BECOMING A NOT TOO CRAZY CAT LADY

home is where my cats are - finding out I'm a cat person

FROM DOGS TO CATS

I spent the first half of my life thinking I was a "dog person". I grew up in a 1970's home with the prerequisite dog and a budgie (all Australian kids have a dog and a budgie at some stage) and it was the same with all my friends - I didn't know a single person with a cat.

Then, in my 20's, my life changed forever with the random arrival of a kitten at our front door. I was hooked! Kittens would have to be one of the cutest elements of God's creation (I am so smitten with them that I have two Pinterest boards dedicated to them!) It turned out that the "homeless" kitten we adopted for three weeks belonged to our next door neighbours - we never thought to check something so obvious. It went back home and we missed it so much that we ended up getting a kitten of our own, and from there it has snowballed to never being without a cat.


OUR TWO CATS

We are currently the proud owners of two diametrically different felines - a laid back, aloof, casual, relaxed, pat-me-if-you-must Scottish Fold named Callie (because she is calico coloured...and has folded over ears), and an up front, in your face, follow you around, talk to you, social "dog-cat" Burmese called Flit (because she is always flitting around). Flit actually sits at the end of our driveway waiting for random people to walk past and pat her. She must know half the neighbourhood by now - this morning she was being patted by three small children that I had never seen before - and loving every moment of it. Meanwhile Callie was sound asleep on the couch (where she snoozed from 7am til 4pm......then ate dinner, then had a bit of awake time before heading off to bed).

#midlife blog crestingthehill.comau

KEEPING THE CAT LADY UNDER CONTROL

I keep suggesting to my husband that we could become kitten foster carers, but the worrying part of that is.....what happens if they don't get adopted??? I could end up being the crazy cat lady with dozens of cats covering the furniture and filling kitty litters and generally turning my house into a cat haven that nobody wants to visit because they can't handle the cat smell, and the cat hair, and being sat on by cats. So, I have to resign myself to being the mother of only two fur children at any given time. I will quietly dream of frolicking kittens and pat my cats (well at least one of them - the other one might be busy sleeping.)

Dog people will never understand the appeal of cats - and that's okay because there is plenty of room in the world for both types of people. But I am quietly convinced that dog people are only dog people because they haven't discovered the joys of owning (or being owned) by a cat.



To keep up to date with my posts, feel free to add your email into the spot especially for it on my sidebar and I'd love you to share this post by clicking on a share button before you go xx
This post was shared at some of these great link parties



Midlife Musings on Cresting the Hill - a blog for Midlife Women

38 comments

  1. Ha - maybe that last line is true! I'm a dog person because I've only ever had dogs. Guess that makes me the crazy dog lady! ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you and Mackenzie will be able to swap notes - did you see her cute little dog?

      Delete
  2. Well if you are crazy cat lady then I am there with you. We adopted our first kitten when we visited the Vet with our dog and they had some abandoned kittens there. After leaving the vet, we felt so bad for the one left behind that we adopted it too. Sadly one passed away due to a complication being desexed. We were so sad that we adopted another kitten from a shelter. Then I couldn't resist wanting another one. After a drive to the shelter I fell in love with another fluffy kitten and adopted her too. I've stopped now lol. Our kitten Avari thinks she is a dog and sits by the door with the dogs, she plays with my dog Holly all the time it's very cute! Loved your post! Thanks for linking #Fridayreflections

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We got one of our first cats from the vet in exactly the same way you did (fortunately she was the only one he had!) I love your little Holly dog and I'm going to admit that there is still a bit of dog loving left in me :)

      Delete
  3. Leanne, I respect your point of view but I beg to differ. Here is my version. I spend my youth with a lovely cat and that was fine... until she got sick and died. Up till my mid 30's I was terrified of dogs till my husband brought one home and I had to get over myself. We now have 3 dogs and 3 cats. The dogs will run and greet us as soon as we appear. The cats could care less, they only want to be fed, and will scratch us if we don't do it quick enough. So I adore my dogs, and I am indifferent to the cats, despite having been a cat lover in my youth. I g uess we should agree to disagree. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I completely agree that dogs are way more affectionate and "people oriented" than most cats Mary - I think we have reached a stage of life where we want pets that don't take much effort - although I do miss being greeted by our little dog when I get home from work - I told my husband he should jump up and down and woof a bit to make me feel more wanted :)

      Delete
  4. Nice post Leanne. With my apartment living, my only little pets have green leaves. Thanks so much for coming to Fridays Blog Booster Party #28
    Kathleen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Green leaves are very quiet and don't need their litter tray changed Kathleen - you might be onto a good thing! Thanks for hosting :)

      Delete
  5. I have had (or been had??) by cats my entire life...not a moment has gone by without a cat. When I met my husband, he was supposedly allergic and very much a "dog person." He knew that if wanted me, cats were going to be part of the deal. Nearly 19 years later, he's become a cat person through and through (and it didn't take long, at all). :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. our son-in-law is allergic to cats - they bought a Devon Rex kitten because they barely (small pun!) shed and he's now become a cat person too. I do love your "been had" by cats :)

      Delete
  6. I never thought I was a cat person, but then a kitten showed up in January and it was 40 below zero and I knew she would die if I didn't bring her in. Then I realized I liked her! Now I have two cats, both rescued feral cats and we are a cat family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. welcome to our world :) I do think kittens are designed by God to suck us in to becoming cat lovers :)

