How We Got Our Cats

You can call me cat lady! I love that the term cat lady is not restricted to lonely old ladies in big houses with 50 cats anymore. It has become a term of endearment that I am proud to label myself with. The mister and I have three indoor-only cats in our tiny little house. We are happy and cozy and love our cat babies like they were our children. They each have their own unique personalities and place in our family. We got our first cat Sandy on the way home from our honeymoon. We were at the coast and named her appropriately. We found her at a pet shop and fell in love instantly. I remember her crawling up my chest and sitting on my shoulder. We were so excited to start our new life together in our home and a cat was a perfect addition. The mister grew up with cats and I grew up with dogs. But I always wanted a cat!

Sandy is a tortoise shell with big round eyes and a taste for string cheese. She is also not the most graceful cat. The expression that cats always land on their feet does not apply to her. But she definitely has 9 lives! We used to live in a second story apartment with a balcony. When the weather was nicer we thought it was a great idea to let the cat out there. She enjoyed the fresh air and a view of the birds and neighbors. One day, we heard scratching and meowing and peeked out the window to see what she was doing. Low and behold, there was Sandy, hanging to dear life on the outside of the apartment! She must have been trying to jump from the balcony to the window. But the window wasn't open and there wasn't a ledge to jump on. She had her claws stuck into the siding and was using her back legs to hang on. I have never seen the mister act so fast! He jumped out to the balcony and grabbed her just as she was about to fall. She was saved! And balcony time was immediately eliminated.

We had Sandy for a year or so and decided it was time to add a second. She needed a buddy and we thought each person should have a cat. This time, I answered an ad and chose from a colorful litter of orange tabbies, siamese, white and black kittens. I was drawn to a very tiny black cat with blue eyes and lots of energy. She was adorable! We named her Wednesday Addams since it was around Halloween and she reminded us of the little girl in The Addams Family. The first couple days were a little scary. Sandy was not too happy about her new sister. But they got used to each other and now they chase each other and play. 

Our plan was not to get another cat but fate had another plan for us. It was my birthday and I was having a Marie Antoinette themed party. We share the same birthday and I had just seen the Sophia Coppola movie and was immediately inspired. We noticed a little white fluff ball on our front porch. I thought it was a bunny at first. Until she jumped into my arms and I realized it was a sweet little kitty. She was skinny and hungry and had crusty eyes. The mister had noticed her a couple days before so we realized that she had been out there in the cold for some time, living in our bushes. We took her in and fed her and waited for someone to report a himalayan kitten missing. She was probably around 3 months old. We started noticing that she had issues with eating and closing her mouth. The vet told us she had a misaligned jaw and that somebody probably abandoned her after discovering her birth defect. She was so sweet and we were attached! So we spent $500 to have her teeth fixed. Luckily, she didn't need jaw surgery and had some teeth removed and filed down to help her close her mouth. We immediately could tell the difference. Soon she could eat and meow. She really makes the funniest sounds I have heard from a cat. She sounds more like a pigeon! But since she was fancy and was my birthday present, we named her Marie Antoinette.

I have always had pets and can't imagine my life without them. They can be costly at times and there is some work involved. Marie requires daily grooming and eyedrops. And forget about having a pair of black pants! They are just fur magnets. But the rewards far outweigh all that. They sleep with us at night and cuddle on the couch during movies. They follow us around the house and miss us when we are gone. They can be entertaining and make great photo models. We have always been spontaneous when bringing cats home but I would recommend planing more than we did if you are unsure about it. You should consider the commitment, money and work that is involved. Pets, even hamsters and hermit crabs (yes, we have had these too), will enrich your life and are worth it! You can read more about our cat's and their personalities here.

- Rachele