In the past we have talked at length about having pets in the home, their care, and cleaning up after them, but we haven't ever approached the subject of what they actually bring to our home, which is so much more than cool furniture and the right lighting can.
This comes to light after Donna (you remember her Junk To Funk house tour from Monday right?), has had to say goodbye to her cat, Beethoven, who had just had his few minutes of Apartment Therapy fame.
When I have a chance to feature a home for a house tour on Apartment Therapy there's a bond that's formed between myself and the home owner. I help them sort through a million different angles of their space and even if I've never set foot inside, there's no denying the warmth and comfort that's felt between us.
After going through Donna's photos, it was always a joy to find the photos that included her cats laced throughout. Having two dogs myself, it's always a treat to play spot the animals as we're working to create a tour for our readers. The surprise of finding a little face peering out at you as you sort through file after file is truly something special.
In my own home, my pups bring something unique to our space. We've moved what seems like a million times over the last 5 years and no matter where we go, more often than not, they're what make the space feel comfortable. Not our furniture placement or knowing we have a killer light fixture for over the dining room table, but those little paws that track dirt in our beds and get fur over everything we own.
If you'd like to see more of Beethoven or give your well wishes, make sure to stop by Funky Junk Interiors and drop Donna a line. We're glad we were able to share even a few moments of his life and home with our readers. Forget handmade and hand-painted stairs, he was the real star of the show.
What role do your own pets play? Have you ever stopped to think about their part in the health and happiness of your space? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Oh no! So sorry for her loss :(
My husband and I are moving overseas in a few months and are planning on taking our dear cat with us. As it is going to cost a small fortune to get him (there thanks to the laws about how pets are brought in that particular country), we have had many people tell us that we are crazy for spending that money. We are going to have to save up to bring him with us, but for us it's a no brainer - we wouldn't even consider leaving him behind as our lives and our home wouldn't be the same without him.
This is the sweetest post ever. Our fluffies rule the roost! Cheers to Beethoven, lovely boy...
My kitties are the soul of my home. I can't conceive of a place that is truly embracing and cozy without their presence, but maybe that's just because I'm a crazy cat lady :-p
I always thought I was strictly a dog person, until a colony of ferals took up residence in our back yard, kittens imprinting on our dog and all. 10 years later, there are three that stuck around, not giving up on the daunting task of taming me. I think there's a cosmic harmonic link between the purr of a cat and a human heartbeat. Sorry for her loss.
"I love cats because I love my home and after a while they become its visible soul."
- Jean Cocteau
Of course, equally applicable to dogs, budgies, bunnies, iguanas, and all other beloved pets.
Donna, I am so sorry for your loss.
I also have to say I was touched by this post. This is one of the reasons why I love Apartment Therapy. It's not a sterile site about interior design. It's a warm site with heart and an appreciation of the dogs and cats and other pets that enrich our lives.
I cannot imagine my home without something furry running around. They truly make my house a home.
What a sweet and sad post. I am so sorry for Donna's loss.
Pets truly become a part of our home and families. I just recently became the proud owner of a stray kitten. Although he is slowly destroying my once lovely apartment I would never think of giving him away. Now, it's his home too.
I'm sorry to hear about Beethoven.
Having kitties myself I love the photos that show people's pets. It's one thing to see a "perfect" interior, but another to see one that is actually lived in and reminds me of my kitties.
I always enjoy the featured homes that have pets in their photos.
Kitties know how to find THE most comfortable spots in a home. That's why they enhance decor photos, I think...
So sorry for Donna's loss.
I needed to read this post today as my 3 labs are shedding something awful. I could sweep every 30 minutes and get massive amounts of fur every time. With that said, my house without them would be empty. I love seeing their smiling faces & wagging tails every time come home.
aw he looked very sleepy compared to her gray cat who seemed full of attitude, so hopefully it was a peaceful end.
Our dogs run the household, I couldnt imagine life without them. A friend gave away her dog on CL because she was getting married. I was shocked.
Beethoven was clearly a cherished member of your family. I am so very sorry for your loss. Furbabies make a house a home because they give it a soul.
