How Much Is That Doggy In the Window?

Surround yourself with things you love - whether it be people, pets, books, etc. I choose pets. They provide unconditional love. Animals, like children, never cease to amaze me. Both have this ability to 'sense' or 'see' far more than we give them credit for. Animals always sense when you are upset and do their best to 'just be there' for you.


Recently a friend's cat had kittens. I felt it was time to add to our 'cat' family. So the kids and I sat down as a family and discussed it. I was more than shocked by the responses my children gave me - "Why on earth would you get another cat?" and "Don't we already have enough animals?". I sat there for a minute processing their comments. Yes, we currently have 2 cats, a rat and a hamster. Both of the rodents are approaching the end of their life cycles and I am convinced that there will be no more rodents (regardless of how much I love rats).


I let the conversation drop for a while and started to analyze - you know the thing I do so well. Here was what I came up with. My children have experienced so much loss in the past year. They have lost the only home they have known, their 'traditional' family unit, many of their friends and 3 cats. I started to wonder if this was why they were not interested in getting kittens.

I cautiously approached each child individually in an attempt to determine the true reason of the "no more cats" rule. My hypothesis was correct. Both kids were afraid that the kittens wouldn't fit in and would have to be send away or worse yet they might die. They expressed how much loss they have already had in their lives and through many tears and hugs I managed to convince them that everything would be alright. 


I found it heartbreaking that something so simple and pleasant as a kitten could cause such sadness and fear in my children. So I did what I have been making myself do, forced myself out of my comfort zone. I took the kids out to see the kittens. They were only 1 month old and had just started walking the day before we saw them. At the end of the visit I asked if they still though we should get "no more cats". The answer was "NO!"


Perhaps I was wrong in doing this - only time will tell - but I think it is far more important to teach my children about compassion, unconditional love, and finding the positive in a situation no matter how dark it has become than it is to worry about 'who will clean the cat litter' (I am not delusional - it will be me).


So I say surround yourself with the things you love. Cats like my children always make me smile, but as my children grow up and distance themselves from me, I will always have the cats - and the cats never talk back (well at least they don't say anything I can understand).


Crazy Cat Lady
Peace