please tell me you know what that’s from….
I got a new roommate last weekend. Her name is Mika
My sister, nephew and I headed out to a nearby animal shelter a week ago today determined to come home cat owners. Megan and I’d grown up with cats, but neither of us had owned one since moving out at 18. I’m not totally sure how the decision to get cats came up again, but when my sister said, “Don’t you think it would be nice to come home to a cute fuzzy face?” I guess I thought it sounded pretty good.
To reach the cats at this shelter, you first enter through a short hallway that where about 7 little chihuahua or other little dogs like that were stacked in cages yipping as you pass by. They are saying to you, “hey.you.hey.you.hey.you.look.at.me.look.at.me.hey.you”
The cats are similarly stacked in cages lining the next hall, but they are all sleepy and tucked into little balls in their fleecy cat beds. Finally at the end of that hall you reach the “cat room”. Entering into this room was like the worst episode of animal hoarders. About 150 (or more) cats are in this room. Sleeping on top of each other, climbing on the tiered tower looming in the center of the room. People keep asking me if it smelled…and it didn’t, badly anyways. But it was dusty and furry and there were cats who reached out to you with their paws as you passed by. Cats who clung on to you and wouldn’t let go. It was completely overwhelming and I walked out of that room thinking that maybe I didn’t want a cat after all. How does someone choose a cat in a room like that?
Megan, Emmett and I found ourselves back outside that room seated on benches. I felt a bit defeated and thought ‘maybe I’m just not a pet person.’ I was about to suggest that we just leave when one of the volunteers offered to show us a couple cats that were out sleeping in the cages. These were cats that didn’t do as well in the “cat room”. Probably a good fit for people who didn't do so well in the "cat room".
I can’t really explain how either of us made the decision to adopt these cats because it happened so quickly. Part of it I think was the drastic difference in energy between the cat room and these sleepy, quiet cats was comforting. Part of it was having someone make the suggestion, “how about this one?” And thirdly, she looked me in the face, let me hold her and went quietly into my cat carrier. I guess you sometimes just let the choice be made.
Now both cats are totally settled in to their respective homes. I’m getting used to leaving her at home when I leave and finding her their when I return. And it turns out it is nice to come home to a cute fuzzy face.
