We have a Vizsla mix who is the handsiest dog I have ever met. He has huge paws and he uses them for all sorts of really delicate things. The other night I was sitting on the couch with my feet on the ottoman and he came over to sit next to me, and then proceeded to pet me. He used the paw in a distracted way as he watched tv to stroke my leg gently from knee to foot repeatedly. No poking, no slapping (he is a slapper), just purposeful petting in one direction only.
@zoosermom, that’s SO funny! I have not previously heard of a pet petting it’s human. I hope it was enjoyable or at least not irritating.
We are going to dress up our two “kittens” (they are just over a year old) for Halloween. I’m sure I’ll have a funny story after doing that!
@tucsonmom said:
My 15 y/o cat has been doing this lately. I have been worried she’s getting dementia or something. I mean, she knows where I am at 3:00 am, or at least she knows where to look for me. It’s strange.
My tortie avatar is notorious for doing this! And she is only 4, so no, not likely a dementia manifestation. 
She would bring a gift of a squeaky toy mouse to our closed bedroom door and yowl at the top of her lungs. Yup. Mr. B is allergic to cats on the bed and keeps them out of our bedroom. She knows very well that she is not getting in, but keeps on trying expecting a different result. 
^^^^Awwww.
We do leave our bedroom door open, and our cat does eventually find me and jumps up to snuggle up to me on the bed.
But she knows to stay on my side of the bed. DH likes her, but he wouldn’t tolerate her lying on him or snuggling up next to his body. I sleep on my side, and sometimes I wake up to find her stretched out vertically on top of my side. Funny what some of us put up with, lol.
Right now I am comfortably ensconsed on the sofa ( This happens alot. My husband snores sometimes. I put sheets down and the sofa does not bother me at all.) I have my little dog at my feet, my formerly feral (yes, ten years completely wild outside) Maine Coonish gentleman snuggler glued to one side…he only learned to get on my lap last week after several years of living in the house, and our new (formerly feral) kitten on a sofa pillow on the other side. It is cozy…and I am perfectly content.
Wait, I think I meant “stretched out lengthwise,” not vertically.
Not irritating at all. I was very amused because it was so human to be engrossed in tv while petting the pet! He does all sorts of delicate things with his hands (I mean paws). He can use them in alternating directions to open something. If he sees a butter wrapper in the garbage, he will carefully move everything else out of the way, take only the wrapper out, and hold it between his hands (I mean paws) as he licks it clean. He is very popular in his puppy play group!
Like the above mentioned kitten, my adult cat has issues with his food bowl. Even if full, he won’t eat it unless you move it around with your fingers. We call it “blessing” the food and you can hear one of us over the cats wails of hunger saying “honey, can you bless the cat’s food?”
My dog locked himself in my car WHILE IT WAS RUNNING. And of course I couldn’t find the spare, so I had to call AAA. My neighbors were amused.
We have a dog that will eat her weight in everything she can get her paws on … chocolate … crayons … turkey bones. One of my girls was doing a diorama for school that involved lots of “smelly” things that attracted the dog’s attention. Think modeling clay, scented markers, and that most satanic of all arts-and-crafts supplies … glitter. Lots and lots of evil glitter. Somehow the dog makes it into her room the night before the project is due, enticed by all of the delicious smells, and the next morning there is a fairly substantial hole surrounded by lots and lots of little doggie toothmarks. Daughter is in tears. I take a photo and email it to the teacher with the subject like “dog really did eat her homework” and was granted time for her to re-do her project. A few days later, I sent more photographic evidence of the sparkly remains found in our backyard.
My previous cat puked on baby kiddo’s homework. Unfazed, she washed the paper with soap, dried, and brought to school.
My current cat likes to sit on the back of the sofa when I’m sitting down so that he can chew on my hair.
My prior cat liked to pick up some speed while running through our long kitchen, and then slam into the clothes washer at the end of the room. Goofy cat.
Other than this, the only ones I remember fall under the ‘not so funny’. Strongly enough not to repeat.
The almost starved to death cat that wandered down the creek bottom and into our home doesn’t deal with interpersonal strife well. Sets her off.
That said, one our numerous cats was bitten by a copperhead snake a month ago - a small snake, when my wife was out of town. Saw the cat, Tucker, batting at something on the edge of the gravel parking area, took a closer look, grabbed a hoe and dispatched the snake. Tuck ran off at the noise but when I went out 15 minutes later, he was setting out in the shop, holding up a swollen paw. Called the emergency vet, grabbed a carrier and took him inside to crate him up. He didn’t want to go in it first try or two, but I was in a hurry so I turned the crate on end and shoved him. Worked, but he yowled enough that I felt something run up my jeans leg. Looked down and the little cat’s head is at my hip pocket, with a crazed look in her eyes.
Good fight going on, she’s going to jump in. Right, wrong, and sides don’t matter, she’s just going to hit somebody.