Pets

I don't want to sound crass, but I'm not a huge pet person. I enjoy cats more than dogs. I don't like pet hair or pet smells or pet licks or pet poop. My kids however did not inherit this non-pet-enjoying trait. They would gladly bring home every stray animal in the world if allowed. I know that animals are suppose to be therapy, but so are plants and art and baths. :) Don't get me wrong, I don't hate animals, just don't want them in my yard or house or licking me.

All that to say, we adopted a dog several months back, a sweet girl puppy and named her Marley and bought food and gave her a bath. She lasted all of 3 days before she ran off to greener yards and probably less kids or at least less attentive ones.

So then we had a cat show up. She just walked into the house as if she owned us. Which is pretty typical of cat personalities. As she walked in I felt her say, "This looks like a nice place. Think I'll check it out. See how it feels. I'll let you know if I need anything." She is a white calico we named, "Cookie". She has been a great pet for the kids. She lets them tote her around all day, she has only scratched after repeated warnings with a hiss that she would rather be left alone, hence the reason she was hiding under the bed. We thought she was pregnant, but I think she is just eating better than before. She is like a dog in the fact that she has no litter box, just meows when she would like to go out and scratches when she would like back in. She is not a loud cat, nor does she try to kill me by tripping me when I walk thru the room.

She normally stays off the counters as well. Until today. She was trying to escape the 2 year old that is constantly too amazed with her. She jumped up on the window sill counter between the kitchen and laundry room. Where I had a candle lit. Cat hair stinks. Here's to hoping that Cookie will stick around and continue to give us grace for all she has to put up with. We are all growing quite found of her.

Maybe I should go all out an order a Martha Stewart suggested compilation of relaxation music for pets.