I am not an animal person. I cannot stress this enough. I’m sure your dog or your cat is Precious but I am totally uninterested (Mosby being the ONLY exception to this hard and fast rule.) I have written about my non-animalness in great detail and have received plenty o’hate mail over my stance– so close that email, Lady. It’s already been said and I’m just going to delete it without reading it as soon as you tell me that I’m going to hell over a dead goldfish.
THAT said, about 8 months ago, a stray calico cat started showing up at my house after school everyday. Aubrey and Emma (7yo & 5yo) inherited their Daddy’s animal lover gene and would not shut up until I bought cat food and started feeding what I lovingly referred to as, “That Damn Cat.” (Not lovingly. I sort of hated her.)
But Dottie, as she was quickly named by Aubrey (even though I lobbied hard for “Streaker”) started to sneak into my house and my good graces. As the winter became harsher, I would come in the kitchen to find Dottie sitting on my welcome mat, all three girls hovered around her petting her while she ate in the warmth of our kitchen.
Every evening she would come to our kitchen door and meow until I stomped through the kitchen, slamming cabinets and dragging out bowls to feed her.
“YOU are not the boss of me!” I hissed at her as I poured a little heavy cream into her bowl. (It was about to go old in the fridge. I was going to have to throw it away.)
A couple of months ago Zeb started insisting that Dottie was knocked up. I defended her honor, Dottie was not that kind of girl, AND I figured she was just getting fat from getting fed by at least two members of my family on a daily basis.
But alas, for the first time in his life (almost) my husband was right. Dottie was in The Way and last week she had her kittens. We looked for them for a few days before finding them in our neighbor’s yard on Easter.
I had mostly conceded to not officially hating Dottie anymore but still not admitting any real affection for her, when just now, as I cleaned the kitchen after dinner I heard Zeb shout from the driveway, “Dottie is bringing her kittens!”
She held her tiny baby in her mouth and came and laid it proudly at our feet. Zeb and the girls scrambled around yelling, “Get The Cat Box! Get The Cat Box!”
“The whaaaaa?” I asked.
They had prepared a cardboard box with straw and towels– they grabbed it and placed Dottie and her kitten inside. Zeb walked across the street and gathered the two other babies and my girls APPLAUDED. And then the cackles of my cold, dead animal heart melted.
And just like that… I became the Crazy Cat Lady.
Hi. My name is Robin. I’m a writer and uh… I have four cats.
(The girls all named a kitten. Here are the kitten’s names– guess which kid picked which name– Fluffy, Lily and Hercules. I’ll leave the answer in the comments!)
Fluffy- Aubrey, The Traditionalist.
Lily- Sadie, The Sucker-Upper to her New Fave Tween at Church.
Hercules- Emma, The I Know This Will Make My Mom Laugher.
Oh, girl.
I must be your antithesis or something, ‘cuz I’m probably worse than the kids asking my husband, “Can we keep him? Please?”
I don’t know where in the world you live, but I can hear your armor cracking from here.
Now go get Dottie some more cream….
Anne recently posted..Adoption Tuesday – Attachment.3
This makes me a little sad because our cat died a few weeks ago
she was the best cat ever. even gave hugs!
it feels wrong to get a new one now because it would be like replacing the family cat. I’d feel really bad…
but if a cat would show up on our door mat I sure wouldn’t mind taking care of it
Oh my Lord. I did this to you, didn’t I? I told you I had gone over the edge with those puppies and look what’s come of it! And CATS, no less… I’ll understand if you don’t speak to me again. 😉
Kimberly Brock recently posted..I’m Published! or A Still and Hushed Moment…
Congrats!
the stray cat that came to my house had 6 kittens!
and since then we have had those kittens, my kids have found a few more strays. i have gotten really good at getting them new homes
Oh my goodness, how sweet! I am totally a cat person and this story just warmed my heart
Congratulations on the new additions…sounds like you’re gonna have your hands full!
Rebekah recently posted..Nicki’s Last Minute Tax Tips
I only takes one cat to steal your heart. Now you have 4 to totally steal it! Congratulations, Dottie!
Aw – you warmed this already-crazy-cat-lady’s heart!
Jan Culpepper recently posted..I’m a Big Kid Now!
Best thing I’ve read in awhile! Too funny!
AAAAAHhahahahahahaha.
Anne Riley recently posted..Mega-Naps, Awkward Voicemails, And Monkey Mania
Robin, this was SO great. As a girl who had cats all her life, I have been at all places on the cat lady to cat hater spectrum. Can’t wait to hear about the kittens and this year’s Christmas Tree! The greatest thing about my cats (the ONLY great thing), they love the kids. The kids love them back. I give up, a cat lady I shall be.
Bethany Thies recently posted..What I Want to Be When I Grow Up/(Beauty) School Drop-Out
What a cute story! Have you read the Christmas Kitten by James Herriot? Adorable, similar story that I am sure your kids would adore. I think the cat’s name in the story is Debbie. Similar, no?
Naw, I assure you I’ve never read anything with Kitten in the title. I don’t like animals. At all. Ever. Until maybe now. Maybe. 😉
All you need is a rocking chair and a knitting needle. Hope you can get Dottie fixed before you are the crazy cat lady on animal hoarders.
alaina recently posted..Challenge This.
You’re only a crazy cat lady when you have more than 2 cats over 10 weeks old. (ie kittens don’t count.) All you have to do is find them homes and get Dottie spayed and then you’re safe. I promise.
Until the next stray, that is…
I’d suggest finding a vet and getting those cats fixed. You are one more litter short of plastic furniture covers and sweatshirts with embroidered cats on them.
Totally a dawg fan at home and in football!
LOLOLOL!! We’ve already talked to a vet!
Robin, I just love your work! Love the video…now I can put a voice to your words…and your girls are precious! I have been a cat lover all my life and I can tell you there is nothing better than a warm, purring cat snuggled up to you. Hope you find this to be true.
Thanks Kim!