Two cats, two rats: Our dwindling household pet population

Just as the number of children living in our house has fallen over the last few years, so too has the number of non-human animals.

We peaked at five children in 2006, that much I know, but I don't remember when our menagerie reached its highest point. I want to say it was about that same time we had something like 10 or 15 different creatures in our care.

For many years we owned five cats. I won't whine here about the fact that I was solely responsible for cleaning their litter boxes and feeding them every day, though I'm afraid I just did.

We also had various rodents, from chinchillas and guinea pigs to hamsters and mice. And there were fish, as I recall, along with a couple of rats.

There are two possible reactions when you tell people you have rats as pets, by the way. One is, "Oh, they're so cute! I love rats!" The other, more common one is, "WHAT?!? RATS?!?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?"

I never knew this, but it turns out rats are in fact fun and affectionate. They don't have the greatest reputation, what with the bubonic plague thing and all (though they really get a bum rap for that). But they have a lot going for them.

Rats comprise 50% of our current household pet roster. Jack bought two a month ago and named them Velma and Daphne in an admirable tribute to the Scooby Doo gang. He keeps them in a penthouse-like cage in his room. I have never held them, and have in fact only seen them maybe three times, but they seem nice enough.

Our two other current pets are cats Ginny and Molly. As recently as a year and a half ago, they were somewhat overshadowed by their elder brothers Fred, George and Charlie. That was until the three boys succumbed to various feline diseases, one after the other. At least two of those deaths were cancer-related, which is a common thing in older cats.

So now it's two cats and two rats. I miss Fred, George and Charlie, but I'll admit I enjoy scooping fewer litter boxes and filling fewer food bowls every morning. Ginny and Molly do throw up occasionally, but they don't pee in random places like the boys would sometimes do.

One thing on which Terry and I agree is that we are not accepting any new cats into our house. No matter how cute the kitten, no matter how desperate their situation, we are no longer the suckers we once were for homeless kitties.

The same goes for any other living thing, furry or otherwise, that wants to take up residence with us. If I have my way, the "no vacancy" sign outside of 30025 Miller Avenue will be permanently lit.