I never used to be that wild about cats. Sure, I preferred them to dogs, but that’s not saying much.
I grew up with a Persian cat, Fluffy. She was like a stereotypical cat, sleepy and aloof. We got along, I suppose, but that was the extent of our relationship from beginning to end.
My feelings changed when my family adopted our current cat. Well, we didn’t adopt Bean so much as we just kept her once she showed up on our doorstep.
If I had to describe Bean in one word it would have to be affectionate. Right from day one, she craved attention. Laps are not empty long and belly rubs are an expectation when Bean’s around.
We got our third cat, Peanut, shortly after Bean. Peanut is a lot more timid than Bean, but just as affectionate. Boy, does she love to eat! If you’ve got anything that remotely resembled food, she is on you like white on rice.
Bean and Peanut are a hoot when they’re together. They’ll nap entwined around each other and eat from the same dish, but the way they tussle is what really cracks me up. It reminds me of when my sister and I used to fight when we were younger – a lot of bark (meow?), but very little bite.
I love cats because they seem to be so misjudged. Many people assume cats are arrogant and uncaring, and I’m guilty of that myself, but I know better now. You can’t judge the behavior of all cats on just one cat. Cats are loving, amusing and more complex than people give them credit for.