There is nothing like the mew on the other side of the front door as you put the key into the lock.
I'm sorry for your loss too...
I can't count the number of times I stop, in the middle of a chore, to contemplate my beloved Chartreuse cat and think about how priviledged we are to have her. I try to make our house beautiful, but my son, husband and cat make it alive (though only one of them shed on furnitures, the other two are creating far more mess I have to clean, and that's another form of life).
There's something about a cat's presence that just say home to me. I can't explain why.
So sorry for the loss of beautiful Beethoven!
Our house just would not be the same without our dog Murphy. He brings such a happy energy to our home, and it would just feel wrong without him. The house is on the market right now, and somehow Murphy ended up in nearly half of the listing pictures. It hasn't sold yet, but we've had so many comments on how cute the dog in the pictures is (and the house, of course!).
Working from home, I find my desk surrounded by toys brought from 4 dogs who would rather play than watch me work. Doggy naptime means heads & tails against my chair and on my feet, sometimes a dog behind me on my chair. Sleeping with 4 on the bed brings new meaning to the art of negotiation when one wishes to turn over. Dinners wouldn't be the same without 8 eyes following my every move, and any space feels empty without the click of paws on the wood floor. I sleep reassured that they will hear any noise outside long before I do, and they will wake me up early even if the alarm clock fails.
I couldn't live without them.
very sad to hear about your loss. RIP beautiful Beethoven!
Agree whole heartedly with this post. I'm a huge animal lover and a small, hairy dog co-habitates with me (actually she owns the home) and no matter how I design the place the true wonderful addition to my home is my puppy. Beethoven was a beautiful kitty and I'm sure gave Donna with lots and lots of love, laughter and joy. Best wishes!!
So sorry to hear about Beethoven!!
I miss my Newfoundland Oslo terribly -- she passed away last fall. I wrote about her often on our renovation blog, and it's nice now to look back at those pics and see all 160 pounds of her in the house. We renovated a lot with her in needs in mind, and I wouldn't change a bit of it.
I. too, am surrounded by the furry ones I love so much. My heart goes out to Donna.
"This is one of the reasons why I love Apartment Therapy. It's not a sterile site about interior design. It's a warm site with heart and an appreciation of the dogs and cats and other pets that enrich our lives."
I completely agree with this commenter and appreciate that AT recognizes the degree to which animals can turn a house (or apartment, loft, duplex, igloo) into a home. I feel so lucky that 7 years after adopting my cat Gracie in high school, she was able to move into my first post-college apartment. I couldn't imagine the concept of "home" without her.
My pets absolutely make this a true home and, while there are times I'd love to have a pristine fur-free abode, I know for me it would be an empty shelter without them. Who else, but he, would sleep on my feet at night and growl when I dare to move? Or, she, steal the lid from the pint of Chunky Monkey? (banana addiction) Or sit in the window waiting to greet me on my return home?
RIP Beethoven...
As I walk to the subway to go to work, picking tiny short brown hair off my black, cashmere cardigan, I wish I could turn around and go back home, change into my PJs and get back under the covers with my sweet puppy.
Awwww, that made me really sad. :(
Sorry to hear about Beethoven.
And yes, it's true what you say about pets. They truly add great energy to a home. It's hard to be in a bad mood with an animal in the house. (I think I'll go hug my dog right now.)
oh man. i read donna's post and it made me cry. donna, i am so sorry for your loss. this hits home right now b/c one of our kitties is not well and the vet can't seem to figure out what it is. the cats are part of what makes my house a home and now i'm sad thinking how life would be emptier without kitty (which will happen sooner or later, but oh, i hope it's much much later!).
So very sad to hear about sweet Beethoven- my heart goes out to Donna.
I am so sorry about Beethoven :-( When I saw the post last week, I was enamored with the felines that seemed to be in every photo. He was a beautiful soul.
@scarab1 - just an FYI on traveling with cats. If you use an airline that will not allow you to take the cat in the cabin and have to check him/her, use a large dog carrier. You can fit a small litter box in with your cat (use the litter crystals). When I arrived in Germany with my Chablis kitty she was much better off than the rest of the animals (she had used her box in the flight, while some of the other poor cats didn't have that luxury). With the bigger carrier you can put in more blankets with the kitty so they keep warm and line the thing with pee-pee pads, because ALL water bottles, that you are suppose to have for the pet when traveling long distances, leak.
