“Ever wonder why the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland carried that pocket watch? It’s so he could kick Alice’s butt if she was late with his meals.”

Along with this note…

To Dr. Geurino and the staff of the Animal Medical Center:

A sincere thank you for your many years of caring for our pets: Martin and Chuck the mice, and Peanut and Rex the rabbits. Rex passed away rather suddenly last September, but he was surrounded by love and by his family, and he’s now laid to rest next to Peanut. Thank you, Dr. Guerino, for taking such great care of Rex and Peanut. We would not have enjoyed their long years with us without your help, and we will forever be grateful.

With love,

The Zookeeper’s Family

But why do you have to close that chapter of your life? Why not plan for new pets soon?

I won’t be having a bunny again anytime soon. I won’t be having any small animals again, at least not for awhile. I’ve always thought it a ridiculous notion that small animals are good “starter” pets. They need a lot of time, a good amount of space, quite a bit of equipment (cages, toys, etc.) and a lot of specialized care. And thanks to poor breeding they are, more often than not, sickly and prone to very short lives. It’s that last part especially that I’m feeling too tapped out to deal with.

As far as other pets, I’d say we’re pretty well covered in the cat department. Given their young ages and extraordinarily good health, we can expect to have them around for at least another ten years or so. And the cats have been so well blended into the household and the family that they are a natural part of our lives. I’d hate to force that with a new addition.

Now…I do want a dog. But here’s where the most pressing reason comes in, the reason for me to ‘close that chapter’ for the time being: my parents do not want anymore animals. I’m a young woman, a college graduate, and I live at home. I love living at home and I love my parents, so I really must respect their wishes. Even if I felt I could take on a new animal, it’s going to have to wait until I move out. And that probably won’t be happening for awhile.

There are other reasons too. Financially I’m not in a position to take on a potentially large investment (I’m still dealing with the several hundred dollar legacy dear Peanut left). I need to be more stable, and focus on the pets I have now, before I commit to a new animal. I also need to consider the pressure it would place on my time. I try not to overbook my life, and I think I’ve found a good balance for now. On top of that, I’ll be gone for a whole month next summer, and that gets harder to do the more dependents you have.

So there are my reasons. Things may change, and I hope that they will. But for now it’s just me and the feline posse. Pass the catnip…