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The AfterEllen.com Huddle: Our Furry Kids

We love our pets, whether they are little furballs or more of the scaly variety. This week, we’re sharing our babies.

Lucy Hallowell: Our kids are dying for a dog but we live in an apartment where we can’t have pets. Our older daughter actually gave my wife a dollar of her own money to help us buy a house. So, instead of a dog or a cat we have this guy. His name is Swimmy and he is sassy as hell.

Emily McGaughy: My wife and I are the lesbian stereotype type when it comes to our love for our dogs. Siddhartha aka “Sid” is the blonde and Bettie is the grey one. We are crazy about them both. Sid is very protective of me and rarely leaves my side. Bettie loves everyone and never meets a stranger, but loves my wife more than anything. We always joke that we’re concerned about having kids because we might still love our dogs more.

Jenna Lykes-Duggan: This is Elizabeth “Flapjack” Bennet. Her mom died when she was, like, three weeks old, so she’s got some issues. She is tiny and we love her even though she can be scary. And this is Elinor “Ellie” “Dr. Pajamacat” Dashwood. She used to live on the streets. Her whiskers have never grown straight, she’s missing part of her tongue, and we’re pretty sure she’s seen some stuff, man.

Dara Nai: Mikey is a Shiba Inu. He’s a very handsome old man now, but here he is as a pup. He lives in the wide open spaces of Montana because my ex was able to give him the life every dog deserves.

Erica Feliciano: Kit is a Rat Terrier. She recently turned 11 years old, but she still has the energy and curiosity of a puppy. She’s on crazy pills, because, well, she’s a pretty crazy dog. She has a love for beer, just like her two moms. She even has her own Instragram. And she’s a bit of a party animal, as you can see by her photo.

Laura Zak: Gus is a six year-old Chihuahua/Boston Terrier mix who lives with me and three other lesbians in Echo Park (including Amy Jackson Lewis & Lindsay Hicks). He has his own IMDB page (he had the best continuity of anyone on the #Hashtag cast:), and can be found on Instagram. He’s polyamorous and is known for pulling tricks at the dog park, sleeping under covers, and has a house reputation as a Gateway Dog for his effectiveness at wooing cat people.

Bridget McManus: If you know me then you know I need an animal intervention. I’m so obsessed with my pets that I want to take them everywhere and smother them with kisses at all times (which my oldest doggie Taffy Davenport does not approve of). My youngest, Francine Fishpaw, is completely insane and makes me laugh nonstop.

My wife and I recently lost our beloved cat Shelby, and Taffy and Francine have really stepped up and been so attentive to our grieving hearts. Animals are so damn smart and I would be lost without these two little white monsters. And, because we live in Hollywood, CA, both Taffy and Francine have acting credit since they starred in my mockmentary series McManusland. Only in LA, right?

Ali Davis: Hoolock and Grendel were both strays, so they should both have issues, but they’re the sweetest, strangest cats I could have asked for. My friend rescued Grendel’s mother and her litter of kittens the day they were supposed to get euthanized at the pound. She’d been saving the pick of the litter, a rambunctious perfect tabby, for me. But when I got there, tiny Grendel had a cold, and he looked up and blinked at me with those big blue eyes all rimmed in red. Then he fell asleep in my hand, and I was pretty much done for.

I got Hoolock just after Grendel turned two, mostly because she looked like she could be his sibling. He immediately turned from a gawky adolescent into a doting big brother. I always think the two of them would make the perfect detective team: She’s adventurous, feisty, and bullheaded; he’s cautious, smart, and accommodating. And they both like to cuddle up on chilly mornings, which is really all I ask of a cat.

Chelsea Steiner: I adopted Cookie in 2008 and it’s been a mad love affair ever since! She is a doxie-spaniel mix, although I suspect she’s part banana slug because she loves to nap and drool on our couch. She has stumpy little legs, curly hair, and a lizard tongue that will go straight up your nose if you’re not careful. She’s also a bed hog…like mother like daughter, I guess. She is my spirit animal and my patronus all wrapped into a sausagey in package!

