San Jose Mercury News, Calif., Pets column: Goldston: Family cat dresses up for summer weddings

By Linda Goldston

Jun. 7, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex)

-- When they were kids, Tara and Lindsey Hunt loved the family cat Belle Star so much that they joked they'd grow up and marry the pretty calico some day.

Tara, of San Jose, and Lindsey, who lives in San Francisco, will be getting married this summer, just not to Belle Star, who will turn 16 next month.

But that didn't stop Tara and Lindsey's mother, Bev Stenehjem of San Jose, from deciding the occasions called for special gifts.

With only a little bit of fuss and a lot of squirming, Bev was able to dress Belle Star in a doll's bridal veil, get her to hold a small bouquet of daisies from Bev's garden and then had her sister, Anne, photograph the result.

"After many takes and a few runaway-bride moments, we finally had our picture," says Bev, who is "purred" to sleep every night by Belle Star, who slumbers on her pillow, right next to her husband, Mark.

Bev then had a copy of the photo framed for each daughter, included a card that said "Marry me!" and presented the gifts to each daughter at their bridal shower.

"My girls were so delighted to have this picture of their beloved kitty," Bev says.

I'd say Belle Star is a great sport and what a neat photo of a much-loved pet to have. Bev and Mark have another daughter, Sarah, who's already married and has two cats of her own.

A note is probably in order about how Bev and her sister managed to pull off the photo of Belle Star in a doll's bridal veil.

Bev said it took about 30

tries before they got the shot they wanted. Belle sat in Bev's lap and was coerced with treats to try to sit still.

Getting older

We're getting older, and so are our pets. And sometimes, things happen. That's when our pets need us most -- and there's no way Linda Preston is going to let her beloved red golden retriever down.

"Faith was a rescue, left at a gas station for four days and then dropped on our doorstop," says Linda. "She is a little different. She doesn't retrieve. My husband Roger calls her our golden 'triever.' She's very sweet but not like any other dog."

Linda's vet calls Faith a special-needs dog, and she has been having a few problems.

"One never thinks about our pets getting older, but about a month ago I looked at Faith, and it looked like she had had a stroke. The right side of her face was paralyzed, she couldn't blink and her lower lip was drooping down."

Linda said her vet isn't sure what happened to Faith, some sort of palsy but not a stroke "as she mentally seems the same. Her mitral valve is enlarged, so I need to keep an eye on her breathing. Her face is still paralyzed so the condition will most likely be permanent."

Every morning, Linda and her husband put ointment in Faith's right eye and clean her mouth out each time she eats. "She tries to get the excess food out herself but it usually ends up on her face or the walls."

Dogs aren't stupid, and Faith was "very depressed when this first happened," Linda says.

"But we still go to the park and walk daily, so she is doing what she likes best. She is coping with her condition and now seems in better spirits. She is back playing with all her toys and running around the park with the other dogs."

Just as important, Faith's friend, Chewy the family cat, also seems to understand her canine friend has problems now and occasionally will let Faith "slime her" with big wet dog kisses.

"Aging isn't easy and sometimes brings us challenges," Linda says.

But she will be there for Faith, no matter what.

Send your animal stories to Linda Goldston at lgoldston@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5862. Read her blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/pets.

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