Saturday, June 25, 2011

For the love of a kitty...or twelve!

My daughter and I volunteer at a local animal shelter.  She's only ten, so her responsibilities are minimal.  She brushes the cats and plays with all the kittens.  I can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon.

To say she loves cats would be an understatement.  For her ninth and tenth birthday, she had her friends bring cat things for the shelter instead of gifts for her.  She won't watch ASPCA commercials.  She wants to be a veterinarian.  She has a huge heart.

I guess it's something that's been passed down from generation to generation.  My dad said he always fed the stray cats that used to follow him home.  Drove his father crazy.  Because of that, he never really argued the random kitten that would show up in our house growing up.  I mean, he'd grumble and growl, but it always stayed.

We were never a dog family.  Every dog we ever had ended in disaster.  Cats on the other hand, stayed outside most of the time.  They came home to eat and sleep.  We always had at least three cats.

Now, we have just one.  This is Pickles.
He's five years old.  He's a mushball.  He knows that bedtime is cuddle time.  He gets frisky maybe once a month.  He's my kitty.  I love him to pieces.

And I know you're thinking..."Look at that face!  He looks so sweet!"  Uh uh.  Not so fast.  He's the alpha male in this house because this guy...


...is scared shitless of him. 

This is Melky (aka "M-Dog"), our 73 lb. three year old "Labra-doofus".  Will rip out your jugular at the gate if he doesn't know you.  Will allow the cat to pin him against the bathtub.  I'm not making this up.  I heard him whining.  The cat was staring him down.  Wuss.

June is national "Adopt A Cat" month.  I wish I could partake.  I'd love another kitten.  My daughter would love another kitten.  Then there's Daddy.

She has big, blue eyes.  There's hope! ;o)


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