I am not what one might consider and animal-lover, but my husband convinced me to get a dog two years ago. It's been a long two years, and I would love to get those early morning puke-cleaning minutes back, BUT I have thought about what would happen if, say, my husband were out of the picture. I guess I would find it hard to give up the dog, no matter how much work he is. And that is saying a lot right there for someone who originally was perfectly content with a pet-free house.
Beethoven looks just like my boy, Garfunkel! Must be the musical connection?!... Letting go of him for the sake of another sure felt like watching a pet die. 13 years together with a pet is a long, long time... :( I STILL struggle somedays to forgive that crazy woman for convincing me to move my pets in with her family...TWICE! But, I'd hate to break a troubled child's heart after a bond had formed between them. Hopefully, I'll see him again in another life...
I am so sorry to hear about Donna's loss. I know firsthand the grief.
My Shepherd mix and four cats aren't just a part of the home, they are family. I can't imagine life without them. What a wonderful post, and job well done, AT.
My heart goes out to Debbie. The other day my extremely beloved 65-pound terrier mutt ran away when I let her out to go potty. In nearly two years she had never left the yard before. I had to drive around the neighborhood with my window down calling her and trying not to throw up from panic. I finally found her three blocks away (and across a very busy street) just wandering around. Worst ten minutes EVER. Needless to say, she's never going out by herself again. Pets make a house a home and I can't imagine not having a dog around make me laugh, to cuddle with, and to be soooo excited to see me when I come back in after taking 30 seconds to walk down the driveway to pick up the mail.
My old roommate and I always said, "recessed lighting make it a home, but GusGus (her cat) made it a family." Now I live on my own with my own kitty (FitzKitty), and I don't want to imagine my life without him even if he is a spoiled beast.
Much thought, prayers, and hope for the future.
Some people think it's crazy how attached I am to my pets, but they really are my children. I was immensely heartbroken after my cat Icarus was attacked by a dog and ran away a few weeks after moving to a new neighborhood. I had found him abandoned one summer and he was such a special kitty. I don't have any human kids yet, and they fill that emotional need to take care of something. Yes, they can be messy and annoying at times, but it just wouldn't be the same without them.
So sorry to hear about the kitty.
Today was a sad day in my family as well.
My sister's 13 year old little black terrier mix, Rizzo, passed away this morning. My mom called me crying, it was hard :( We're very much animal people, too, and my sister was telling me how the house feels so empty without Rizzo there. My niece was so upset that they brought her for ice cream at Cold Stone for dinner.
It has been almost a year since I lost my beloved cat (fur child, baby, love) and it is truer each day to me that pets are our earthly vessels of the truest purest unchanging love.
RIP Beethovan my heart goes out to Donna.
I adopted a dog named Mickey about three months ago and can honestly say it was the best money I have ever spent. There is nothing like coming home to something that loves you unconditionally, a living teddybear and a true friend. My house no longer feels empty. So sorry for your loss!
My dogs are so affectionate, calm, trusting, and gentle that their contentment is contagious. Their clowning and silliness make me laugh a lot. Their openness, empathy, and perceptiveness are refreshing. Nurturing them develops my better side. Rest in peace at the rainbow bridge, Beethoven.
Sorry to hear of her loss.
Our dogs relocated during every military move we made. We had them before we had our children but once the kids were born we became one big happy pack. Their company (and shenanigans) got me through several of my husband's deployments.
3 years ago our 13 year old dog had to be put to sleep due to a brain tumor. Last year, one month after my husband deployed to Afghanistan, I had to put our remaining dog to sleep at the age of 15. It was 100 times harder than the 9 months I spent worrying about my husband being at war.
We adopted a new puppy two weeks ago. The shenanigans begin again!
