Maintaining Friendships

You can learn a great deal about the trails and tribulations of being a good human when you examine  animal behaviour.
Being a good friend to someone is a case in point.
Yesterday, after a rather disasterous morning, I took myself off to bed in a sunny warm bedroom with only Winnie for company.
I was just in that comfortable twilight world of doze when I heard the gentle " thud, thud thud" of cat paws on floorboards. Moments later Albert landed onto of the duvet and sidelining me, he moved directly infront of his " best friend" where her flopped playfully onto his back.
This happens everyday.
Albert's affection for the old bulldog is clearly evident. There is not a scrap of anthropomorphism in the observation. He rubs his face over hers, grasps her cheeks with sheathed paws and purrs a deep rumbling purr when she eventually opens her eyes and acknowledges his presence
This slightly one sided physicality,  reinforces the two animals' relationship. It's a concrete "hello" between pride members where both parties obtain  a certain warmth and happiness.
I wish I could bottle the sweetness of it all.



This lurve fest carried on for say twenty minutes or so, and only finished when Winnie fell asleep with Albert's paw resting gently on the fat folds of her face. And before I fell asleep I reminded myself to organise a trip to Sheffield to see my friends Mike, Jane, Kathryn and John.
I am long overdue to rub heads with some old friends,
thanks to Albert , I am reminded that pack ties need to be reinforced by a little bit of effort and just not good intentions ...
Hey ho



43 comments:

  1. Remember to sheath your claws when you meet up with your old Sheffield friends.

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    1. I can assure you all that I have the sharpest claws in town. And I suspect that John would not disagree...

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    2. As Sharp as joan crawford with a wire coathanger!

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  2. Maybe Albert thinks Winnie is another cat?!

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    1. I've wondered before if it's because bulldogs don't have a protruding snout, and therefore in facial shape more acceptably cat-like, that's behind A's affection for W. Whatever the reason, it's good to know, as well as remarkable, that they have such a happy, touchy-feely relationship.

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    2. I think the affection is based on winnie's ability not to get flustered by ANYTHING . She is constantly calm and allows the face rubbing without complaint

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    3. That good dog Winnie is one cool cat/dog... god love her... My favourite breed of dog..I adore Albert too.. reminds me of my Toby

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  3. There are times when we all need to have a paw resting in our face to fall gently asleep. Albert knows that and obviously, so does Ms. Winnie.

    Colette was the queen bee here when McKenzie and Aliah came as 10 weeks old to bring joy and like Ms. Mary, a bit of trouble, just enough to make life more interesting. The puppies wanted desperately to play with her, and she did, but only when she wanted to. Eventually they gave up and then she came around. I guess all that reserve was just a way to let them know who ruled. When she died, it was not just the humans who mourned, the puppies were quiet, looking for her. Queen or cat, she managed to make a place in their hearts and for a while, they let us know that.

    Other than hugging them to death, to cuddle them up and sing them to sleep, how do you comfort those who cannot speak of their feelings?

    I keep on learning from them sweetness, of the best kind indeed.

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  5. Thanks Albert and Winnie . . .
    I hear and see the love . . .
    I needed that reminder . . .
    Enjoy

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  6. Winnie and Albert are so sweet! Thank you John, you have such a special way to remind us of how important our friends are to us. Greetings Maria x

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  7. Your animals are endlessly fascinating. I love that these two have a special bond - let the terriers sort themselves out!

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    1. They also have an early evening game where winnie chases albert across the living room, if albert reaches the stairs first, the game is won and over...he always wins!

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  8. I have a dog and cat that snuggle together. It helps that the dog is smaller than the cat.

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  9. A good reminder as it's something I'm abysmal at, the more I like someone the worse I am about it. Need to take heed of the lesson from Albert and Winnie.

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  10. Years ago friends took in a stray kitten. They were newbies at pets, and the wife explained to me that the kitten slept with them and before going to sleep went through a ritual of purring and rubbing their faces as if kissing them. I explained the kitten was marking them, claiming them as her own. "I see," said my friend. "If another stray kitten comes in during the night, it better darn well leave because we are claimed!" I still smile at that explanation.

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    1. The dogs are constantly baffled by albert's face rubbing......only winnie allows it without question

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  11. We have learnt about the interactions between animals species since having the smallholding, and continually are in awe of the fellowship which sometimes happens. It is a wonderful fellowship between species, which people who do not like animals must surely miss out on.

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  12. Good for Albert - how could anyone resist Winnie? Nice pics, John.

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  13. We can learn a lot from our beasties...

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  14. what a sweet relationship.

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  15. The nice things about animals , cats and dogs especially, is that they accept others/people and each other based on few criteria .. they are not two faced nor do they lie or gossip. So a friendship like that is valuable in a human , while it is just the way cats and dogs are.
    Too bad humans are not more like cats and dogs.

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    1. I couldnt be a dog........im not good at pooing in public

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  16. I just saw the most wonderful dogs for adoption on another blog and I am weeping and annoyed that I am moving in a matter of weeks .. days ! and cannot adopt a dog right now.
    fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.com
    I want to dog they named Nanny...

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  17. How sweet Albert and Winnie's friendship is! I love it.

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  18. I LOVE posts about Albert. This is so sweet.

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  19. Friendships John, be they animal or human, are one of the things that make the world go round.

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  20. That is a good and true observation, John.

    Love the photos.

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  21. Awwwwwww how sweet!!!! This makes me miss my dearly departed cats and my still her friends something desperate. Good thing I have a Ladies Night scheduled in a week. Now as for adopting new kitties...

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  22. I could do with that sort of affection.

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    1. Come to our house, you'll have a bulldog vagina in ypur face in no time

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    2. This answer is perfection.
      MissFifi

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  23. Lovely, sweet and touching post today. I teared up, such a big old softy I am.
    thehamish purrs or at least what I think a Scotty sounds like when purring. Early in the morning before getting out of bed I will pet him and tell him what a gud dug he is and you can hear him purring. Then at night when I say goodnight and talk about our day and cup his sweet little face in my hand he will purr again. It is always in our quiet times.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Scottie George finds Albert the most upsetting as Albert delights in ambushing him when the old boy is trotting down the garden path.......

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  24. Yes, very sweet. We old blog-buddies need to stay in better touch too. x Cassie

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  25. Thanks so much for this bit of inspiration. I too wish you could bottle that sweetness.

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