Friday, January 21, 2011

My Spoiled Cat

I finished a new article called The Cat Angel for Best Friends this week, and it was a real joy to write about this special lady who cares for so many feral cats. But it also made me sad to think just how many cats are living outside in such harsh conditions. This winter has been such a tough one in so many parts of the country, it breaks my heart to think of so many animals trying to manage outside in the cold on their own.

As a result, I tried to impress upon my own cat Nate how lucky he is to have a home, with a warm place to sleep and food at his disposal every day.

Nate would have none of it.

I adopted Nate three years ago from the Kenton County Animal Shelter in Covington, Kentucky. I had recently lost my cat of 12 years, Tigger, to cancer, and I wanted a new friend for the cat I still had, Thomas. And if I'm being honest, a new friend for myself as well.

Tigger and Thomas were brothers, and both striped tabby cats. When I went looking for a new cat, I had no intention of getting a striped tabby, as I wanted something different. I had my heart set on a tuxedo cat, and I was going to name him Jack. But then I went to the shelter, and I saw a 4 month old striped tabby kitten named Nate. I sat in the cage and played with him, and within an hour, I had forgotten about getting a tuxedo cat and forgotten about the name Jack. I arranged to bring Nate home with me.

I've never regretted that choice, as Nate is a joy, and a character in every sense of the word. When he is not goading Clancy into chasing him around the condo, he can usually be found like this.


He has no delusions about who is in charge of our house. It's clear to him that he is. He meows for food as soon as I come home from work, and won't be quiet until a bowl of food is in front of him. If I decide to sleep in on the weekends, he is quick to get out the megaphone and yell to remind me that his breakfast is late. I bought Clancy a new dog bed a few months ago, and Nate quickly claimed it as his own. When I got a warm scarf for the winter, Nate didn't hesitate to turn it into a bed for himself the first time I forgot to put the scarf away in the closet.

He sees everything in the house as his birthright, and truthfully, I wouldn't want it any other way. I wish I could give all of the cats I wrote about in the article the same comforts of home. 

Since that is not possible, I'm glad I can at least do it for my two loves. 


6 comments:

  1. Nate is so adorable, and the pic with sweet Clancy is the best!

    Of course Nate thinks he owns everything in the house; my cat is the same way-- I think it's in every cat's genes, LOL!

    I, too, would take in every every neglected, stray, lacking animal if I could. It's just wonderful that there are organizations like Best Friends to step in where we can't. At least we can give our own babies safe, loving homes.

    Thanks for another great post!

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  2. Hi Julie!

    Thanks for your comment! I agree, I think that attitude is in cats' genes as well. :)
    Thank you for reading!

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  3. Besides owning every home they inhabit, cats really don't believe in the abolition of slavery. In my opinion, whoever said "cats have staff not owners" was greatly underestimating cat's presumptions about their people.

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  4. I just came across this English proverb that is very accurate:

    "In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats."

    Nate and all cats I have known would definitely agree with this statement!

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  5. Every pet I've ever had was a stray. The recent stray is a sweet kitty that we call Willie. He appeared around Christmas and we consider him our gift from God. He is my first cat . . . I can't get used to the idea that he is still wild and wants to be outside. It scares me that he will get run over . . . but little by little he stays in longer. All the stray dogs I have given a home to loved being inside.

    Love your blog . . . I have a real soft spot for animals and really hate the stories I hear about puppy mills. They are always in the news in my area.

    Thanks for following my blog, Peace Love Happiness, and for the sweet comment. Finally, my computer problems are over . . . all of my graphics were found and safe in my new external hard drive!

    Have a wonderful week . . . Gina

    http://peacelovehappinesshappens.blogspot.com
    http://myfloridaparadise.blogspot.com

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  6. Hi Gina! Oh, your Willie sounds like a doll! I'm sure he will get used to being inside with you, he is a lucky kitty to have found such a great home.

    Thanks for following and for your comments! Hope you have a great week too! :)

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