I live, write, and garden in the PNW with my husband of 27 years, disabled daughter, college-aged son, and my 84-year-old mother. We have paid off $250,000.00 worth of debt (if you include the interest) in the last fifteen years and as of 6/12/2020 are 100% DEBT FREE!!!!I think we may have gotten ourselves adopted by a cat. I don't particularly want a cat. I've been cat-free since the summer of 1996 when Honi died. Never got another one because first I wasn't ready, and second I'm allergic, and then now Tobias is allergic as well. If I ever got another cat it would be an outdoor cat, period. But I don't want a cat.
I don't want the responsibility, I don't want to be tied down and not be able to vacation when I want. I don't want the vet bills. I don't want the fear of living near a major highway that sees dead animals squashed across it on a daily basis. I don't want to pay for pet food and I don't want to deal with massive pet food recalls for commercial food that has killed or sickened so many pets. I don't want the emotional attachment of a pet. I don't want a cat.
So this cat shows up today and he has an injury on his left foreleg. He's not limping that I can see, but he's definitely been in a fight and the leg is missing some fur. He was quite friendly so I have hopes that he belongs to someone. Only...no collar and he's not fully grown. He's maybe 8 or 9 months old. Well, he jumped right up into my lap on the porch swing and settled down like we were old friends. He's a tiny bit skittish. I've told the kids to move slow and he seems to like them as well. But sweet-tempered or not, I don't want a cat.
The kids wanted to feed him and his ribs did seem awfully prominent, so I fished out an old can of tuna that I don't like the brand of, its too dry for me. The cat wolfed it down like he hadn't seen food for a long time. I put out a bowl of water, too which he drank all of, so I refilled it. At least he had a good meal. I don't like to think of him starving, even if I don't want him to stay.
I think he is a stray or he was dumped. He's not been fixed and he should have been by this size if he had a responsible owner. I have fed strays from time to time and they have always moved along, so hopefully this sweet guy will do the same. He is a lovely ginger tabby cat with a white chest, neck and under the chin. His coat looks healthy mostly but he has dandruff and probably needs some good brushing. He is very well behaved. The kids are calling him Tiger. I don't want a cat.
If he stays, he will have a better name than Tiger. He will have something stronger and bold, something that befits his personality. I almost want him to stay. Oh, this is not fair. I so don't want a cat!
It Had to Happen Sometime
May 17th, 2007 at 02:06 am
May 17th, 2007 at 01:42 pm 1179409322
May 17th, 2007 at 01:46 pm 1179409593
Vacation? Leave out food, water, and litter, and he'll take care of himself. Can you relegate him to one area of the house? That might help with allergies (if you are actually allergic to this one) and the road problem. (Personally, I couldn't ever have an outdoor cat again because of that fear.) Cat food costs? Coupons. Emotional attachment? Well, I didn't want that again either, but turns out it's worth it.
You could find him a good home elsewhere...but you doth protest too much, methinks...
May 17th, 2007 at 02:03 pm 1179410639
Funny how they decide where they're going to live, isn't it? I'm coming back as a cat in my next life!
May 17th, 2007 at 03:12 pm 1179414735
May 17th, 2007 at 04:56 pm 1179421010
You've got yourself a cat!
May 17th, 2007 at 11:16 pm 1179443774
May 18th, 2007 at 01:24 pm 1179494683