Readers Respond to Love Your Pet Day
About a month ago, I learned it was an obscure, but sweet holiday: Love Your Pet Day. Now the reasons why we love our pets are many, so I thought it may be nice to ask all of you to write in to share why you love your pets! I heard from a few folks, and I wanted to share their stories and pictures here.
William’s note to me was short, but to the point:
“Wanted to show you our two CH buddies. They are very loving and try their darndest,” he emailed.
I couldn’t agree more, William! There’s just something inspiring about these special cats. Here’s a look at his Coco (the black kitty) and Pluto (orange).
Nori wrote in about her CH cat, Chanel:
“I never heard of CH before and I did not know Chanel had it when I got her. After I adopted her, we noticed how different her walk was from other cats and that she fell over a lot. After a ton of research on what it could be (some very scary stuff!) and a vet visit, I learned she had CH.
Ok, so this is new to me. I had just lost my 18-year-old cat a week before and now I was afraid I’d lose Chanel. Thankfully, being diagnosed with CH was not a death sentence! We just fell more in love with her and were thrilled she was ours to care for.
She is so sweet! She greets us at the door when we come home, sits at my feet when I blow dry my hair, sleeps on me all toasty and warm and purrs so loud that I call her motorboat! My family and I love her and have embraced her special needs with care and understanding.
When we found out she had CH, I called the woman I adopted her from to ask why this was not disclosed. She apologized and said we could return her. Return her? What? We love her. We love her wobbly butt! I said, “Thank you but no. We will keep her and enjoy her for many years. Goodbye.” And with that, I hung up.”
And for Roz, sharing why she loves her kitties (right) is a cinch:
“Why do I love my pets? That’s easy!
Stitch may be wobbly but she is brave and sweet and clever and funny and so many other things wrapped up in a gorgeous little black and white package. She forgives easily, is 100% trustworthy and never comments if you have a bad hair day or poor choice of outfit.
Sonic is able-bodied but now lives with FIV and the various challenges it brings. Only rarely when she really isn’t feeling good will she complain, otherwise she goes about her days as though nothing has changed. I am sure that I’m not that resilient!”
Why do you love your CH cat? Please share in the comments!
Life with Cerebellar Hypoplasia Cats 
As if we need a special day for this, lol !
No, really, I think Love Your Pet Day is
awesome. A reminder of one of the most steadfast and certain relationships in our lives.
I love my CH’er for many reasons,
but the most translatable is this:
His CH is a part of who he is, but does not define him.
I would say that Elvis transcends his physical differences, but I won’t indulge my anthromorphizing. Truth is, he doesn’t know, doesn’t care.
When he breaks into a run, and sometimes falls and flips over, you sort of want to cringe and scoop him up, enfold him in a place of apology and protection.
He doesn’t get it.
” Put me down, man; I’m busy .”
Whereas so many human people, with presumably “normal” bodies and brains, get all pissy and angsty over the stupidest crap.
I love my CH’er.
~ Shoshanna