I think a lot about how my first dog, Jeannie, got really attached to a cat we were trying in the house. So much so that when he went back to my aunt after four days of him running away from her (a shi tzu that was smaller than him) she had to be taken to the vet because she was so sad about losing the best playmate ever that she wouldnât eat or drink for a week.
I think humans get a little big for their britches when we talk about being oh-so different from other animals. When we talk about how humans have intricate burial rituals and sex for pleasure and all that. About how we have complex emotions and grief and fun.
I think about my little dog, grieving a cat she knew for four days. I think about every painting made by a bird, a dog, a cat. I think about the way fish can be taught tricks. I think about Alex, the African Grey parrot who looked into a mirror and asked what color he was.












