No More Cats

My son texted me yesterday to say that the girlfriend of one of his bandmates had found a tiny white kitten under a car after the gig on Saturday night; he knew I had mentioned wanting to get a white kitten, and I have to admit to being tempted. He later sent me a picture, and s/he (we're not sure of the cat's gender, and I hate to say "it") is beautiful. I even spent some time brainstorming names; Ceres was my choice for a female, but I didn't select a male name. Ultimately, I decided against taking her/him in. I have several reasons, some selfish and some less so.

Sometimes I like to just pick up and go. Obviously, the more furry friends I have living in my house, the more difficult that is. If I'm driving, I usually take my little dog. If I'll be gone for more than a few days, I also take the little cat. In my experience, dogs are much better travellers than cats are. And if I fly, I definitely have to leave Sophia (the cat) home alone -- with frequent human check-ins, of course -- and leave Mazie with one of my sons or (and I really don't like to do this) board her. Coordinating all of this interferes with my sense of spontaneity, not to mention my travel money. Boarding can be expensive.

Speaking of expenses, pet care costs a lot! If you have pets, you know this already; if you don't, take my word for it. If you have several pets, it seems like every other week you're getting a notice from the vet saying one of them is due for one shot or another. And that's when they're healthy! Heaven help you if one gets sick. The bills can be exorbitant, especially if it's an ongoing condition. The pest protection is expensive and food can be too. Mazie and Sophia are little and don't eat much, but it still adds up.

Despite these facts, I may have still taken in the kitten. The most important reason I didn't has to do with the sweet dynamic between Mazie and Sophia. I've never seen a dog and cat get along as well as these two do. They lie in the sun together, they sleep in "their" chair together, they groom each other and they play-fight. Overall, they have a grand old time, and I've noticed when other family members' pets have come to visit, that dynamic suffers a bit. Mazie is very social; Sophia does not like "interlopers". So, for now at least, we will stay just as we are, a household of three gals -- human, canine, and feline.