken a long time ago, but it’s what they show that’s important.
- Mon zamour Toto
- Le chat tombé du ciel
- Les deux pinpins amoureux
- Biquettes de mère en fille
- La tribu à plumes
- Et vous ? Vos histoires
My beloved Toto
My big dog Tommy (aka Toto), a 52-kilo Beauceron, was as impressive as he was gentle. We had a very strong bond, no doubt linked to all the hours of hiking we spent together.
We particularly enjoyed watching the sunset, and roaming the woods to observe animals discreetly, which he did wonderfully. He also had a passion for stuffed animals 😊, and I tried to bring him one from each of my trips.
He was a very gentle dog with all living creatures, whether with my little nephew, my cat, my chickens or the birds in the garden.
I remember one day when our old Coincoin, now a little blind, flew off and landed on his belly as he slept in the grass. Toto just raised his head and looked at him with a look of both surprise and exasperation 😉!!! That was him: a quiet, yet fragile force.
Ever since he was a child, he had suffered from an intestinal disease that forced him to follow a strict diet. In February 2024, he fell ill and we thought it was, once again, his tummy. But after several examinations, the vet told us that he had spleen cancer and had only a few days to live. Unfortunately, the prognosis was correct and we had to say goodbye to him ten days later. It’s still very painful today, because I miss him so much. I find it hard to accept that I didn’t have time to see his first white hairs appear 😊, but we often talk about him, and that comforts me a lot.
The cat who fell from the sky
My cat Minou (not very original 😉 ) left me in 2020 at the age of 16. We were very close, because this cat literally imposed himself on me. He arrived one day (abandoned? lost?), barely two months old. He had taken up residence under our shed and was very wild.
We’d lost all our cats to the road and I didn’t want any more. I tried to avoid him for the first few days… but if you don’t want him, he’ll come back. So I started bringing him food, then I spent hours in the cold trying to tame him. It took a long time, but finally, he left his shed for… my bed 😊! Sleeping with him, lulled to sleep by his purrs, are among my fondest memories.
He’s a cat who’s always kept a wild side, while being very docile and gentle. He was especially apprehensive about mans. He made friends with Mina, our adorable little Shih Tzu, also abandoned by the roadside. The two of them slept and played together.
Like Mina, he died of old age. It was very painful, but knowing that he had reached the end of his life helped me a lot.
The two bunnies in love
I have two adorable rabbits living with me in the house: Poupinette, a little semi-dwarf rabbit given to me by my sister, and her darling Loulou, who arrived in a rather unusual way.
Loulou is the result of a forbidden love 😉 between a farm rabbit and a wild rabbit. He’s taken everything from his daddy and really looks like a wild rabbit. Following an attack by a wild animal, I found him abandoned, still tiny and unweaned. So I took him in and bottle-fed him for several weeks. By then, I’d already had Poupinette for two years. My Poupette has a strong character, so much so that despite her small size, she terrorizes the members of my family 😉.
As a result, the beginning between the two of them was complicated, then they finally fell head over heels for each other. They’ve now been living together for eight years… and with me 😉 ! They’re cuddly and regularly jump on the sofa to get their petting fix. That’s how I discovered the rabbits’ adorable gnashing of happy teeth.
Poupinette has a record number of emergency visits to the vet, most often at weekends… because she’s prone to intestinal obstructions. This is fatal for rabbits if not treated in time. Even though I’ve adapted their diet and brush them when they’re moulting, it continues to happen, so I have to remain vigilant.
Mother and daughter goats
I love goats, probably because they were the first pets I ever had. When I was 7, my parents brought home a rather wild semi-dwarf goat, Cigale, which took a lot of patience to tame.
She went on to have kids (the kids are so cute 😊). In her last litter, three babies were born. As goats only have two teats, one of the kids was very sickly. So I bottle-fed him in addition. I was very attached to her and my parents decided to keep her with us. That’s how Jane joined our family.
Both had strong tempers (especially with dogs), but they were adorable, loved to be petted and, above all, to go for walks on a leash… to check if the grass was greener elsewhere 😉. I spent a lot of time sitting in their paddock reading in their company. Jane and Cicada had a lovely life. They left us at the age of 15 for the mother and 20 for the daughter, a very good age for a goatie!
The feathered family
There have always been lots of chickens at home, usually accompanied by two geese and a duck (now two).
In my opinion, chickens are poorly regarded animals, often considered “stupid”… which is totally untrue! I’ve created several bonds with hens and roosters. Our current little silk hen, Paulette, is a perfect example. She recognizes her name, follows us everywhere and makes us laugh a lot (her looks have a lot to do with it 😉 ).
Pitchounette, a bare-necked hen, is one of the ones who made the biggest impression on me. When I’d sit in the pen, she’d come running over, snuggle between my legs and beg to be petted. She’s a real sweetheart!
Our first duck, Coincoin, had a special story. A friend had found an abandoned mallard egg and entrusted it to us. We placed it under a broody hen. One morning, there he was, with his adorable face! He never left, even though he flew very well. Probably because he’s always thought of himself more as a little hen 😊.
What about you? Your stories
Of course, I haven’t mentioned all the animals that have been part of my life, but they’ve all counted, and left their paw prints on me.
What about you? Who are the companions who share or have shared your life? I’d love to read your stories, your memories, how you coped with their loss. Because it’s always comforting to talk to other animal lovers and share the good times as well as the more difficult ones.
Many thanks my loves ❤️!