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Have you ever skipped a cat video on your social media timeline? I guess not. Cats are adorable little creatures and whatever they do they’ll still be cute and cuddly. From their big round eyes to their chunky body, they’re the epitome of cuteness. I have never been without a pet cat in my life. From the moment I have gained awareness of my environment and self, my family has always had a pet cat or two at most. I always thought that every household had a cat and I thought it was weird when people say that they don’t have one or have never taken care of one.
Photo from Aslemae Lopez
When I was young I suffered from a terrible case of asthma, which was not surprising since it ran in the family. This made my parents prohibit me from cuddling or playing with the family cats a lot. So, I kept my distance from them when my parents were around and would always sneak to hug and pet them. They ultimately found out when I get asthma attacks and have a hard time breathing, of course. Luckily, as I grew older, my asthma became less severe and I can cuddle my cats now without worrying about an asthma attack after.
I am now an adult with my own job, thus allowing me to have 10 cats. I have six adult cats and two of my female cats just gave birth last May. Each of them had two kittens and they are so tiny and precious. I am planning to have them spayed and neutered in the future because my mom has started complaining but really, I want more of these little devils in my life.
The eldest of my pride is Tiny, a tom tuxedo cat. He’s very serious and quiet. He just likes to chill and judge me when I try to play with him because I probably look foolish from his point of view. Next, I have Butternut, a female calico. She’s very graceful and pretty. She has really soft features and wide round eyes. She gave birth to three gingers last year: Dante, Nero, and Vee. I named them after the characters of Devil May Cry, a video game I used to play.
Dante, a full ginger tabby tom, is very elegant and smooth with his movements and I can really see that he took that from his mother. Nero and Vee are females which are quite rare for ginger cats. They look almost completely identical except for their tails. Nero has a short broken tail from birth and Vee has a perfectly long one.
My next cat is Biscuit, who was found by my brothers in the neighborhood when she was just about 5 weeks old. She was a feisty little thing when I got her. She was frail, malnourished, and was missing most of her lower front teeth, and I did everything to gain her trust. Now, she’s the sweetest and most affectionate of all of my cats. She gave birth to two kittens, one ginger, and one tortoiseshell. Butternut’s second litter is also two tortoiseshells. I can’t wait to see what kind of personalities they have as they grow older.
I might have started to become a crazy cat lady but as long as I can afford to buy them cat food and take care of them, I will keep as many cats as I can. They’ve given me a sense of purpose and they taught me that animals have feelings and personalities too. My cats have saved me from many anxiety and panic attacks because they can feel it when I need them. They’d lay on top of me, lick my face or hands, and purr, reminding me that I have to go on for them.
Yes, I am an adult and adulting can be a pain a lot of the time. At least, I have my cats to help me stay sane and keep my mental health stable. If I were you, I’d get a cat too.
Photo from Aslemae Lopez
It’s been scientifically proven that animals as companions can help a lot with emotional distress. And, in my opinion, they are even better than some people because they won’t judge you. Just love. However, please keep in mind that keeping a pet is a huge responsibility. You have to be able to provide and care for them. Cats can be really rude and they’ll test your patience but they’ll teach you what consent means too.
Go get a cat, pick up a stray, and love them. Trust me, you won’t regret it after a few scratches.
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