      Delete
  7. I like cats but they are a little aloof for me. I'm more of a dog person I think Leanne. My grandpuppy is so cute and thinks she is a human who has a little brother - my grandson. I do like stroking a cat on my lap while it is purring though. We can't have animals as we travel too much but I know my husband would love a puppy. #FridayReflections

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think every dog and cat is it's own person (a bit like people) I've met dogs that I love and dogs that drive me batty (my mother's yappy little dog for example!) and it's the same with cats. Dogs are certainly more people oriented but I quite like not having a dog wanting my attention all the time :)

      Delete
  8. I grew up with multiple cats. They had so much personality! Now I have dogs (Hubs is not a fan of cats)and they're pretty awesome, too. Have you seen that hilarious video on YouTube about the difference between a cat and a dog? The animals are portrayed by humans and it is SPOT ON!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I saw it Marcia and it was definitely on the mark! Men and dogs do seem to go together, but now we are enjoying the peace of empty nesting, cats just seem a much easier way to go - except I still keep falling in love with kittens I see for sale :)

      Delete
  9. I always thought I was a dog person until our cat Jake came along. He is the best cat ever!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You get that one special cat and you never look back Mary :)

      Delete
  10. I think cats are boss, but I'm allergic. Someday when I am retired I'm going to look into getting a siamese since they are not so prone to illicit allergic responses. They are definitely a comfort to have around! Keep up your resolve to stick with two, however, as I see a stereotype in your future!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. our daughter has a Devon Rex which is hypo-allergic and doesn't shed. Her husband was very allergic but can snuggle with this one and has no side effects at all (and they are quieter than Siamese - who are VERY vocal!)

      Delete
  11. Hi Leanne,
    First time here from Midlife Bloggers on Facebook! Have to say I really enjoyed your post! I love cats and can never imagine my life without mine. I have 2 . Love the pictures of yours :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Joan - glad you found me and I look forward to seeing you on Midlife Bloggers - I love that there are so many of us :)

      Delete
  12. Hi Leanne! As someone who has been deeply, deeply in love with a cat baby I do understand. My Fenwick was the most loving fur-baby I ever had and he will remain in my heart forever. But there is another part of me that loves the energy and interaction that a dog brings so we have had both in our lives --sometimes together, and sometimes alone. I can't imagine life without one or the other for very long. ~Kathy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dogs are like little children aren't they Kathy? Maybe they will fit the role of grandchildren for you - and cats are the teenagers of the family :)

      Delete
  13. Oh this post made me laugh out loud!!! The description of your two fur babies is hysterical!!! We have three cats and two dogs and I literally just thought to myself this morning that I would love to just have lots of cats. I also considered myself a dog person but I think that's changed since I've gotten older. They are such lower maintenance than the dogs are and that's such a wonderful thing when you have four kids including a five year old who still takes a lot of time and effort to raise. Lol!!! I love all of my babies though ~ fur babies and non-fur babies!! : ) Have a beautiful week ahead. xo

    ~ Wendy
    http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Wendy - I think that the low maintenance side of things is the big plus for cats in our lives, we have always had a dog when we had our kids at home, but once they left and we became a bit more autonomous, the cats were by far the easier option (tho' I miss our little dog sometimes)

      Delete
  14. I grew up with cats, but my husband is allergic, so I don't have one now. They really are my favorite pet, although our dog is sweet in her own way :)!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you'll have to look into Devon Rex kittens Lana - our son-in-law is super allergic (our daughter had to give away her cat) but then they got a Devon Rex and he has no issues with her at all - even lets her sleep on the bed!

      Delete
  15. Your kitties are beautiful! We are cat and dog owners - or we are THEIR people! ;-) We have two pups rescued from "kill" facilities (lost our oldest dog at 12 1/2 three years ago), and SIX cats! Yes, 6! We already had an older cat, but then this litter of 5 feral kittens showed up in our back yard 6 years ago. We trapped and "socialized" them - and then couldn't part with any of them! They have become very affectionate and cuddly, as much as our dogs are.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We lost our last dog at 14 and decided that was the end of the dog story for us (at least for now) and WOW SIX cats! We are only allowed to have two in the area where we live unless we get special permission - I just have to steer away from kitten ads because I get sucked in every time!

      Delete
  16. Ha! You should get a good laugh out of this one, but I am absolutely terrified of cats! I won't sleep in a house with one. I am definitely a dog person (as long as it's not a black dog. I'm scared of them too!) I know weird! I have to know though what in the world is a "budgie"?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am laughing at the thought of you running scared from a cat :) and for you my american friend.... a budgie is a budgerigar which every Aussie kid has as an easy pet at some stage :)

      Delete
  17. hi I'm personally owned by a snowshoe siamese who has is own segment on my blog and his name is frankie love all things cats would have it any other way

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll have to go and have a look at Frankie's adventures - I love a good cat story :)

      Delete
  18. I've sent you a couple of cute cat pics on facebook when I see them to share Leanne! Thanks for linking up and sharing your post about your 'other children' with us at #anythinggoes.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm officially a crazy cat lady!
    I currently have two but I would love more
    AliceMegan

    ReplyDelete
  20. Congratulations. This post was in the TOP SIX most clicked on Fridays Blog Booster Party #28. It will be featured on Friday
    Kathleen

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for your comment - it's where the connection begins.