I flirt shamelessly with every dog I see. I will stop a conversation to coo over them, and every dog owner wonders why their dog is in love with me. I have allergies Modern Medicine can't yet conquer. I had cat companions all through my childhood and, in particular, remember Schmouser, Teddy and Lamont with particular fond affection. Each in turn shared my bed, morsels of my dinner, and my secrets.
Cats have a sly sense of humor, and are very good at keeping secrets.
Schmouser was grey with gold eyes, Teddy was ginger, and Lamont Cranston was named after The Shadow because he was black as night. Birds are wonderful too, I've owned canaries and parakeets, and am the Ultimate Nerd Birder, with binoculars at the ready for any unusual species that sets talon in my backyard. However, I haven't had much luck with canaries of late. With memories of past canaries who sang so much I had to put a cover over the cage to get some sleep, I recently went out to acquire another. A well meaning friend told me her veterinarian daughter advised that I look for the ugliest bird in the shop, because these days canaries are bred for beauty or song, never both.