Cat Person

Growing up we always had a plethora of animals. Where Harper had computers I had animals. I raised every type of consumer rodent, a ferret, two snakes and one iguana. Some of these went better than others. The iguana was hard. The ferret was awesome but got cancer. This led me to be a lover of all animals.

When I was eighteen I decided I wanted a dog of my own. I had gotten a cat of my own when I was sixteen and wanted to add a dog to my collection. Dogs and cats were a part of my family for as long as I can remember. The first dogs I remember were two shetland sheepdogs(I think) name Roxanne and Trinket. Aside from being really nice dogs they also had the best names for a pair of dogs ever. When I decide I want something I tend to research the shit out of it and decide what I want.

As such I researched all sorts of different types of dogs. Border collies, bearded collies, Jack Russell Terriers and Newfoundlands topped the list. But there were many dogs I would have loved to have had. But I was never in a place to get a dog. When Sarah and I moved in together I would have loved to have gotten a dog, but it wasn’t my house and so we got Thomas. Thomas was amazing. Greatest cat ever. He reminded me why I love cats.

He was goofy and graceful, playful and aloof, and above all he was a love. The thing with cats is that if they love you you have made it. You have earned the love of something that could really care less about you. Thomas loved me. And I loved him.

One of the things that Sarah always said was that the Inn was full. Meaning that we already had too many animals in the house and didn’t have room for more. Which is a valid point. Three animals plus two humans is more then enough. When Sarah and I moved our families started to talk about how we should get a dog. We had a yard and room for another animal. Sarah and I talked about it.

We felt it was unfair of us to bring another being into our house that would take our time away from our cats. Also it would be unfair to inflict our schedules on a dog. But we talked about it.

Then we lost Thomas.

Suddenly our world turned upside down. A huge part of our lives was gone forever. We knew we could never replace Thomas nor did we want to. Again we talked about getting a dog. I think Sarah would have happily bought me any dog I wanted just to end the pain I was in. I think that she was preparing herself to the reality that is a puppy, thinking that when the time came to get another animal, to fill the vacancy, we would get a dog.

There was an emptiness in our house. We had two wonderful cats, Reno and Beda, but the light seemed to have gone out of our house. We were sad all the time. I started working crazy hours to spend less time alone in the house. We talked about getting another animal. As I thought more about it I realized something.

I like dogs, but I love Cats.

When I mentioned this to Sarah I think she was a little surprised. I have talked about getting a dog for a long time. Probably the entire time we have been together. And yet when given the opportunity to get a dog, I chose to look at cats.

Every cat I have ever been around has been a domestic short hair, which is cat for mutt. They have all been wonderful. Sure Rascal and Ed were mean, Zeppelin was silly and Scooter was completely insane; but they were also the most interesting creatures I had ever been around. Add to the list Reno, Beda and Thomas and you have the most fun group of creatures ever. But I wanted something different. I wanted a purebred cat.

I am not sure why. Maybe it was because of all of the diffeerent types of purebred cat or maybe it is because I have never had one before. But I wanted one.

Before I got Scooter I had thought of getting a purebred cat. I was sixteen and had no money so I couldn’t but I had researched the crap out of cat breeds. Personally I was a fan of the Cornish Rex. Cornish Rexes have curly short hair, feel like velvet and love to play. They are basically little dogs. I also love all of the big cats: Maine Coons, Norwegian Mountain Cats, etc. Talking to Sarah she had one breed she loved: Exotic Shorthairs.

Looking at exotic shorthairs you can’t help but fall in love with them. They are a short hair persian. All the personality and squishy face, none of the long hair and genetic problems. They are super cute.

Having looked at them and research them I took to the internet to find a breeder. I was hopeful to find one in Colorado and as luck would have it I did. I was checking out the website and I noticed they had a kitten available. I sent it to Sarah and she was curious. I called the lady and asked about the kitten. She told me about her, about how she was going to be part of her breeding program but she got another kitty instead to bring in new blood. About how she is a love. I was sold.

Sarah and I talked more about it and decided to get her. Sarah had only one requirement: We needed to wait a week before getting her so we could get our house in order. I agreed and we sent off a deposit.

We went and picked her up last Thursday. She is the sweetest cat I have ever met. She cried once during the two-and-a-half hour ride home. That is all. Reno cries that much just to be let outside. She just chilled in her kennel with not a care in the world. Needless to say she has weaseled her way into our hearts.

[caption id="attachment_1838” align="aligncenter” width="300”] Ramona “Mo” Jangles[/caption]