As I wrote in parts One and Two of My Life with Dogs, I was born into a family of dog lovers. We never had a cat. But once on my own I was free to get one if I pleased. Trouble was, I didn’t quite know what I was doing when it came to caring for them…
[h]Einstein[/h]
Einstein was my first cat. As I’ve now learned that cats sometimes do, he adopted me, I didn’t adopt him. It happened my junior year of college. My boyfriend at the time, Wayne (who has since become my husband) and I rented a house with two other people. As I was taking out the trash one night, there he came. He rubbed up against my legs and didn’t pay Budly, our dog at the time, any mind. He nuzzled up against him too –to Budly’s horror. Where did this cat get off? It sent him running inside from shame.
I don’t know what Einstein was. He was grey with black tabby/tortoise shell markings. He also had polydactyl front paws. I had never seen such a thing before, so I thought he was quite unique indeed.
He was an outside cat mostly, but I liked to sneak him in from time to time. (Wayne wasn’t too crazy about having an indoor cat, and I didn’t know anything about litter boxes, much less could I have afforded the upkeep on one then. So sometimes Einstein left presents for us. Which didn’t earn him points with Wayne.)
When Wayne and I decided to give up roommates and move into a little place of our own, we took Einstein with us. He soon had a buddy, as another little guy adopted us.
[h]Sneakers[/h]
Sneakers was so named because he was black except for the end of his paws, which were white. He stayed outside too, but between him and Einstein, he was the one more inclined to stay in rather than get kicked out again.
Both he and Einstein loved sitting on my chest and cat napping with me, but Einstein started staying away for longer and longer stretches. By default Sneakers earned perching honors, and he’d stay with me all day if I let him.
When Wayne and I decided to move from Tucson up to Phoenix, Sneakers came but Einstein stayed behind. At the time I didn’t think of it as abandoning him, but now that I am a more responsible cat owner, I realize with shame that’s exactly what I did. It’s one of those life decisions I will always regret.
I also regret that I somehow lost Sneakers. We were in our apartment a few months, and now we had a litter box so Sneakers could stay in more. But the apartment bordered a lake with fish in it, which Sneakers adored. Where it was once hard to get him out, it was now hard to get him in.
One day he never returned. I went to the pound looking for him, posted signs, scoured the neighborhood, but Sneakers never came back to us.
After that, even though I loved having cats, I also realized with much regret I made a lousy cat mom. It was probably better (safer for them) if I didn’t have one. But the Universe must’ve felt differently, because I got a third chance.
[h]Mr. Meow a.k.a. Kitty[/h]
In May of 1999, we moved from Phoenix to Jacksonville. We lived in an apartment complex, and the room I wrote in faced the back of the building next to us. A family with a newborn, two small dogs, and two twin gray cats lived on the bottom floor. One of the gray cats loved hanging out on the screened in back porch, and when I’d walk by with Budly he’d “stalk” us.
In November that family moved out, but they left behind one of the cats. (Maybe both of them, but it was only the one I found.) When I learned he was out fending for himself, I bought some cat food and stashed it in plastic bags in my pocket in case I stumbled across him.
The night I did I had Budly with me. In a turn of déjà vu, instead of running, this cat nuzzled up against the both of us. I’m sure it was our little stalker buddy and not his twin. I swear Budly rolled his eyes as if to say, “Oh great, here we go again.”
I tried to offer the cat food, but he didn’t want it. He just wanted to be petted. I went to take Budly back upstairs so I could come back and pick up the cat and take him in too. But he ended up following us and marched inside the moment the door opened. (Wayne will never believe this story, but that is exactly how it happened!)
I learned my lesson from Einstein and Sneakers. I was given another chance, and I was going to use it wisely. Hence, Mr. Meow became an indoors-only cat. (Which is also safer for him, as his previous owners had his front paws de-clawed.)
I truly believe he was Heaven sent, as he’s the cat I would have ordered if Heaven filled such requests. He’s my angel, my muse, my instigator, my jester, my teacher, and my little “Nuzzle Lover.” I never knew a cat could make me feel so loved! And thanks to him and his antics, I see the world through a different set of eyes every single day. A cat’s eyes. Which is a unique way to view things indeed!
Mr. Meow a.k.a Kitty in his office bed.
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