I am on a love my furry babies high. If we are FaceBook
friends than you already know that I got me a new little furry love. On my way
home from the vet this morning I was thinking about how much I already loved
this little ball of energy despite the tears I had earlier in the week (I’ll
explain shortly). Then I started to think about the correlation between pets
and children.
Now before I anger or upset anyone with children, I am by no
means comparing my cats to your children. What I am doing is comparing the love
you develop when having another being that needs your constant care, affection,
attention, soothing, discipline, and time.
Fur babies do indeed become our babies. I realized this when
Piston was getting her first round of kitty shots this morning and the vet had
me holding her head and I was soothing her with words and scratched around her
face and ears.
I brought Piston home on Sunday night. My approach was this,
I’ll let BabieCakes get use to her and let her start to feel at home. It was
stressful Sunday night. Monday morning I got up ready to try again and again it
did not work. On my way to work I was talking to Jarret trying to hold back
tears thinking I wasn’t going to be able to keep Piston because BabieCakes was
stressed and my loyalty was to her. Talking to my dear friend Elizabeth, she
assured me that it takes time, that I need to be more patient, but if I thought
I couldn’t do it then, okay. Then I talked to Mom and at this point the tears
were rolling and I was able to pinpoint the problem. I felt like I had betrayed
BabieCakes. Did she feel like I was replacing her? Did she resent me? Did she
feel okay because her breathing was rapid and her heart racing as she hissed
and growled at the new kid?
Yes, I thought all these thoughts and then cried about it.
What the hell is going to happen if God willing I ever have more than one kid?
Currently Piston has a safe room with all her things and I
am slowly and more patiently introducing a few of her smells to BabieCakes. I
am bribing BabieCakes with fancy pate food near Piston’s bedroom door in order
for her to think positive happy thoughts while listening to the new kid meow
and bounce against the walls as she plays.
Parents, does your kid have a safe room in order to get use
to the older one’s smells? I’m kidding! However, the vet this morning when
asking if I was on the right track with BabieCakes and Pistons sisterly
relationship did compare them to 12 year old girls. Just saying.
Since the separate but equal decision descended our
household my evenings have been much like this: I get home and coo and caw over
BabieCakes and remind her she is Queen B and that she’s in charge when I am not
home. Then I go coo and caw over Piston, pick her food up off the carpet
because I swear that kitten picks up her bowl and chunks it across the room, we
play, I assure her I’ll be back and then I start over with the other one. The
attention each needs or requires is no different than a child. I watched Jasper
last night and he required just as much attention as my cats currently do.
I went to bed later than normal last night due to not
getting home as I normally do and spending time with the furry butterball and
then with the new girl. I have been getting up earlier to spend some time with
each in order to have a smooth transition when the face to face of this
arrangement starts to take place. Despite what I have going on this week my
nights and mornings have been focused on these two ladies.
Although I am not comparing children to pets can you see why
people like myself may look at their fur babies as such? I am here to tell you
people I am not the minority either. I know people with children and still
consider their pets as fur babies and not just pets. I often think it can get
forgotten that pets are breathing, heart beating, and personality wearing
beings. Different from animals. Yes, pets are technically animals, but once
they have entered your home and you’ve named them, ready or not they will leave
an imprint on your heart and life forever.
There are numerous times we as a family will be talking
about the “remember when…” and more times than not one of our pets will be part
of the story. Or at the very least when a story is being told and we are all
remembering that day, Boob or the Poop (those were their nicknames, ask me
about it sometime if you care) are just hovering in that image we all hold in
our head.
Call me the crazy cat lady if you will, but my heart is
filled with love because of my cats. Wherever you stand on pets whether its
cats, dogs, gerbils, birds, lizards, and ferrets maybe even a whole zoo don’t
be embarrassed by the affection you give your pets. They can make us better
humans, so if adopting an animal, remember once you bring it into your home and
give it name beware(!) your heart will forever be changed
by it.
Short blog and I am sorry, but I’ve got to get BabieCakes
off my lap so I can go play with the other one…..
Have a Fur-tastic one!
-Shelly
