A Dog’s (or Cat’s) Life: Antique Pet Accessories

Louis XVI style domed dog's bed/pet house

In a finer, better world, I’d be a cat, at least one of my cats.  It’s bitterly cold outside with little eddies of snow drifting around the doors, but what are they doing?  Sprawling in front of the stove, soaking up all the heat, looking annoyed whenever I dare to disrupt them in order to crowd in for a moment and warm my hands, after I’ve been outside, hauling in more pellets to feed the object of their addiction.  It’s a pretty cushy life!

Some people’s pets have always lived the good life, based on the things we see come up at auction.  Even in the 19th century, people were pampering their pets, and it’s a good thing my cats don’t know that because, since they’re cats, they already like to convey the impression that they live a life of terrible deprivation.  Perhaps I need to be on the lookout for something luxurious for them, like the little pink velvet house (pictured above), even elevated to prevent it from resting on a cold, drafty floor.  (Although on other days, I think I might just buy a large Victorian birdcage and stuff them all in there so I can get some work done!)  And I’m sure they’d think no dog would be entitled to a dog bed as fancy as this one.  They would, however, leave collars to the dogs, probably even an elaborate alligator skin one.  Sometimes, when I’m laboring away to earn a paycheck so I can keep a roof over their heads and food in their fuzzy, stove-warmed tummies, I do think it might be nice to invest in one of these rare objects.  For instance, an ammonia pistol, traditionally meant to be carried by cyclists to deter dogs, and a little water would certainly liven things up around here!

-Hollie Davis, Senior Editor, p4A.co

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