As a lad I was raised on a farm, over 50 years ago. First school I went
to, had eight grades in one room.  No electricity,running water etc.We
had cats, dogs, and never took them to the vet for anything. They never
had any shots etc. If a dog got the mange we poured old burnt motor oil
on him. Never bought any cat or dog food. They were fed biscuits & gravy
in a old cast iron skillet. We had a cat at the milk barn, she got a
saucer of milk ( fresh from cow + a biscuit) at milking time.  It seems
nowadays if a animal breaks wind off to the vet we go. I only remember a
vet coming to the farm once to tend a cow. He was in a international
pickup & knocked down small trees , bushes getting back  in the hollar
to the cow. We still walked about 1/4 mile. Every morning I would get
the team & water them ,feed them, while I was eating breakfast, then to
the field.  We were picking corn one Sat. in November, I really wanted
to go to town to the picture show. Cost a dime.I told my Grandad I
thought we had to much corn on the wagon & the team would not be able to
pull the wagon out of the hollar.  To which he replied " Son, Don't
sweat the mules, Just load the wagon". Now we have five stray cats, live
in the city . Those were the best days of my life, & I did not know it.

Michael Lane

" Say what you want and be who you are,
because  those who mind don't matter
and those who matter don't mind. "
  Dr. Seuss