I adopted a kitten today!

Today I adopted a sweet little kitten up at PetSmart. I've been looking for a new furbaby to add to the family for some time now. My cat Ozzy died December 21, and it's been pretty lonely around here with just one cat. I know Cedric wanted a new friend to play with too. I think I was meant to adopt this particular kitten. First off, his name was Ozzy, secondly, he was born December 23. Nobody can ever replace Ozzy, and that wasn't what I was looking for, but Ozzy may have had a paw in pointing me to just the right kitten. I renamed the fluffy gray kitty Calcifer, which is a fire demon (with a great personality) from the movie Howl's Moving Castle by Hiyou Miyazaki. Although he's only 3 months old, this little kitten came from a rough life. He was rescued from an apartment with 35 other cats, many that had to be put to sleep. Calcifer had an eye infection that had gone untreated for so long he's now blind in one eye. They even lowered the adoption fee because he wasn't as "adoptable" as the other kittens. He is a bit shy, and spooks if you approach him from his blind side. He's also very sweet, absolutely adorable, and very gentle when he plays. He even likes to sit on the arm of my chair, just like Ozzy used to. Maybe when Ozzy passed, a bit of soul came back in Calcifer. Ozzy had a pretty big personality- plenty to spare- LOL. Cedric is still getting used to a new creature in the house. Aside from a few hisses, they just watch each other from a distance. I don't think it will be too long before they're playing together. Neither has shown any real aggression toward the other.
Of course there will be plenty more posts about my new baby, so stay tuned!
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

I'm looking to adopt a Papillon puppy

I'm looking to adopt a Papillon puppy

So I've decided I'd like to adopt a small dog, and after some research, found that a Papillon would suit us best.  Poor Cedric really misses Ozzy, and I think he would have a lot of fun with a small dog.  He'd probably "mother" it the way he did with the ferret.  Cedric used to carry Ziggy around by the scruff of his neck and bathe him just like a kitten.  Then they'd curl up together and go to sleep.  I would enjoy a nice furry little lap dog, and a companion when I'm outside (which I am as much as possible when the weather's warm).  I've spent a few weeks researching different toy dog breeds and I like many attributes of the Papillon.  First, they're beautiful little dogs.  Papillon is french for butterfly, and this refers to their furry ears, which resemble butterfly wings.


They also say that they're "big dogs in little dog suits".  They say they're very capable with handling a 5 mile walk, which makes them perfect for me.  Most little dogs wouldn't last through one of my typical walks (although toy breeds are small enough to carry when they poop out).  Papillons are very athletic, energetic, and intelligent.  They're generally healthy and very devoted to their owners.  They don't bark much (unlike some toy breeds), and get along well with cats.  Plus they like to cuddle, which is what I really want in a dog.  Now my only problem is finding a Papillon puppy (preferabley male).  I'd really rather adopt than buy one from a breeder or pet store, but I haven't seen ANY small dogs in the shelters in my area (Fairview Park, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio).  We've got a lot of Pit Bulls in the shelters, but that's more dog than I can handle right now.
So now I'm asking for your help, dear reader, and hoping you can point me in the right direction to find the puppy I'm looking for.  If any of you know where I can adopt a Papillon puppy in my area, please leave a comment (or contact me through my ArtFire shop).  I need another fuzzy  to cuddle, and Cedric needs a playmate.  Thanks in advance for any tips you can provide!
-Michelle of CreativeCritters