Debsweb: I'm officially a cat person!

Yes, it is official-I am a cat person. Of course anyone that really knows me will be thinking duh! But I have tried to be something other than what I really am. Let's try chickens.

Chicks are cute and chickens can be really entertaining to watch. But really, they aren't very cuddly, don't pay attention when you talk to them, and sometimes are downright scary. Although they do give you food. I also had dogs who have been wonderful.

Toby

Honey

Toby tolerated others but knew I was the Queen. He really was just a cat with dog breath. And right now we have Honey our cocker spaniel who is wonderful. A pretty girl who thinks she's a farm dog. And she is a hoarder. We have to clean out her "den" under our bed every week! We won't talk about Snoopy or Andie-they are Doyle's and Daily's to blog about.

But having a cat around just soothes my soul. I can just feel myself relax when a kitty jumps up and starts purring in my lap. Since I was 2 or 3 I have always had a cat in my life. Fluffy was with me through my parents divorce and went with me while I lived with my grandparents. Then came Sua who accompanied me as we moved a number of times and was a perfect companion for a lonely little girl. Felicity got me through the craziness of high school, romantic heartbreaks, college and until I met Scott. She left me in the capable paws of Kitten who kept me company while on bed rest of 2 pregnancies and the fun of raising my little ones . At the same time we had Oscar

Felicity

Kitten

Oscar

the manx. Who I will admit was fairly grumpy. But please! Aren't most cats?

Then quickly came Abby who was Lena's cat and then Puddin who was Daily's. Of course they lived at our house so they were really mine.

Abby

Puddin

Honestly, both these cats were a little quirky. Abby was actually called Scabby Abby because she had a strange skin condition where she always had scabs-gross! She also did this strange thing when you scratched her bum where she did these jerky head movements and yowled-creepy but highly entertaining. Puddin was cool most of the time except he had this strange relationship with a black and white stuffed puppy that he nursed on for years and years. As they got older they were not so patient with the new grandkids pulling at tails and ears. Each of these cats lived until at least 18 yrs old and most until 20 +. Puddin finally passed on about 8 months ago and for the first time I was cat less. Scott was estatic (obviously, not a cat person). I thought, this is ok right? I don't need a cat. No more yucky cat box or worrying if I left something on the kitchen counter.

But then we had this little stray show up. We put her in the barn and I convinced Scott she would just be a barn cat. I would go up every day in the cold and just sit and cuddle her. It was heaven. I felt complete and peaceful. Yes a cat is definitely my touch stone, or muse or something like that. After just a week that little cutey took off and hasn't been seen since. But I knew it was time for a cat. I watched websites, visited the cats at Pets Plus, and animal control. One day I went to see this one cat and a few minutes later my daughter showed up and saw my name in the sign in log. "Did you see Stella?" She asked. No. "You need to go back and see her" I did and I thought, wow, she is big but so great! Took Scott back and the next day she came home.

She was wonderful. Loving, polite, cuddly. Even pretty good with the grandkids. The next week we took her to the vet for a minor thing. Later that day I got a call that she had passed away while they were checking her out. Yes, I was heartbroken. Maybe a cat was not for me. A couple weeks later my daughter and I had some time on our hands and decided to go in to the BIG Gwinett Animal control to show the grandsons kitties and puppies. No intention of actually getting anything-just having fun. And there he was. A huge bundle of yellow, purring love. A little while later after some consulting with hubbies we both left with cats!!!