For the first time in many years, I own two cats...or maybe they own me, I'm not really sure. Spike, the 5 year old black long-haired male, was an orphan from the shelter. Lily is a tabby and white female and about 7 months old. We found her abandoned in the dog pen at our new home with a broken leg and she's been with us ever since. Watching them together and separately provides a lot of entertainment for me. Spike is a lap cat, but only when it's his idea, and that's not very often. Lily, on the other hand, is very affectionate and sleeps with me at night. They play together at times or are very happy entertaining themselves. Given the type of work that I do these days, I've found myself thinking about how much company they are. I have a unique opportunity to work at home and telecommute to the office. That's a big change for me. There are no co-workers to catch up with, no one to talk to about the news or compare notes about a new movie. I enjoy solitude and I love being at home, so I don't mind the change so much, but what if I was terminally ill? What if I wasn't able to work anymore? What if I couldn't leave home anymore, or even get out of my bed without assistance? The cats have shown me this week how special and important their companionship can be. They are glad that I'm home to interact with them. Even if one of them only comes by to brush up against my leg or the other one is in the room sleeping as I work, their presence makes a difference. I'm reminded that I'm not alone. If I were terminally ill, the companionship of my cats would be even more important to me than it is now. That's why Pet Peace of Mind is so important. Keeping hospice patients and their pets together matters.