Our pets are what make our little condo a home. It just wouldn't be the same without our corgi-mix Murphy greeting us with his boinging bounces at the sliding glass door when we arrive home from work, our black cat Dash's caterwauling from the office whenever he's feeling lonely, and our little tuxedo kitty Kaylee's good morning purrmeows (half purr/ half meow). They snuggle at night when we're falling asleep and can't wait to curl up with us when we're reading or watching tv. Our house just isn't a home without them.
I can't imagine my home without my cats. I used to give them to a cat-hotel when i left for holidays but coming home and them not being there was just horrible. Like all the color and warmth had disappeared. I live coming home from work and both of them run towards me when i open the door, purring and greeting me. And asking to be fed asap.
I do feel pets bring joy to a home. It makes me sad I have to give up my pit because I can't find a place that accepts them.
Sorry for the loss. Made me think of my favourite cat quote. "God made the cat in order that man might have the pleasure of caressing the lion." ~Fernand Mery
Homes are made by the creatures that live within. Otherwise it is just a house. I'm fortunate enough to have 2 grey kitties in my home.
Wow! I've never lived with an animal (or even children in my house), but reading Donna's story and looking at the video was very touching. I truly admire people who love and live with animals.
My cat will walk up to the elementary school to visit my daughter at recess. Sometimes, if there are no dogs on our route, she'll walk me partway to work after my lunch break. I'll miss her when we move back to the USA, but my last cat was traumatized by a disastrous flight cross country, and I'd rather not go through that with this kitty. Instead, she's been invited to go live with my boyfriend's ex mother in law here in France. She'll have a huge garden with lots of field mice and lizards to catch. And she'll still be loved...
Oh my goodness... I was so surprised to see this post! Thank-you for honoring our precious pets!
And thank you everyone for your kind and supporting words. I'm working through the grief one hour at a time.
I've written another post dedicated to pets in our photoshoots here:
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2010/12/pets-in-our-photo-shoots.html
Donna
Funky Junk Interiors
Oh Donna, So sorry for your loss. I don't even like cats and I want to snuggle Beethoven. He looks so cuddly. I'm sure he had a wonderful life with you.
Scarab1, I'm so glad you said that. Too many people leave their pets behind when they move. I think it's sickening. Pets should be considered part of the family.
There's a full spectrum of how pets are left behind when people move. I wouldn't condemn a person who finds her pet a good new home, with the blessing of her pet's breeder as appropriate. What enrages me is when people abandon pets, including foreclosure pets, to unnecessarily cruel fates.
Oh I am so sorry to hear the passing of Beethoven. I always feel like I am doing something right when my cat "Turbo" jumps up on me purring and just wanted some love. He and all my previous pets have added immense comfort to my home. I am always so sorry for those allergic to pets. Again, so sorry for your loss.
We've always had pets, and they were a part of our family. They brought so much joy to our lives. I believe we grew to be better persons because of them.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Donna. Let it be comfort to you that he had a great life, filled with love and care. We shall be with them once again.
I just lost my number one girl in March. We had her for 18 years and even though we have 3 others, she was the most talkative cat.
I am sorry to hear about Beethoven's passing and my prayers go out to Donna. Her post was very beautiful.
oh my heart goes out to her. i recently lost my cat of 14 years. he lived in at least 6 different homes with me in four different cities and he always made my new home comfortable and cozy. i have put a photo of him near all the places he would sleep so when i miss him i can still see his sweet face. i hope her pain lessens soon. big hugs
I'm so sorry, Donna!
I honestly hate to think about not having pets in my life. I've had my cat for three years, and my dog for almost two now, and I can't imagine life without them. They are truly what make me feel like where ever I am, I'm home.
When we put my last dog to sleep, I considered not getting another because it was so hard to lose him. But I had learned so much and grew as a person because of him, and I did not want to lose that either. After spending months on Petfinder, and getting into a new lease, I found Cody. Getting him was the best decision I ever made.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Donna.
We have 2 dogs and a cat, have always had pets and saying goodbye is so hard. But once you live with smiling faces, wagging tails, and/or purring cuddles, you can't live without them. Time will heal and your heart will tell you when it's ready for your next friend.
Spooning with my cattle dog on the couch on a rainy or snowy day is the best!