Thursday, May 7, 2009

Must... have... adorable... furball!

I can't stop thinking about cats! For the longest time, I took their presence in my life for granted - we always had at least 2 or 3 running around our property, along with a dog or two. Then i went to college and lived in the dorms; not terribly cat-friendly. Although now that I remember, a buddy of mine did keep a couple of stray kittens in her room for awhile; the only thing was she wasn't too good about keeping up with the litterbox so we didn't really visit her room all that often - bleagh!

The last place I lived in came with its own cat - the oh-so-beloved Mischief. Into everything but always ready to play, she'd been my loyal companion all year. It was really hard to leave her, even for Ben (sorry love! :) ). Now, however, after months of wheedling, talking it over, and letting him think about it, I think we're alllllllmost ready to get a ridiculously cute and scratchy ball of life all for our own.

I've been debating whether to go with animal shelter options or look on craigslist for pets that come free and with all their own stuff. On the one hand, pulling a kitty from a shelter is a good thing - invest in a hardworking community organization, get a pet without having to do all the spay/neuter/worming routines that I was so used to before, and feel good about myself. However, getting a cat from a home that just can't support it anymore (you know, have to move, dog hates it - all the usual reasons) has the added bonus of often being free and coming with all its own playthings. Also, i could even argue that i'm keeping a cat out of a shelter. But I'm still up in the air; I suppose it will all depend on whether or not any of the above cats fit the personality criteria Ben and I are looking for (For Ben, the more willing to play, the better).

Any opinions? Also, anyone remember that Calvin and Hobbes comic strip where Calvin tries to surprise Hobbes? Hobbes is lying on his back having a snooze, then Calvin comes flying in on top of him. In the next panel, you see Calvin walking away, battered and bruised, saying "I always forget that five of his six ends are pointy when he lies like that." Couldn't find the image for it, sorry, but it's one of my favorite kitty quotes.

2 comments:

Jennifer said...

Go for it! I'm a cat-lover and have 3 (well, 2 + a stepcat).

Keep in mind that sometimes folks will want to get rid of a cat who has behavior issues (urine marking, etc.) and they may not always come clean about it. Perhaps they really believe that the cat will behave better in a different environment. Or whatever. Good luck!

lupyles said...

Totally get a cat...or a dog!!! That made it all much easier, right?? :D