Dear Friends,

Rather than leave their doddering nineteen-year-old cat, Lou, with a pet sitter, my parents took him on his first "vacation" this year. They loaded him and their German Shepherd into their hybrid and headed to my house, 20 hours away. Lou acclimated to traveling very quickly, and at my house, he found a renewed motivation for living-- stalking my dogs. Now, back at home, he is a new cat. He has resumed his youthful in-charge attitude and is back to counter surfing and other pursuits he’d long ago given up. If you’re tired of leaving your best friends behind, check out our Pet Travel page.

Be Healthy, Betsy Saul Co-founder Petfinder.com

HERE'S WHAT YOU SAID
Our May informal survey question asked: Where does your pet sleep? The responses:

• 59% in bed with you
• 14% in their own beds (not inside a crate)
• 13% in crates
• 3% anywhere they want
• 2% under or beside the bed
• 2% in the hallway, guarding
• 7% miscellaneous answers, including in the recliner, on the couch, etc.

"My husband works nights so Jake, my Labrador, sleeps in bed with me," writes Judy Ingram. "Of course, he thinks it is his bed, and when my husband is off work, he has to fight his way into bed... It is no use to put Jake out of the room because he has learned to open the door." She adds: "We both love him dearly. He is 12 years old, and as far as we are concerned, he can have HIS bed as long as he can get up on it."

Ann J., with two dogs, two cats and a foster dog, is planning ahead: "Next time we get a bed, it will have to be a king-sized one, or even a California king, to comfortably fit us all--one happy furry family with humans allowed to join the pack."

Thanks for all your great comments on the subject.