Kansas Snapshots by Gloria Freeland - April 10, 2026
Pet pals
We adopted my cat Minnie in May 2020 - shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Her companionship during that strange time
brought me much joy. She was still in her overgrown-kitten stage and so entertaining. Today, she'll wait for me at the top of
the steps when she hears me return home. I call her "my" cat because she just tolerates husband Art. If anyone else comes into
the house, she hides under the bed or couch.
She has also been a good companion through my months-long cancer treatments, lying near my feet when I'm taking a nap or staying
close by when I’m working on projects.
Minnie helping keep my legs warm
After my brother's wife Linda passed, his sons and their families encouraged him to adopt a couple of kittens to keep him company. Ringo and Snickers are now his fast friends.
While the precise numbers vary, research by organizations such as the American Psychological Association consistently report well
over 50 percent answer "yes" to questions such as: do pets comfort us in times of grief, hardship, or stress; do pets create a feeling
of overall well-being; do you see a pet as a true friend?
The Pew Research Center found that 97 percent of Americans consider their pets to be family members, and half say their pets are
as much a family member as a human relative.
Having companion animals certainly isn't a recent development. Thousands of years ago, in cultures around the world, dogs and cats
were buried with their human masters so they could be with them in the afterworld. A wall painting in Mesopotamia from 3500 B.C.
shows a man with a collared dog on a leash. In 900 B.C., Phoenician traders brought the first domesticated cats to Europe.
Brother Dave and friends
Today, pet industry research shows that 68 percent of U.S. households own at least one pet. Estimates are that Americans own 78 million dogs, 85 million cats, 14 million birds, 12 million small mammals, and nine million reptiles.
My recent interest in pets began when I was perusing the "National Day Calendar." I discovered that tomorrow (April 11) is
National Pet Day. Founded in 2006 by Colleen Paige, an animal welfare advocate, dog trainer, and pet and family lifestyle expert,
its purpose is to celebrate the joy that pets bring us.
I grew up on a farm and we always had barn cats a-plenty to keep the rodent population down. We also had dogs, but Dusty,
a cocker-spaniel mix, won our hearts by his ability to sit on his haunches for as long as it took to get us to feed him scraps
at the supper table.
Brother Dave had a few animals that were a bit unusual for a farm kid - a hamster, a chameleon, and a turtle acquired at the
Kansas State Fair.
Dave's significant other Marilyn also had a turtle, purchased from the local Kresge's store when she was about 11. Her younger
sister Sandy also got one.
Dusty waiting for a table scrap
Mine was a little bigger than Sandy's turtle. He had a light green shell, very ornamental designs on the back of it and he had
beautiful black stripes alongside his head and neck. He was about the size of a deck of cards. I named him Tiny.
Sandy's turtle was smaller with a dark solid green color shell and no designs on it and without any stripes on his head or neck. She
named him Teeny.
Anyway, both Tiny and Teeny were very attentive and knew exactly when Sandy and I came home from school. They would perch themselves
on the landing inside their little aquarium and watch for us to come into the den ... They'd get so excited and would practically
stand up on their back legs so we could pick them up and hold them in our hands! ... Sandy's turtle, Teeny, passed away first and it
wasn't long after that that Tiny passed. Both those turtles lived a lot longer than they were supposed to and I know it's because
they were loved more than anyone could have imagined! ...
Friend Jo in southwest Wisconsin at one time had hens named One, Two and Three, and they often joined her in the Adirondack chairs
on her farmhouse porch. They fell prey to the local foxes, so now she has pets that can fend for themselves, including a donkey and
a ram.
Art's grandpa Herrmann had a dog named Butch - the source of some confusion as that was also Art's nickname. That dog loved the water
and even in his old age when he had to be carried out of the basement to join his master duck hunting, he was still a powerful
swimmer. On one occasion, when a nearby hunter downed a duck, Butch leapt out of the boat and retrieved the duck before the other
hunter's dog arrived.
Butch is long gone - the dog, not my husband - but he still brings pleasure in the retelling of what happened next.
The other hunter complained about the purloined quacker. Art's grandpa replied, "Get a better dog!"
The independent, non-profit helpguide.org website says pets can improve our lifestyles by providing companionship, which can
help prevent illness and depression; reducing anxiety; adding structure and routine to our days; providing sensory stress relief;
and increasing exercise.
True, I imagine, but on the flip side, a few days ago on a cold morning we were up early to catch a 7 a.m. flight when we saw a
fellow out walking his dog. I thought, "Yes, I could use the exercise." But try as I might, there was not a hint of jealousy in
any fiber of my being for that man!
So while pets are great, make your choice carefully! I’ll stick with my Minnie
Left: Daughter Katie studies how to care
for a goldfish, while pet Dandelion looks
on at the left with a vested interest.
Right: Granddaughter Katrina receives some affection from her hamster pal.
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