Thursday, August 11, 2016

Cats Aren't as Aloof as People Think, Part Two

 
 
This is Zorro, sleeping under his Scottie dog blankie.  I always cover him with it, because he isn't the kind of cat who seems to know how to burrow under blankets.
 
Like I said in my previous post, cats are misunderstood.  Well, at least by people who've never had any or loved any.  They are amazing furry little people who will give back as much love and affection as you give them.  They will greet you at the door, snuggle and listen and look you in the eyes, hug you back (some of them), and be really wonderful companions.
 
Take, for instance, a cat we had named Baby.  He would snuggle up in my husband's arms every night when my husband was going to sleep.  He was a little angel. 
 
Then there was Lola.  She had issues, probably from being abused in a previous household, we think.  She took some time to adjust to all of the love she got here (and stop being afraid and scratching me), but even from the start she was with me all the time.  She didn't usually snuggle up with my husband, Dean, even though he's a great guy (as Baby knew), but Lola showed actual gratitude after Dean put together a kitty condo for her one night.  You know, one of those tall carpeted things with scratching posts on them.  My husband said that was the only time Lola actually came and sat on him.  She was smart enough to know that he had spent all that time putting that kitty condo together and she was so thankful that he did it.  I jokingly said to Dean, "Where's her gratitude for me?  I was the one who made you buy that thing!"  Of course, Lola didn't know that part.
 
Dino, our best cat baby ever (we will miss them all forever, but Dino so, so much) was just the most amazing cat we've ever seen.  You can see him with me in the header at the top of this blog.  As with most of the cats we've had, he was with me day and night, but he would do things that no other cat would do.  He was tiny and so, so sweet and would love to be held like a baby that you are burping, over my shoulder, when I was on the computer (typing with just one hand because I had to hold the "baby"), and would also love to dance with me in that same position.  He particularly loved Johnny Mathis and slower music like that, and would be somewhat horrified when I'd put on loud rock or pop music to exercise to.
 
Dino would sit on my chest and put his arms around my neck, hugging me, and often if I'd be trying to put him down so I could get up and go do something, he would reach further around my neck as if to say, "No, don't put me down yet."  So, I wouldn't put him down until I really had to.
 
Dino slept between my legs or on my side sometimes, even during some weeks or months when my interstitial cystitis was at its worst and was causing me to get up to go to the bathroom many, many times a night.  He just kept coming back by me, over and over. 
 
Dino loved constant and never-ending affection.  He would tilt his head down for me to kiss the top of it, and he loved it as much as I did.  He had the best scent to him, and I would fill my lungs with it (from his head or his tummy), despite my slight allergy to cats (which lessened over time because I forced it to).  Okay, I'd still get a bit red and itchy on my face, but who cares with love like that?
 
Dino also took his insulin injections like a little trooper for years.  No complaints, no squirming, nothing.  Just sweetly sitting while my husband gave the shot twice a day.  I wish those shots were magical shots that would've kept him alive for our lifetimes.
 
There are more cats to mention, but this post is getting too long already. 
 
Now back to Zorro, our current cat.  Also super-sweet.  As I said in my previous post, Zorro doesn't like it when we go out.  On Sunday we were out for 3 hours, and he wasn't happy about that.  Then on Monday, he was like this:
 
 
He just didn't want to let me go.  I kept trying to get up, but he kept pulling my arm towards him.  See what I mean?  Aloof my ass.  Please pardon my language.
 
Zorro has bad dreams once in a while, and he wakes up meowing.  I just talk sweetly to him and tell him that "it's okay, Mommy's here" over and over, then he puts his head back down on my ankle or knee and goes back into his peaceful sleep.  I don't know what his nightmares are about, but I'm glad that I can calm him when he has them.
 
So what I am saying is that cats generally are just amazing, they have the capacity for great affection in them, and we are grateful for each and every one of them that we've had.  Cats are wonderful!