FOR THE LOVE OF CATS

When I got my first cat, I gave no thought to the fact that I'd be emptying a cat box for as long as she lived. And eventually I got used to the idea that I'd probably be getting another cat after 'Tashia had used up all of her 9 lives. Nor did I think about the ones that came along the way, either; how I'd adopt a cat I named Midnight. Or Hallie, for that matter. Or Baby/renamed Spooky. Back in 1991, I surprised myself by adopting a truly feral kitten. She was a calico which I named Hallie (short for Hallowe'en, because of her colors and the time of year). It took a bit of time, but she became a most loving addition to my Kidden. She stayed for maybe 3 years until frightened by a thunderstorm one early morning. Then it was 'Tashia and me again. 'Tashia stayed around a fairly long time for a cat 19 years. And when she left in August of 2000, without any fanfare or even saying Goodbye, there was a period of about 6 weeks where I didn't have the responsibilities associated with a cat. Then Laverne and Shirley came along, which basically doubled the responsibilities I had gotten used to. For reasons best known to Laverne, she up and ran away in the late summer of 2002, leaving me with just Shirley to attend to. That is, until Phoebe came along in the spring of 2012. So, all things considered, boxes) about once every a baby in July of 1981, years, roughly. That's takes about 2 and a half 20 days of my life I emptied the litter box (or other day. Since 'Tashia was it's been 11,377 days, or 31 7584 emptyings. Each one minutes, so I've spent only emptying a litter box.

Thinking about it that way, it's not too high a price to pay, is it? I don't think so. Especially when the joy they've brought me, that the things they've taught me over the years, is incalculable. Thank God for Cats!!