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So B & I are sitting in the kitchen eating dinner, when we hear D&G on the counter. We look up & this is what we see...
Ha Ha Ha. It seriously made our whole night! They are the cutest, sweetest things...EVER & we love the so so much!
This is them watching their new "Mewvie"! It's a movie, made for cats, of course, that shows birds, mice, crickets, etc. CUTEST THING...EVER!
It's amazing how much these little souls add to our happiness & help make our house a home. We adopted them from The Huntington Beach Animal Hospital & it's probably one of the best things we've ever done. Crazy story...I'd been wanting a little "friend" for a while, thought about it for months, and really wanted a kitty. I wanted a "friend" to cuddle on the couch with, and of course to love forever & ever. A kitty, instead of a dog for a few reasons. First...we travel a lot, so I wanted a pretty independent animal, who wouldn't miss us too much while we were away. 2nd...I am way too OCD to have a Dog using the bathroom all over my house! Ha Ha. With kitty's...they are "potty trained" the very same day you bring them home & NEVER have any "accidents". And lastly...I LOVE LOVE LOVE that kitty's purr. I love that you always know when they are happy. SO SO cute! I know puppy's wag their tails, and believe me...I LOVE doggies too, but something about a little kitty, purring right next to you...just melts your heart. So...Cliff Notes Version...B was at his haircut on day, and in the same shopping center was the Animal Hospital. While I was waiting for him in the car (side note...one of my VERY favorite things to you. Wait in the car, with the sun beating on the windows...heaven. I feel like a little lizard, sunning myself on a little rock. Ha Ha.), I decided to walk into the Animal Hospital, and see if they knew where (locally) I could adopt my new friend. Much to my surprise, the girl at the counter said, "Right behind you." I turned around, and couldn't believe my eyes! There, in a tiny little cage, was a little black & white kitty. As I got closer, wait...there were two little kitty's in there! Cuddled up in the smallest little ball you've ever seen! I was DYING! I knew right then...today was the day! But...since they were together, and sleeping so adorably together...I knew I had to get them both. There was no way I was going to separate them. All that was left to do was ask B. Ha Ha. I walked next door, looked at him, and he already knew. He asked me if there were kittys there & when he saw the look on my face...he knew it was over! Ha Ha. Thank God he loves animals too & also wanted to "add to our family". When his haircut was done, we walked back over & I showed them to him. Of course...he was dying too! We started talking to the girl & she said that they were not from the same litter at all, found & rescued from 2 different places, and estimated Birthdays were about 5 days apart! How crazy is that! (this September they will both be 2 years old) So...OF COURSE we adopted them right then & there & we've been loving them ever since! I always joke that B named them, but of course I did! Ha Ha. Dolce is our little girl & Gabbana is our little boy. B&V and D&G...one little, happy family! Our hearts and our family grew two sizes that day! It's amazing to me how you can go from, one minute never knowing they even existed, to they next...never imagining your life without them. Studies have shown that people with pets are happier, healthier & tend to live longer. He's some of the proof, according to WebMD...
5 Ways Pets Can Improve Your Health
Allergy Fighters
"The old thinking was that if your family had a pet, the children were more likely to become allergic to the pet. And if you came from an allergy-prone family, pets should be avoided," says researcher James E. Gern, MD, a pediatrician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
However, a growing number of studies have suggested that kids growing up in a home with "furred animals" -- whether it's a pet cat or dog, or on a farm and exposed to large animals -- will have less risk of allergies and asthma, he tells WebMD.
In his recent study, Gern analyzed the blood of babies immediately after birth and one year later. He was looking for evidence of anallergic reaction, immunity changes, and for reactions to bacteria in the environment.
If a dog lived in the home, infants were less likely to show evidence of pet allergies-- 19% vs. 33%. They also were less likely to have eczema, a common allergy skin condition that causes red patches and itching. In addition, they had higher levels of some immune system chemicals -- a sign of stronger immune system activation.
"Dogs are dirty animals, and this suggests that babies who have greater exposure to dirt and allergens have a stronger immune system," Gern says.
Date Magnets
Dogs are great for making love connections. Forget Internet matchmaking -- a dog is a natural conversation starter.
This especially helps ease people out of social isolation or shyness, Nadine Kaslow, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University in Atlanta, tells WebMD.
"People ask about breed, they watch the dog's tricks," Kaslow says. "Sometimes the conversation stays at the 'dog level,' sometimes it becomes a real social interchange."
Dogs for the Aged
"Studies have shown that Alzheimer's patients have fewer anxious outbursts if there is an animal in the home," says Lynette Hart, PhD, associate professor at the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
"Their caregivers also feel less burdened when there is a pet, particularly if it is a cat, which generally requires less care than a dog," says Hart.
Walking a dog or just caring for a pet -- for elderly people who are able -- can provide exercise and companionship. One insurance company, Midland Life Insurance Company of Columbus, Ohio, asks clients over age 75 if they have a pet as part of their medical screening -- which often helps tip the scales in their favor.
Good for Mind and Soul
Pet owners with AIDS are far less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets. "The benefit is especially pronounced when people are strongly attached to their pets," says researcher Judith Siegel, PhD.
In one study, stockbrokers with high blood pressure who adopted a cat or dog had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than did people without pets.
People in stress mode get into a "state of dis-ease," in which harmful chemicals like cortisol and norepinephrine can negatively affect the immune system, says Blair Justice, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health and author of Who Gets Sick: How Beliefs, Moods, and Thoughts Affect Your Health.
Studies show a link between these chemicals and plaque buildup in arteries, the red flag for heart disease, says Justice.
Like any enjoyable activity, playing with a dog can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine -- nerve transmitters that are known to have pleasurable and calming properties, he tells WebMD.
"People take drugs like heroin and cocaine to raise serotonin and dopamine, but the healthy way to do it is to pet your dog, or hug your spouse, watch sunsets, or get around something beautiful in nature," says Justice, who recently hiked the Colorado Rockies with his wife and two dogs.
Good for the Heart
Heart attack patients who have pets survive longer than those without, according to several studies. Male pet owners have less sign of heart disease -- lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels -- than non-owners, researchers say.
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