Why I Got a cat

 

     This requires a bit of backstory, starting from almost twenty years ago. When we bought this house, Dan actually wanted a dog. I actually like dogs,  BUT...

     Even though I'd never had a pet in my life, I knew a dog would not be a good fit for us. Dogs require a level of commitment I knew I couldn't give. It wasn't just the vet care or feedings, or even cleaning up poop--that I could handle. I knew WE could not commit to walking a dog everyday. Dan assured me that YES he would walk the dog everyday himself.

     Ummmm...At that point I'd been with my partner for several years, and I knew there was no way he would walk a dog Every. Day. I knew that responsibility would eventually fall to me, and I didn't want it. Oh, and training? Who was going to do that? Not me. I had no idea how to train a dog. He mentioned our humongous yard, but having a large yard would not be enough if you wouldn't walk or train your dog, right?

     He wanted a medium to large dog, perhaps a German Sheppard. Not because he loves German Sheppards. He specifically wanted a Guard Dog. Dan is awesome with animals of all kinds, but his motive felt off to me. He didn't want a dog because he loves them. He wanted one for guarding the house. That didn't feel like the right reason. 

     I finally said, "Fine. We'll get a dog if we can build a fence in the front yard. Nice big front yard too, but what if puppy runs into the street? " That was yet another on my long list of concerns. Guess what? We never built a fence in the front yard. 

    SIDE NOTE: I wish we had built a fence or at least a hedge. We live on a corner lot, and both of us go COMPLETELY PSYCHO when we catch people cutting across our yard.  Get off my F&#@* # lawn!  ( Shakes fist angrily)  It's not about the grass, it's about the lack of manners and respect.

    Like I said, no fence, no dog. We did eventually get a security system.  

     Twelve years ago, I was writing a book called 'Aphrodite's War.' The main character is a waitress named Poetry, who made jewelry in her spare time for extra income, a creative young woman. She had a black kitten named Amir. She was a huge fan of the band Orgy, and named him after the guitarist, Amir Derakh. I gave her kitten a personality and spirit, despite the fact that I knew nothing about cats. I loved that kitten every bit as much as I love my other characters.

     At the time I was also playing an online game called Petville, and I had a green Wookie-like creature I'd named Cookiebum. I was getting weird about it. I wanted to hold her, touch her, talk to her. I would think about her when I wasn't playing, worried about feeding and hygiene for a computer animated animal. Crazy, right? I wasn't worried about Amir, Poetry's cat, because I wrote him, and I knew exactly where he was and that he was safe. I had to stop playing that stupid game because I hated leaving Cookiebum alone, even if she wasn't real. I realized I wanted something real. Somehow between Amir the fictional black kitten, and Cookiebum the pixelated green Wookiee I believed that I should have a cat. 

     I asked Dan, "Now that we have an alarm system, and we don't necessarily need a dog for protection....Can I have a cat?"

    He nodded to himself and said, "Yes, I think you're ready to have a pet." I thought it was an odd thing to say, but I think what he meant is that I clearly wanted the responsibility, when I never did before. I had never had a pet before in my life, and suddenly I was absolutely sure I needed a cat. 

    So I read books, specifically Jackson Galaxy, determined to be a good cat owner. I was so nervous! What if I'm a terrible cat mommy? I needed to do some research. Seriously, I didn't even know when or how much to feed a cat. 

     We picked a day in June and went to the Humane Society. I've told this story before as well, but for the sake of this blog, I'll condense it. I still love to talk about it, as it was such a joyful experience.

     Fun fact: Freya's shelter name was 'Kendall '. Why, I don't know, but there was no way we were keeping that. Honestly, I had a list of names from mythology and 'Kendall' didn't even suit her. Yuck. 

     Freya yelled at Dan's feet until he opened his arms for her to jump into them. She charmed him instantly, purring and cuddling, making her intentions known. She buried her face in his armpit. 

     I remember how I approached Dan and Freya in the alcove, and Dan said, "Sweetheart, this is my wife." She crawled out of his arms, and into mine. She was ADORABLE. But I was inexperienced. I didn't believe that the very first cat we met would be the one. What were the chances? 

     I thought we should look around a bit more. But as we were meeting other cats, Dan said, "Honey, turn around." and she wore this look of sad longing, that we couldn't bear. His next words were, "I am NOT leaving her here."

     I loved the way she skipped when we came back for her. Dan scooped her back up and told her she was coming home with us. I've never seen such an excited cat. She was so happy, and she couldn't get enough of us, but mostly Dan. I remember how Dan sweetly placed her in a cat bed when she wore herself out, and got sleepy. He sat in a tiny kindergarten chair and gently shooed away other cats that tried to hiss at her and take her spot. She kept looking askance at him, until she was assured that Dan would protect her and keep the other cats away so she could rest. I filled out the paperwork, grinning and squeaking with happiness. We had chosen our cat! And I LOVED how my husband was with her. They already loved each other, and I knew this little white cat liked me too. 

     She cried and battled her cat box all the way home. Good thing the Humane Society was on the same side of the city as us, and it was a short drive. It was torture to hear her fighting and yowling in fear. The minute we got home, we placed the box on the floor, and let her out. She sprang forth, poised for a fight. My first thought was, "Maybe we should have named her Athena." I imagined that that's what the goddess would have looked like as she sprang from Zeus' skull. She calmed immediately as she observed her new surroundings. She looked up at Dan, and he said, "Yes, Freya. It's all yours. Go play." She took off, gleefully exploring her new home. 

     The evening ended with the three of us sitting on the couch, her between us.  She was so happy to be with us, and we instantaneously became a family unit. The night ended with her sleeping on the pillows between us in our bed, her back to me, and her paws placed firmly on Dan's face. 

    I was NOT prepared for the intense love I felt for her after her arrival in our home. I don't know what I expected. I'd met cats before. I expected to love her even if she was kinda funny looking. She had a distinct personality and grew more beautiful to my eyes every time I looked at her. I was crazy in love with her overnight. EVERYTHING  she did was adorable, and she's perfect. She was everything I'd hoped for and more. I decided I never wanted to live without a cat ever again. 

   She inspired me. I went back into 'Aphrodite's War' and rewrote entire pages. The goddess Freya had made a brief appearance in my novel. Suddenly, she had white hair and blue eyes, like my pretty new baby. She developed a larger role in the book. Despite these changes, 'Aphrodite's War was finished and ready for Heather's edits in about four months, a record for me. This little white cat had literally changed my world, and my new novel, for the better. 

     Freya will be thirteen in December, and I think she's the most beautiful cat in the world. She's diabetic and arthritic, but we pay for her insulin and arthritis shots because we love her more than anything and we want her to be comfortable and happy. She's worth every penny. She's changed in many ways, but we don't care. Who doesn't change as the years pass? She can get older and crankier, but she's still our perfect girl.

    This is why I got a cat, and why I am now, and will always be, a proud crazy cat lady.