A Cat in the Hand...

Hello readers,

There is nothing like having a cat in the house. I don't even need to have the cat sitting on the couch with me. I don't need the cat to be cuddled up to me. I don't even need to see the cat to be happy. I just need to know it's there.

I love cats. I love dogs too, don't get me wrong and I wouldn't define myself as either a dog or a cat person solely, but given the choice between a cat and a dog, I would probably choose a cat. I know some people think they're stand-offish and are only good pets when it suits their needs, but I've never met a cat I didn't like. Even working at a kennel where cats' worst personalities come out, I've always had a soft-spot for those fluffy felines.

I'm cat-sitting for my sister while she's chilling at the cottage. Alex is this beautiful little calico cat who has short hair and sheds like a little monster. She's got a very welcoming personality, very sweet, and very personable. She's a great cat to be cat-sitting.

She is not, however, my Oliver. Don't get me wrong, Alex is great, but there's nothing like cuddling with my Oliver. I even love his annoying little meow that my parents, my brother, and my soon-to-be sister-in-law HATE. He sounds a little effeminate, but it's adorable. And I miss him. As much as I want him to move out East with me (and my mother would be more than happy to shove him in a box and FedEx him out here pronto!) I imagine that where ever I'm living come September will not allow pets, and to be honest, it would be cruel to Oliver. He's an indoor farm cat (if such a thing exists). He likes to be able to go outside whenever he wants (and his little meow will definitely tell you when wants out) but also like to have a house to sleep in and take refuge in. A little condo in downtown Toronto would just not do him justice.

So, until I live somewhere that Oliver will appreciate (and mark my words, when I figure out where I'm going to live after my Masters, I'm going to find a place I can take Oliver with me) my parents, my brother, and my soon-to-be sister-in-law will just have to obey his beck and call and love him ten-fold in my absence, and I will have to do with my sister's cat as a stand-in for my love of felines.

Cheers,
Cait