Caitlin Bergh: Trey (short for Atreyu) lives with me and my fiancee Ever Mainard. He is 1.5 years old. We scooped him up a year ago at an adoption event by Love Leo Rescue. With his super long legs, wiry white fur and mischievous smile, he immediately caught our eye. When we asked about him, they told us he was deaf and we could train him with sign language. He now knows the sign for “good job,” “sit” and “wrong” (and so do we). HOWEVER, he conveniently pretends he does not know the sign for “wrong.” You can follow him on Instagram as @tredogla. He loves adventures (as long as it’s not too hot, too cold, or raining), digging in the sand/dirt, and chasing a ball until he cannot physically stand up anymore.

Eboni Rafus: Anyone who knows me knows that I am absolutely OBSESSED with my dog, Stella Rue. I adopted her from the Humane Society when she was three months old. I originally thought that I wanted a larger dog, having grown up with lab and german shepherd mixes most of my life, but I couldn’t resist her expressive grey eyes and huge ears. I mean look at her poking her nose through the fence! Two and a half years later, I know that adopting her was the best decision I have ever made. Stella is a smart, energetic and athletic terrier-mix. She has short little legs and yet, she’s a super fast runner. She knows lots of commands and tricks and obediently stays near when off-leash, but she does have a jealousy problem. She is my baby, my best friend, the love of my life. I may or may not be working on a children’s book featuring her.

When my girlfriend and I moved in together eight months ago, Stella had to adjust to no longer being the only fur baby in the family. Jasmine, a 4 year-old Japanese chin, is the perfect lap dog/snuggle bug. She basically eats, sleeps and sits prettily on top of pillows like a princess all day. My girlfriend teases that although Jasmine was her dog first, Jasmine loves me more. I think it’s because I’m the one who feeds her while my girlfriend is at work all day.

Our roommate’s dog, Kukla, has become an honorary member of our pack as well. She is a 10 year-old malt-poo-terrier mix who, despite her age, is very playful. She has bonded with us so much that she abandons our roommate each night and insists on sleeping in the bed with the four of us.

Chloe: This is Beatrice and Boy. Beatrice is a chatty, codependent Siamese Flame point I adopted my senior year of college. I got her right when I was coming out and I think all that angst rubbed off on her a little bit because she’s twitchy and tends to pine (LOUDLY) when she doesn’t feel like I’m looking at her enough. Boy is an elderly Persian I rescued from a really neglected home last year. He was covered in mats and living in the dark corner of one tiny room with no windows and a violent dog barking constantly outside the door. I didn’t mean to keep him, but I’m happy I did. One friend calls him Benjamin Button because in the year it’s like he got 10 years younger (he’s 13). Beatrice and Boy are besties who hang out, chase each other, stare at birds, wrestle, and stalk me. I kinda hate myself for having two cats and being a single 25 year old lesbian but fuck it: I love my goddamn cats. They are cool and loving and independent and make me happy just by existing. Which is more than I can say for anything else, really. I think pets teach you how to love unconditionally. They keep you grounded.

Kim Hoffman: This is Squirt and Luna. My girlfriend Ashley has had Squirt for almost seven years-he’s a Lynx Point Siamese, with big baby blue eyes that’ll make your heart melt. He loves people, he’ll come greet everyone at the door and show off his belly and sniff/lay on their bags. When we get home, he’s like “Mom?” “Now?” “Mom?” I swear. His meows are really wordy. He’s scared of dogs and once when he decided to come out from hiding to “rescue” his former kitty pal Tika who was just innocently being sniffed by a dog, he peed mid-air while pouncing at the dog. I wasn’t there to witness such an event, but it’s hilarious to imagine, because Squirt isn’t a scratcher, batter, or fighter-he flips toys from his mouth to his back legs, loves belly rubs, and his completely food-obsessed. Sometimes we let him outside but he’s so afraid that it’s sad and cute to watch him tip toe and crouch around the backyard, softly meowing as he does. He’ll sit on your phone, the remote, or keys (Every day: Squirt, are you sitting on my phone?! Dude, I gotta use that) he’ll find a home in your lap, kiss your face when you’re not feeling well, curl up and cuddle you when you sleep, endlessly tap-tap-tap at your sleeping head first thing Saturday morning, and most importantly, he’d do anything for his Luna Meeps. Ever since these two came into each others’ lives, they’ve become inseparable soul mates who cuddle, kiss, hug, play, and gaze into each others’ eyes in the most unconditionally, pure loving way. We still freak out whenever they get really cute. We inch for our phones to take a photo, we sacrifice our legs and arms-their love is insanely respected around here.

