I L O V E MY CAT(S). REALLY i DO! MOST OF THE TIME ;/

If you have cats you already know there is a very special bond between owner and human. That's right.. they own you!

I have had cats my whole life...my first was a gift when I was five years old. Before that, I was a true "cat lady" at three hanging with my aunt's 15+ cats and enjoying every minute of it. I guess you could say, I can relate!

Never being one to conform or enjoy demands on me, I understood a cat's aloofness and inability.. no...refusal...to cooperate when asked to. I learned quickly this could be a problem for myself and for someone who wanted to live with a feline.

As I got older my cats.. (yes, always more than one..mostly they enjoy others like themselves...primitive instinct from their BIG cat days of being in a pride) proved to be excellent companions, great listeners and dreadfully uncooperative.

I realized that no matter how many scratching posts I bought them, or how elaborate and "fun" they were, they preferred my new upholstered chair or my antique footstool. I soon had a house that resembled a Quaker...barren...wooden with no upholstered anything. I had no choice.

I had one cat, Justin, who refused to wait for me to feed him when I got home from a long day of work from the hospital and a longer drive home. He would literally open my refrigerator( it was old and not tightly sealed when it shut) and eat whatever he chose, so I kept an opened can of tuna at the bottom inside the fridge that he could help himself to, should I be later than my anticipated time of arrival. That worked out well!

Then I had a few Tom cats who were altered but enjoyed dates with the ladies  ( if you know what I mean) so they would escape the premises no matter how I tried to scold them, barricade them or prevent them from the great outdoors. They attracted quite a few alley cats and soon it was becoming a true problem. It never did get solved. I know they missed boys when we moved!

My point is this: You as a human, will never be able to fully dominate a feline, no matter what the Cat Whisperer says. Who would want a cat with a broken spirit anyway? They were created to be a certain way and if you want an obedient foot licker...get a dog!

However, it does annoy me to no end when Guiseppi gets Raylan and Gina all crazy and wild as they swing from my shower curtain( cant have window curtains) and leap from high places to high places like flying squirrels. This is especially annoying to me when these fun activities are performed either late at night or prior to me having my coffee in the morning.

I do, however realize this is what sharing a domain with felines is all about. There's the clothes that have more hair on it than most of the cats, and the furniture can also be hairy. Always have a large supply of lint brushes and don't wear black or dark colors. Lesson learned!

Then there's the internal clock of most cats who always seem to know exactly when its 6:00am, feeding time, even if its a Saturday or Sunday or Holiday! Do you think they care? Heck to the no!

Another fact of dwelling with a feline is the "attention" thing. They want YOU when THEY want you! It's that simple. Most cats won't just come over to you because you are there or because you may call him/her...most come by you at their whim.. when THEY feel like human contact.

I had one cat, Mudewa ( my fav of all time..shhhhh..don't tell the others that) who would great me when I came in the door and immediately sit with me as I relaxed in a chair or rested on my bed. We'd share a bag of potatoe chips or pork rinds as we both drifted off for a quick "cat" nap. She was also a "healing " cat...meaning that she'd stay with you if you were ill and not leave your side. The ancient Egyptians believed cats had healing powers so cats were sacred as well as being protectors of evil doers. They were buried with their cats to protect them in the afterlife.

Most of my cats were as different as my children.. very unique personalities. Most people who share life with cats will tell you that no two cats are alike, just as your children have their uniqueness, so do they.

I have tried sharing life with dogs as well, but my preference is a cat, hands down. Cats rule and dogs drool..to quote a great movie. It's true.. dogs drool...have body odor and need too much attention...kind of like your old uncle Sal. I know...cats use a cat box...terrible...but I don't have to walk them in pouring rain.. freezing snow..or with a huge hangover the morning after a great party! I can also leave them unattended for awhile.. days even..by using a self feeder and waterer...can't leave a dog for days now can you? See, there ARE good reasons for sharing your home with a cat!

I often hear the males of the world and true dog lovers declare that dogs are smarter than cats...really! Don't they eat feces, drink out of toilets and chase cars...not to mention eat rancid food? Not a good argument for the dogs are smarter declaration.

I don't really understand how one can not be in awe of a cat's graceful gait and that cool swagger they often use. The mere fact that they fully clean themselves to a shine without water, just using their rough tongue and some cat saliva, seems pretty cool to me..no biggee that they cough up a hairball or two now and then!

Cats learn to use their cat box almost immediately after being introduced to it and rarely if at all have accidents. If you keep their box clean they will never go to the bathroom anywhere else. ( However I did have a cat who refused to use a jointly used cat box and needed one of her own or she'd  use my bathroom rug. Hey at least she had the right room!

I'm not trying to debate cats vs dogs here, as each person has the RIGHT TO DEFEND  which animal is best suited for them. However I am simply describing my observation of the pros and cons of sharing life with a feline or two. I have had dogs and actually have one right now that the cats of the house love to play with. It's just not the same..she's not a feline!

I really can't see me without at least one furry friend with whiskers. They have gotten me through some rough times with bad relationships and horrible jobs, severe bouts of the flu and some with depression and simply been a friend in many ways. I suppose a person could say that about any pet like a hamster, a horse or even a snake...to each his own.

As for me and my house...I'll stick with my felines, after all it's not everyday that you can belong to a very special group..my pride! 

 Namaste! ( Meow)