We keep Chloe in the kitchen by herself at night, now (because of her tendency to poop inside), and Kato was so sad that we moved his bed next to the gate between the kitchen and dining room (he's on the dining room side).

Our next-door neighbor told me that when we took Chloe to the vet last week, Kato howled and cried for a long time after we left. That broke my heart. I don't even know what to do when it comes time to put Chloe to sleep, how to help Kato deal with that.

Well, apparently he rolled in some poop on a walk. How that happened, I don't know. So I'm guessing he got a bath tonight. In general, he's good, though. He's started growling at random dogs, which I've been worrying about, but maybe he's just feeling confident enough to start expressing his dislike of certain dogs?

Oh, Steph. That's so sad.

Oh man, Steph.

Darby sniffed at the cat yesterday. I swear to god it's the first time they've looked each other in the eye. When I come home at night they both crowd around looking for skritches. But even then when they're six inches apart and I'm scratching them both, they barely see each other.

Swear to god, I'm surprised they don't bump in the hallway. I wasn't sure when I got Darb which way they would go - love or hate - but I never imagined this. It's beyond indifference, it's like they literally don't register.

Kato howled and cried for a long time after we left.

Oh boy. Separation anxiety can be so hard.

The friends who kept Bartleby when I was ill have two Greyhounds. One is 14, the other is 3. They are already planning on adopting another when Darius, the elder, begins to fade. Goose, the younger, would not be okay alone...at all.

I've considered getting Bartleby a dog of his own, but have very mixed feelings. We have such a good thing going on, I would hate to mess with the mix. And, it wouldn't be fair to the younger dog.

As for Frankie, unfortunately, the growling isn't about confidence. A confident dog shows no dominant/aggressive behavior. Try disagreeing with that behavior and letting Frankie know that the other dogs belong to you. Praise playful behavior and distract from the negative stimuli.

They are already planning on adopting another when Darius, the elder, begins to fade. Goose, the younger, would not be okay alone...at all.

Tim has said that Kato is much happier with another dog around. But it's so hard watching Chloe decline that I can't imagine getting another dog after Chloe dies, because I don't want to have to go through this with another dog (I am refusing to believe that Kato will ever get old and die, despite the sprinkling of white hair in his fur that wasn't there a year ago).

Granted, my attitude will probably change, but right now it's too sad to think about.

Oh, dear. Okay. Could you explain a little more, or do you have a relevant handout?

Oh, dear. Okay. Could you explain a little more, or do you have a relevant handout?

Boy howdy, I have a dark sense of humor, because I read this right after my post and thought "A handout? Like, 'So Your Dog Is Getting Decrepit'?", with a picture on the front of Chloe standing in a corner facing the walls. (She seriously does this. She loves corners, and she'll walk in one and then stand there facing it until one of us eventually gets her out [she can't comprehend backing up any more, so she'll just stand in a corner endlessly, given her druthers].)

On the couch, sneezing and blogging and basking in the aftermath of a lovely evening with smonster and Tom. I'm blogging around the my review (it's on my blog as well as Yelp and Chowhound) because it's new, and there's relatively little info out on it. It's my New Orleans duty!

That was nice. Bed time now though. Hope my throat is feeling better tomorrow and that Taz and I have a couple days off from the vet.

Steph, I know the feeling, and yet...I know I'll be adding a kitten soon when I lose Mister Kitty, and while that will be hard, it will be right. MK is...he's the biggest love ever. Puppy in feline form without the housebreaking, total charmer. OK, so Loki is his younger version with added aggravation. He's also a freaking miracle cat. 18, diabetic for the past 8 years... I know I don't have much left. My poor old man wrestles with the stupidass Loki even when he doesn't want to. The thing is, Loki needs a companion, he adored MK from the start. And after MK goes, there's just Devi, who adores me and hates everyone else. So I'll suck it up and fall for another cat with the excuse I got Loki a kitten. Cause you know, I will. Time will pass.

And Mister Kitty will be the one who taught Lokes how to unbehave.