Wednesday, July 02, 2008

My Familiar


I am a self confessed dog person. It's not that I don't like cats, I just don't get them. You pet them and they seem to be enjoying it when all of a sudden WHACK! They bite or claw you. Huh? You were purring, seemed to be enjoying it and now I'm bleeding. With dogs I can see all the warning signs and steer clear of danger but with cats it isn't so clear to me. Oh and the whole throwing up daily long rolls of hair and pooping in the house? Not so fond of that either. Plus they can be anywhere at a moments notice. Every single night Newton (not the cat in the picture) jumps on my face or back and wakes me up. At least with the dog I hear her coming but everything with cats is a sneak attack.


So the kitty in the picture is named Bismarck. He is a Persian cat of undetermined age rescued by my boyfriend and his ex. He was apparently left in one of those metal boxes outside of a shelter. He normally doesn't stay with us but something is going on with the ex and so we have three cats and a dog now.

The thing is that he loves me. I don't say that lightly either. This cat looks at me with constant unabashed adoration. I go upstairs he comes with me, I sit down he's there, I go the bathroom he follows, I sleep.....he watches......closely. I guess I should feel flattered but frankly I'm a bit unnerved. See I don't completely trust him. He has twice inflicted pretty good gashes on me. So I proceed with caution. It is quite silly because he's tiny. The most impossibly bitty paws. Eyes so goopy you have to give him a wipe every couple of hours.
But still...
When he jumps on my lap I pet him. I think I'm afraid not to


6 comments:

Contact Travis said...

first let me say...what a great read!

You need not worry about your writing, this really is good...structured, interesting, fun...funny...visual...and easy to relate to.

Now let me tell you...I am also 100% a dog person for all the reasons you describe. I have nothing really against cats, but as I've said before I believe I am part dog...which I think makes me innately suspect of anything feline.

My partner really wants a cat, my 'not being a cat person' really isnt a good enough excuse not to have one, BUT I have an ace up my sleeve... I'm terribly allergic to them.

Anonymous said...

Ohhh soo lucky! I have no such maladies up my sleeve. I am getting used to the little buggers but I will say I really would prefer a two critter limit. One dog and one cat. So while it's great they visit I really wish her two would go home...soon

Contact Travis said...

when I was little we had an average of 3 to 4 dogs at any one time... a bird...a rabbit...and some hamsters.

Now Curtis and I are petless...something we both want to remedy...but only when we are truly ready to devote our lives to a little puppy.

Plus we need to agree on a breed...he wants a Beagle..and I had one as a kid and love them...but also know they need LOTS of yard (we live in a townhouse) and they bay like crazy.

I'm rooting for a tri-color bassett hound or maybe a dauchshund.

any advice for us? we're 30 year old gay men in a townhouse (no yard, but a park half a block away) and both with demanding careers?

Anonymous said...

Don't get a Beagle!! They suck as Urban dogs. Your neighbors will complain, it will chew everything in sight and escape the first chance it gets. Unless of course you can afford to take it daycare or hire a dogwalker to run the crap out of it...plus you exercise it in the am and pm...a lot.

Dauschunds are better because their noses are less distracting for them and they are easier to wear out also barkers. Bassets are low energy, but still bark and a bit stinky.

It sounds like you like the hound types?

Contact Travis said...

I've had so many different breeds over my life... Springer Spaniels, German Sherpards, Old English Sheep Dog, Cocka-poo, Beagle, Bassett, maltise, now my parents have a westy (whom I adore).

I'm open to all kinds of breeds...but yes we need something that can live with us in the city and have no yard..(who we can walk several times a day)..and who won't be too insanely barky.

I see our neighbors with dogs and it makes me miss having one so much, but I also want to be responsible and get one that we can truly tend to and make happy, without driving ourselves crazy.

Beagle is definately out (no matter how cute Curtis thinks they are)...my experience with one was exactly as you describe.

Anonymous said...

Beagles are hands down the cutest puppies ever! Long soft ears. Big brown eyes, spots, big paws, pink tongue round belly. Sooooooo cute! But pretty much hands down the most labor intensive adult.

When you choose think about what the dog original job was. Like was it a herder or a hunter or a ratter. Then think what characteristics made it good at that job and decide if that characteristic is one you care to live with.