2/1/09: We're calling this little guy Cato, which in Latin means other dogs value this dog's advice. He looks very wise for his young age. We estimate that Cato is about six months old, but he is very tiny. Cato is an apricot dilute brushcoat. His skin is beet red and it appears that he has demodex. That's why he's seeing the doctor first thing in the morning.

2/2/09: Cato weighs 24 lbs, but looks like he weighs much less. He does have demodectic mange, which we began treating today.

Ahhh, that bath sure did feel good! And this blanket and heater are just great. This is the life!!

3/7/09: Lots has happened since 2/1. Cato has bad knees and has had one of them repaired. He had surgery on 2/6/09 to fix the dislocated knee cap. We've treated the demodex and he tested negative yesterday, so we're glad of that. Cato has gained six pounds, but the best part is that he has really blossomed since arriving. He was terrified and didn't move for the first 24 hours. But let me tell you, he's come alive. He's a happy, playful puppy. He loves playing with the other dogs here. He still needs socializing, but we haven't been able to do much of that because of the knee surgery. If he doesn't have to have surgery on the other knee, we'll be able to take him places and introduce him to people and things so he won't be so afraid. Cato will be neutered on 3/19. He's been vaccinated and is on heartworm preventive.

Cato is crated trained and is doing very, very well on his house training. He's also very sweet. He loves to lie in your lap to sleep. He also loves his Kuranda bed as you can see from the pictures.

Cato will need to go to a home that has at least one another dog because he would be very lonesome by himself.

3/29/09: It was a sad day at the Sherrill home today. Little Cato left. We know he will have a great life with Larry and Mona, but we sure will miss him. Sophie wasn't too taken with Cato, but we're hoping that she learns to love him just like she did Li. Thanks so much, Larry and Mona, for giving this little guy a happy, loving home.

He's going to be a daddy's boy!

3/31/09: Cindy, Cato finally got his tail out from under his back legs and wagged it this morning!!! Sophie hasn’t growled at him lately either. She did try to pee on his bedding under the table this morning. I caught her before she did anything. She really couldn’t get under that table, she’s too big, so she hiked her leg like a boy dog and tried to “shoot” it under the table!!! I know she just wants him to know that this is her house and she’s the boss! We’ll give them a couple more days separated, then leave the door open to the back of the house. They are getting used to each other. Last night, Cato laid under the kitchen table and Sophie laid on the other side.

Well, enough for now. Rest easy. Your baby is doing fine!!! Mona

4/3/09: Things are going great! Larry stayed home yesterday and mowed the yard
- leaving Cato and Sophie together. They did fine! He checked on them
regularly. We left them together all night and they are doing fine.

This morning, they both ate breakfast together and laid down beside each
other after eating. They also went on the back porch together where
Cato did his usual large deposit!!

Last nite, after supper, Cato decided he wanted to play with Sophie and
started barking at her and hopping around. She decided she would play
too and whirled around with her butt in the air and barked back. Her
tail was wagging and I could tell she wanted to play too, but Cato
turned around and ran off! He did that again a couple more times and
she finally got tired of getting up to play with him and just ignored
him. I thing they will do fine by themselves by Monday. We will test
them some this weekend. Mona

4/6/09: I hope your trip to Illinois was uneventful and you’re back home safe and sound.

This weekend we settled into a routine. Cato will only go to the bathroom on the back porch. He hates it outside. We’ll work on that when the weather warms up. Now Sophie thinks that’s where she should go too!

We took Cato to the vet Saturday to get the stitches out. He did really good – didn’t get car sick either way and we never heard a peep out of him at the vet either. He weighs 32 ½ lbs. now. The vet did another skin scrape and still no mites – so he’s getting better with the salmon dog food you started him on. His coat is starting to fill in. We went by PetSmart on Sunday and picked up another bag.

He loves to play! Sophie will play with him some, but he mainly plays with all the toys. He gets them out of the basket and barks at them – I guess because they won’t play with him – then goes and gets another one and starts the process all over! He “talks” a lot too! He is the cutest thing! We get tickled every time we look at him!! Sophie will let him lick on her, but when she gets her fill, she just puts one paw up (kinda like “tell it to the hand”) and he leaves her alone. She licks on him some too. I don’t think he likes it too much, but he does tolerate it! Sophie is the first one he looks for when he gets up in the morning. He’s starts out sleeping with Larry, then gets off the bed at some point and sleeps in his doggie bed in Larry’s room. He also likes to drag said doggie bed across the floor!!!!

We are really having a good time with him. Thanks for letting us adopt him. Mona and Larry