We've loved our pets throughout the pandemic
The pandemic has been tough on everyone, and that includes our pets. Here, in a lighthearted column that I wrote for the May edition of Jewish Rhode Island of Providence, R.I., I try to get into the minds of our pet cat Cooper and pet dog Buddy, to see how the pandemic has affected them.
Enjoy, and have a few chuckles, which we can all use. If the column doesn’t bring a smile to your face, then you may need a booster vaccination humor shot.
This column was published in the May edition of the Jewish Rhode Island of Providence:
When I last discussed our pets two years ago --- our cat Cooper and our dog Buddy, a Shih Tzu-Pekingese-mix --- the world of pets was much different in the BC (Before COVID-19) era.
The big thing, of course, is that our pets, like millions across the country, have become spoiled by having their adult “parents” around pretty much 24-7. But I was curious about how they’ve been coping with everything and so, as a salute to Jewish Rhode Island’s annual pet edition, I thought I’d get in touch with my inner feline and canine by conducting an updated interview with them.
One thing I discovered is that Cooper, as most felines, has been pretty much unaffected by the pandemic as he continues to do what cats do best: chill out. He still meows when his food and water bowls are empty, purrs when he annexes our laps as his personal leisure space, likes to nap at my wife’s feet and enjoys practicing his long-jump maneuvers by leaping onto our kitchen table whenever I walk out of the room and foolishly leave food there.
Buddy, on the other hand, has been affected by the pandemic, as he’s been barking his head off more than he ever did. That’s especially noticeable whenever Buddy hears my wife’s voice on a work Zoom call, feels left out when we leave him on the other side of the gate that separates the family room from the kitchen, and whenever he hears my wife on the phone when she calls to say she’s on the way home from the supermarket. He’s also been barking like clockwork when the 6:30 p.m. news is over, jumping on the gate and whining incessantly until my wife threatens him with banishment to the crate.
So, to delve into those and other matters, I chatted with both Buddy and Cooper:
Buddy’s view
ME: Have you been more agitated than last year?
BUDDY: Not really, but I’ve been wondering why you guys don’t get out of the house more.
ME: That’s an excruciatingly long story, but why does our being home seem to cause you so much consternation?
BUDDY: Hey, I’m a dog, not a linguist. In plain English, please.
ME: Why are you barking so much?
BUDDY: I bark, therefore I am. In other words, when you guys are around, I want to talk – and barking is how I communicate. I thought I made that clear the last time we talked.
ME: You did, but you seem to be a lot more on edge these days.
BUDDY: That’s your perception. I’m just a dog, and actually, I’ve enjoyed walking in the park with Lynne. So, this arrangement has had some positive results.
ME: I’m glad you think so. I just wish you’d stop going mental whenever the doorbell rings.
BUDDY: I just can’t help myself.
ME: That’s not good enough. What will it take for you to stop yapping so much?
BUDDY: Bribe me with more snacks so my mouth will be too full to bark.
ME: Speaking of your food habit, why do you prefer egg matzo over wheat?
BUDDY: Hey, I may be a dog, but I know the difference between real food and a piece of cardboard.
Cooper’s view
COOPER: Not in the least. Why do you ask?
ME: Never mind. I should have realized that cats can relax much easier than dogs. Have you changed any of your behaviors?
COOPER: Don’t be ridiculous. I’m a cat, and I know how to deal with strangers. Whenever someone comes over I don’t recognize, I do what all cats do: flee to a safe hiding place and re-emerge when the intruder is gone.
ME: How have your days been going?
COOPER: Same as always. I meow for food, water and for you to open the basement door when I become too lazy to open the cat door. And I’ll walk all over you just when you’ve found your sweet spot on the couch, or are trying to figure out the Jumble.
ME: What’s your favorite activity?
COOPER: Being on the lookout for my next vacant lap.
The Q-and-A sessions with Buddy and Cooper reinforced what I knew two years ago, and what I’ve known ever since this pandemic began: Our pets may on occasion drive us crazy, but they’ve been a constant source of comfort, relief and hope throughout this ordeal that has grossly over stayed its welcome --- and for that, like pet owners everywhere, I’m extremely grateful.
LARRY KESSLER (larrythek65@gmail.com) is a freelance writer based in North Attleboro. He blogs at https://larrytheklineup.blogspot.com/
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