Luna will be two in April. They’re both Spring babes. (She’s an Aries, and Squirt is a Taurus) We call her Luna Meeps because she doesn’t quite meow, she just meeps. And it’s really damn cute. We got her off Craigslist from some gypsies who live in Washington. She was so shy and timid until a month or two ago, and now she demands the laser, loves sitting in the window sill with Squirt to watch birds or like this morning, when our neighbor’s chicken got lost in our yard (yes, I do live in Portland), and has only shown her face to a few select friends. The rest aren’t totally sure she exists. Ashley says Luna loves to listen to me talk, and will sit in front of me while I’m telling a story with the most concerned attention. She naps in the closet or under the bed, which we call “the nest” where she has literally dragged everything under and into-toys, food, a paper bag, crystals, my missing ring, shoelaces, pens and an article on Stevie Nicks we had taped to the fridge. Oh, speaking of, her favorite song is “Storm” by Fleetwood Mac-she had a total experience the first time she heard it on vinyl. Being a black cat, Luna is full of strange magic, and probably tuna. I tell Squirt hourly that he’s “the nicest man in the world” or “the best boy” and Luna hears she’s a “dark princess” or a “meepie girl” just as often. Right now, they’re laying over me on the couch-Luna licking Squirt’s ear as he sleeps and purrs. So, obviously after I type this, I can’t get up.

Dana Piccoli: After my wife and I lost our beloved cat Sebastian very suddenly last year, the last thing we were thinking about was getting another cat. But then, my wife saw a picture of a kitty in a window from across the street, and was drawn to it. It was our eldest, Toby Catvanaugh (yes, my wife let me name him after a Pretty Little Liars character) and we fell in love with him right away. He was already eight months old, and we couldn’t imagine why someone hadn’t scooped him up. We adopted him right away from the animal hospital where he was staying. A couple months later, we realized that Toby was so young and full of life that he would do well with a younger brother to play with. We adopted Shane MeowCutcheon from the same animal hospital as a kitten, and now he’s bigger than his brother. (We think he’s part Maine Coon, Toby is a Silver Tabby) They like to chase and wrestle and fight, just like human brothers. They are about the best thing ever.

Trish Bendix: I have the name of my pug, Lola , tattooed in a sailor heart on my arm, and that’s how much I love her. (Why, yes, she is named after The Kinks song.) I got her from a pair of lesbian pug-obsessed ladies, which was completely unplanned. I showed up at their house to pick up my pup and was so pleasantly surprised.

When I started to date my girlfriend, I was worried how Lola would get along with her two Dachshunds. Lola is very particular. She’s never super psyched about other dogs, even other pugs. I used to torture her by taking her to pug meet-ups and she tried to get me to pick her up the whole time. (And once when I was out of town and she stayed at a posh dog hotel with web cams, I watched as she sequestered herself on a bench to look down at her minions during playtime.)

So when Lola met Gator and Graham (and on their turf, even!), I was so happy to see she approved. She completely surprises me with how she’s let them in-laying on her, licking on her, humping on her in order to get her attention (it eventually works). The weens (who have been together since birth) have welcomed Lola to their pack, and she’s allowed them to be in her presence. Princess!

Your turn! Tell us about your fur babies.

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