MONDAY MUSINGS—LOVE AND DEVOTION

Gidget, one of my Great Danes, and Callie. Typical sight of an evening.

A funny thing about love and devotion is those qualities are not reserved to two legged creatures. 

Observation, over the years, has taught me there is a strong bond of love and devotion

Part of my pride of cats. Callie is in the right rear of the
group.

between animals. I know there is a pecking order among animals (and between people, for that matter) and that's true whether they're cats, dogs, horses, even chickens. There are animals that tend to draw together in groups like horses and dogs. There is a lot of affection between pack members of dogs and in herds of horses. Cats are a bit more solitary, but even cats are affectionate toward one another, especially when large numbers live together. If you watch they touch and groom one another. There is a greeting ritual—certain sounds and body language. I suspect it’s a way peace is kept between them, renewing the bonds of belonging. 

In almost every group, I've seen the buddy system. Certain personalities are drawn together and you see love and affection develop and when they lose that companion to death there is a true grieving period over the loss. Certain pairings who draw close to one another and spend time with one another. Where you see one you see the other. It's not exclusive to same species.

Something to keep in mind when you write about animals or if you write paranormal and you write about animal shifters it’s important to maintain some reality in the animal side of them and their interactions and reactions.

Callie, as a kitten, about to groom Gidget's face.

Callie still grooms Gidget. January 2014

My Dane, Gidget, is very close to one of our cats, Callie. This affectionate bond developed shortly after they met. Gidget was almost two when tiny Callie came to live with us as a kitten. Gidget was fascinated with this little furball. Callie loves Gidget and while careful because Gidget is huge and when she moves she’s a force to be reckoned with—especially that tail of hers. It’s like a whip when she’s happy and wagging it. I know because it’s stung my leg on occasion not to mention knocking things off of low surfaces. While Callie is aware of Gidget when she’s on the move, she’s never shied away from Gidget. Callie waits for Gidget to lie down and then she comes over and talks to her and loves on her. She tends to curl up on Gidget’s back or her shoulder. Gidget hold very still while Callie gets comfortable and has learned not to drench her with her tongue. J They’re buddies. They’re also my office companions. Gidget tends to stay within four feet of me wherever I am and Callie is usually right there.

Callie as a three month old kitten.

   

Gidget, as a 2 month old pup. She's watching
a bird fluttering around the bird feeder.

Isn't love something to behold?