Kitty, Kitty

I will say up front, I am not a cat person. My brother was always the cat person. Funny story: When my bro was in middle school he had a cat... an outside cat that he liked to let in the house. My mom would get so frustrated when he would do that, she'd always say, "That cat is gonna shit in this house!" But he'd still let the cat in the house... and then one day - lol - the cat took a dump on my brother's pillow - yep... HAHAHAHA.... So despite the fact I am not a "cat person" I have two cats... outdoor cats that DO NOT come in the house. They are strays that some how ended up here... must have liked the look of the place and decided to take up residence. The first, Snowball, showed up about three years ago. I ignored her until one day it became very apparent she was in heat (the fifty-seven yowling tomcats were kinda a tip off) so we got a metal cage, rigged a trap and attempted to take her to the vet to be fixed. The first attempt was going well until son and I tried to load the cage into the back of the car and the bottom of the cage dropped out and the cat took off... second time around we were much smarter and actually managed to get the cat to the vet for her "procedure" which set me back to the tune of a hundred or so bucks. Then last year Bridget showed up... and we did the whole in heat, capture, fix, pay, release deal again. Gee... and I don't even like these critters!

Bridget and Snowball hang around. When we come home at night from dance they are waiting in the driveway for their dinner. Bridget adores George the dog and she will follow him around the yard... I'll often look out the kitchen window and see a long black dog tail go by followed by a long fuzzy cat tail... she's not the least bit afraid of him... she'll rub against him while he sits on the deck. It's a hoot! She's also a homebody - she doesn't really wander far off very far, lounges on the deck furniture and will often jump onto the porch swing just to say hello.

Snowball is the opposite in many ways. She is terrified of George the dog and she'll run if she thinks he's anywhere around. She takes off to explore and can often be seen coming out of the woods as she heads back to the house. She will let me pet her while she eats, seeming to enjoy the attention, but she never purrs. She doesn't relax, always on alert.

Last Saturday, after getting the mail, I was walking back into the house and I paused at the door... looking over the mail for the day, and out of the corner of my eye I spied a little grey fuzzy decapitated mouse. It startled me a little and my son came to the door wondering what was wrong. I showed him the mouse and he scooped it up with a shovel and threw it into the bushes. He laughed... said "Wow mom, your kitties really love you, didn't you like their present?" Well... um... yes, it was a very sweet gesture.... but I really didn't want to hold it in my hand, bring it in the house and place it by my bedside... ewwww.

Yesterday I was once again getting the mail... walking absently to the front door and I happened to spot another furry gray creature out of the corner of my eye (it still had its head)... yep... they did it again... another "love offering" for me... I'm just the luckiest girl in the world. The funny thing is I'm not really sure which cat is expressing her deep devotion for me. Bridget would be the logical candidate, but for some reason I can't shake the idea it's really Snowball... as I am typing this she is sitting on the ledge of the kitchen window... looking in, perhaps looking for me.

Animals are funny things. Also, as I am typing this, George the dog is lying at my feet, waiting for me to give the signal that it's bed time. The cats leave me presents, the dog feels the need to accompany me to the bathroom everytime I have the urge to go. They can be a frustrating lot, these four legged companions, but they certainly make life interesting!