Mama Diaries

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Animal Magnet

Yesterday evening, I went for a walk with my daughter. The route went along a horse farm. All the horses were out, grazing. As soon as they saw us, they trotted over. I figured they were looking for food. We didn't have any. Usually, when you don't have food, they go back to their business. Not this time. This time they wanted to nuzzle my hand and arm. I petted them while they acted like a bunch of dogs.

"They like you, Mom!" my daughter said.

 I shrugged and continued the walk. The horses followed. Eventually, we passed the farm. Not long after, we saw a little cat. It was a ways away, but as soon as it spotted us, it ran over. It must've thought I was its best friend, because it purred and snuggled up against me.

"Hello," I said. "You look hungry."  It was the skinniest little kitty I had seen. I thought it might be a stray.

"It wants to come home with you," said my daughter.

"We have enough animals. We're not bringing this little guy home."  I got up and walked down the sidewalk. The kitty followed, right next to me, just like a dog.

I stopped, and the kitty did more purring and snuggling. Clearly, this animal did not want me to leave.  "Maybe I can go home and bring it some food," I said. "I just don't want it to come home with us."

I walked on, and the kitty followed. I must've walked at least a quarter of a mile. That's when a car coming in the opposite direction stopped. "Snooky!" the lady inside called.

Snooky?

"That's my cat," the lady said.

She pulled into the driveway we had just passed. "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty," she called.

Snooky didn't want to go.

After a lot of coercion, Snooky finally went back to his mom.

"See, Mom," my daughter said. "You're an animal magnet. Animals love you!"

54 comments:

  1. Nothing wrong with being an animal magnet. They can sense someone who loves animals.
    Hope that really was that lady's cat.

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    1. Me, too. I'm a little worried about it, because it was so thin.

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  2. Animals have a way of knowing when a person is kind and gentle and you fit that bill. I agree with Alex, nothing wrong with being an animal magnet.

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    1. Yes, poor Snooky. But I don't think Snooky and Bootsy would've gotten along.

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  4. Hi, Sherry! Forgive me for repeating what others have written but I believe it's true. Animals instinctively know when a kind, gentle and compassionate person is near. Animals gravitate to such people and follow them. When I was a boy my aunt and uncle had a farm. I spent countless hours petting their cows and feeding them apples:

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RMyazzic5MY/SX2uoWvR9XI/AAAAAAAAAD8/d33VcJUH2mI/s1600/scan0010.jpg

    Dogs and cats are drawn to me because I talk to them and pet and scratch them. I suppose it wasn't your place to say anything but the owner of that skinny kitty should take better care of it. If she fed it properly it wouldn't be so desperate to find a new home.

    Thank you, dear Sherry!

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    1. You seem like a very kind person. I can see the same thing happening to you.

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  5. Oh how sweet... too bad the cat didn't seem to want to go home... nice that he knew you would be good to him ♡

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    1. I'm glad the kitty had a home. Even though I like animals, I really didn't want to bring another one home.

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  6. That was an interesting walk. It'll be interesting to see if the horses react to you the same way the next time you walk by.

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    1. That's what I'm wondering. Was it just an anomaly?

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  7. What a lovely heartwarming story Sherry.
    I too love animals and in my last apartment I was into squirrels, I loved them so much I'd did feed them and the birds daily. I miss that where I am now.
    Yvonne.

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    1. I've always enjoyed feeding birds and watching their antics at the feeder and bird bath. Animals can be quite entertaining!

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    1. Haha! I don't know. I'm pretty oblivious to all of that. (My husband said he had been checking me out for over a year before he asked me out, and I never even noticed!)

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  9. To repeat what others have said so well: they have a way of knowing who is kind, and gentle, and good. Animals react the same way to my husband. =)

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  10. I wanna hope that lady just got that kitty and it was skinny from its previous owner and hasn't gotten used to the new lady.. but also, nothing wrong with you being an animal magnet!

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    1. Yes. I hope that kitty packs a little more meat on its bones. Maybe it's just a picky eater.

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  11. Animals have a sense about good people!

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    1. Yes, they do. Maybe having my daughter around (a huge animal lover) added to the magnetic affect.

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  12. I have the same thing happen to me. One time, a horse grabbed my shirt and tried to pull me beyond the gate. Several times, dogs and cats just run over and act like I gave them an entire Thanksgiving meal. It's pretty bad when the animal handlers use the mall to train pups and the pups think I should pet them.

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  13. Animals follow us when we show kindness to them. They usually know our reaction.

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  14. I can relate...my friends call me "Mrs. Doolittle."

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    1. If the kindness theory is correct, you must be a very kind person!

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  15. I love animals, so I'm a little jealous of this story! Then again, they love me too, so I get my animal snuggle time in when I'm around them :)

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    1. Animals like to snuggle with my daughter and me, too.

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  16. Animals are smart and know who'll treat them right.

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  17. Aww. I think that's definitely a sign that you're a great person. Animals know these things.

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  18. As I was reading this story, I was sure you'd end up taking the kitty home. It was a very discriminating kitty.

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    1. I was a little worried I'd end up with another pet. Glad the owner showed up!

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  19. How sweet. I haven't had such a strong reaction, but animals tend to like me.

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    1. Even I was surprised at how quickly the animals came toward me - the horses trotted over, and the kitty ran.

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  20. Dogs and squirrels do that to me, but most other animals are terrified of me.

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    1. Squirrels come toward you? Do you carry a bag of nuts? ;0)

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  21. Sweet! I think it's a nice gift, to have animals like you that much. :-)

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    1. I guess I have a lot of experience around animals. Maybe they sense that.

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  22. Awww. Snooky knows you're a good mom! If the cat was named after the reality show star, I think she probably DOES need a new home...

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  23. What you're saying is completely true. I know that everybody must say the same thing, but I just think that you put it in a way that everyone can understand. I'm sure you'll reach so many people with what you've got to say.

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  24. Love the post, Sherry! My mom is an animal magnet too & dogs are attracted to her like love at first sight! Hahaha! xoxo

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  25. This is so sweet, Sherry, and this really resonates with me, because animals seem to come to me all the time. Birds (seagulls, pigeons, ducks, geese), cats, dogs, squirrels, you name it. I believe that animals do sense a kind and gentle person when they see/smell them. Thank you so much for sharing this lovely post. :)

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