former pets:

• a fish named jack (1997-ish) who lasted all of three days. rip.
• a guinea pig named nibbles (1998-ish) who developed a tumor behind his eye and a growth on his spine. he died after about three months, although he was pretty old when we got him.
• a hamster named spunky (2001) who died unexpectedly about six months after we got him. he was an escape artist who once chewed through a metal cage in a couple days.
• five unnamed fish (2001) that didn't last long
• a hamster named teddy (2002) who was my favorite hamster ever. she used to sleep in my hand and was soft and cuddly until the day she died of a breathing problem, about nine months after we got her.
• teddy's buddy, dusty (also 2002), didn't last very long after teddy died. dusty was cute but not as exciting or playful as teddy.
• two hamsters, cocoa and carmel (2003-2005), who lasted about two years after we got them. they died within a few days of each other from nothing but old age.
• jeff's cat named tiger (lived with us from 2004-2006) who was an evil, evil cat, but died a very undeserved death. he was diagnosed with feline infectious peritonitis (incurable disease involving high fever and rapid swelling of the belly) and put to sleep soon after.
• the best cat ever, dexter (lived with us from 2004-2008), who liked to hold my hand and sit outside in the sunlight. he was put to sleep at nineteen because of a whole slew of health problems, including but not limited to severe arthritis, kidney disease, liver failure, vision and hearing problems, and difficulty eating. he was such a good cat. i miss him.
• sweet pea, another of jeff's cats (lived with us from 2004-2008), didn't like anybody but him except when she was hungry or wanted to go outside. she danced when she wanted to play and sort of trilled when she meowed. she was an interesting cat. now she lives with jeff in his new apartment.

current pets:

• aubrey is my little girl. since the time we got her, she's loved to climb people, ride on shoulders, and be all up in everyone's areas. she prances when she walks, tries to mother everybody (including me) by bathing them, and is the only cat we have who's capable of walking on the leash. she also meows like a zipper. (2004-)
• jubilee was really just fearful of everything when we got her. she slept in a closet and wouldn't make a sound, wouldn't come on the furniture, and wouldn't come near anybody for any reason. now she sleeps next to me every night and meows very loudly when she wants something. she's my buddy. (2004-)
• once nicknamed "lil lily," lily now looks like she's swallowed an entire cantaloupe. she's losing weight though, getting to a more healthy size. she's a "lump of love," as my mother says, and loves having conversations with birds, people, walls, beds, other cats, bugs, mirrors, the bathtub, and pretty much any other living or non-living thing in the house. she can often be found sleeping in the bathroom sink or gnawing on a cardboard box. (2005-)