Editor's Note

I remember when my two cats, Parker and Valentine (pronounced “Valenteen”), were kittens. I had just leased an apartment in San Diego and my soon-to-be next-door-neighbor had a cat that was about to give birth to a litter. I was living in San Francisco at the time and I flew down just to meet them. They were born February 22, 2000. I moved to San Diego that April and brought Parker home when she was 8 weeks old.

She was nothing like I expected. For all my efforts, I couldn’t keep her still. I had dreamt of a quiet bedside companion and Parker fell short of filling that role on multiple counts. She was (and continues to be) a handful. I remember sitting on my bed one afternoon with Parker just a few feet away from me. I looked up and she had hung herself in the cords attached to the mini-blinds. She was just dangling there, and I was lucky to have been right next to her. For the rest of her kittenhood, I was unable to let her out of my sight.

I hadn’t intended on adopting two cats, but Parker’s identical sister, Valentine, never found a home. Initially, her guardian didn’t want to let her go, but admitted she couldn’t keep her either. I rescued her en route to the pound five weeks after getting Parker and reunited the two siblings. Valentine was everything I wanted. She was quiet, agreeable, and unobtrusive. She was the epitome of the contented cat and in six years has rarely left my bed.

I had no idea what I was getting into back then, but I wouldn’t change a single minute of it. I resisted Parker’s personality at first, but now I can’t imagine her any other way. I love the mystery of raising a newborn and watching his or her personality emerge before your eyes.

But I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone. It takes a lot of work to raise an animal from infancy, not to mention frequent trips to the veterinarian. I have friends who tell me they’re thinking of adopting an animal and they proceed with a long list of qualities they desire in that pet. I advise them to visit a local shelter or breed rescue where a staff member or volunteer will help them find a suitable animal that has the personality and characteristics they’re seeking.

Pet overpopulation is another problem, and I dislike the circumstances under which my cats were born. To my dismay, that same cat gave birth to another litter six months later. For reasons I never knew, my neighbor refused to have her spayed. We may always live in a world with an overabundance of puppies and kittens, and those animals deserve loving homes where they can spend their entire lives. However, I certainly would never discourage anyone from adopting an adult or senior pet in need.
There are tons of them out there waiting for you.

Still, it’s hard to resist those big, soulful eyes and tiny little faces and this issue is unabashedly devoted to dogs and cats in the first year of their lives. We’ve touched upon important issues like healthcare regimens for your little ones as well as how to puppy and kitten-proof your home. We’ve also looked at the dangers of puppy mills and what you can do to stop them and what you and your family should know about your local shelter or breed rescue group before paying them a visit.

We also acknowledge that it’s summertime and many of you just want to have fun. In this issue you’ll also find tons of cute pics of puppies and kittens, the winner of our Doggie Do Over Contest, tips for keeping pets safe, the perfect summer itinerary for you and your dog, and more.

Have a great summer, and if you are in the process of adopting a puppy or kitten, prepare to have the next decade or two of your life changed forever…in a good way.

Jason Heidemann
Jason@ChicagolandTails.com