Working Animals
We didn't really have pets when I was a kid. We had animals that lived with us and did work in return for bed and board. That doesn't mean we didn't love them, but they earned their kibble. Me, my sister, Laddie, & Ching-a-Ling The cats were there to keep the mice away (probably rats too, but that never occurred to me. Ick!) Each of our two farmhouses had a "house cat" that lived inside and was quite pampered compared to the "barn cats" who lived in the barn and multiplied freely. Each new batch of kittens was a treat for us girls, and we hunted them down in whatever spot their mothers chose to hide them by listening for their mews.What fun to move a bale of hay and find four or five little balls of fur to play with. We didn't even mind that their tiny claws were sharp enough to leave bloody trails down our forearms. The family dog was responsible for helping to herd the cows from and back to the barn. Looking back, I realize that our be...