July Photo Challenge [Day 23]

Today's assignment: ANIMAL.

Where do I begin?  We have a lot of animals.

We have a disgusting hamster with horrible hygiene and lifestyle habits. Ugh, you do NOT want to see HIM.

We also raise meat rabbits, but they just don't photograph well.  They're in a barn and they're white with pink eyes, so all photos of them come out lookin' a little creepy!!

The more photogenic of all our critters would have to be the cats. We have two adults (down from four ~ two of them recently disappeared quite suddenly within a couple days of each other) and four cute, fuzzy, 9-wk old kittens.  Their mother was one of the cats that disappeared, but fortunately, they were six weeks old already, so they could survive without her.  And fortunately, our "junior" female, Sassy, doesn't mind them occasionally suckling on her instead.  Cats are SO WEIRD.

Here are three of the four playing with their dad, Spike.  Awwwww...

We also have a large, black hound dog of unknown origin or breed named Shadow, who also doesn't photograph terribly well because he's just, well... ALL BLACK! But best dog ever.  The only thing we wish he would do differently is APPEAR aggressive!  He doesn't seem to be terribly protective or territorial, but of course, we don't know what he's like when we're not home.  We're positive he's quite vicious then!!  :P  But mostly, he's laid-back, sweet, and gentle.  He loves his walks with me or chasing the quad for miles and miles, and seems to enjoy babysitting kittens as well, constantly being used as their jungle gym, their fort, or their bed.

He even shares people food treats with them!  (While I'm standing and watching, anyway!  If I'm not, he'll either nose them all out of whatever dish they're cleaning up and then snarl a little to keep them at bay, or he'll just run off with the treat if it's something he can pick up.)

Tomorrow's assignment: ARTWORK. Click the button at the top of the post to visit the hostess and other participants!