In praise of cats

[GOPFighter]

These last few years have been pure HELL for those of us who fervently believe that government should work for the good of the people, not corporations and special interests. The Clinton-bashing, impeachment, the Gore-bashing, the stolen election, the war, the demise of the Democratic party, and now this dirty, mud-slinging election. I often find myself seething with anger, screaming silently, wishing hideous punishment upon those who have bought our country and will leave our children to pay the bill. My stomach churns. I'm short-tempered. I'm easily distracted. I'm testy. Some days I'm a mess. Then I come home and there is our cat, sitting on the railing by the door, quietly waiting for attention. What a purrfect little creature! (no doubt I will lose my gold DU star for that one...and deservedly so!).

Right now she is curled up asleep across the room. Every so often she lifts her head, yawns, stretches, scans the room, curls herself in the other direction, and goes back to sleep. She has been with us now for about a year, a present from her feral mother. She grew up in the woods and is never happier than when she's chasing deer 30 times her weight out of our yard. She is insatiably curious, constantly knocking things off tables, counters, ledges, shelves, just to see how they bounce. Coming home from work is always an adventure. What has she tipped over, chewed, or climbed today? We retaliate with our own mischief, like the time we took the glass insert out of the coffee table that she likes to jump up on. The look on her face as she sailed through the hole was priceless! We still find ourselves giggling ourselves silly about that! But she is so petite, dainty, graceful, and gentle, it's hard not to smile every time we see her even though we know she is constantly plotting ways to steal our sandwich should we put it down.

Later, I will turn out the light and head up to bed. She will run up to first landing and wait for me. She knows I will sit with her, pet her soft fur, stroke her tummy, and scritch her ears as she stretches her body full length, twisting back and forth, rubbing her face in my hand, all the while returning my love with her throaty purr. Her needs are few: food, shelter, and love. My needs are much greater, but she provides the one I need the most right now: she evens my keel. I know that tomorrow I will make it through the day okay.

[mike_c]

1. cats are so wonderful....

Two of mine-- the two females, both rescues-- sleep on opposite sides of me. Always on opposite sides, because they're both alpha females who will NOT lie down together. By morning I can barely move and whenever I do it sets off a loud purr-fest from both sides of the bed. I've lived with cats for so many years I don't know what I'd do without them. All the neighborhood cats know what a sucker I am, too....

[hyphenate]

2. Beautifully said

I wholly agree--without the animals, I wonder how long ago I would have chosen not to bother keeping going........it's for them I stay alive.

[meti57b]

3. cats and dogs ...always there for us, even when nothing else goes our way.

[amerikat]

4. Well Said......you have summed up what so many of us feel

about our animals.

[RiffRandell]

5. They need us.

I have had several cats throughout the years--all different. I love felines. We call our current cat "Kitty" (she had that name when we adopted her) "Sarge" because when we go to bed at night she holds her position.

[NJCher]

6. cats have to be good for your mental health

Several times a day I take one of my kitties from the fenced-in pool area to the house for breakfast, lunch and dinner and at the end of the day, to the house to sleep.

I also go up and sit in the pool gardens with her a couple times throughout the day.

Those times that I take her to and from the house and so special. She's such a warm little furry nut and she's perfectly happy to rest in my arms during the short trip. But as soon as we hit the door, she's running off to check out the food dish or whether her companion, Bitsey, is in the house and lounging on her kitty shelf by the window.

When I go up to visit her during the day, she runs over to see me and she's so happy and excited I've come to visit her. Often I will pull some weeds or collect some garden produce and all the while she is whisking back and forth against my ankles.

Those few minutes of carrying her to and from each day do so much for me. I can actually feel any annoyances subsiding and I feel like the blood cells coursing through my veins are all smiling.

At night we go to sleep and she is at the end of the bed, sprawled out like the Queen of Sheba. She loves to be with us.

Cats are so special. My life wouldn't be nearly as happy without them.


Cher

[11cents]

7. During the 1992 campaign ...

... I used to dance with my cat at particularly stressful turns. There, I said it. I'd put on a CD, pick up my cat, and dance him around the room.

That cat has since died, and the two cats I have now aren't much for the dancing. But it's still greatly comforting to have them around, with their pure-animal selves.