Everyone should own a cat!

Here is a little lesson in life....own a cat! I was raised in a cat-filled home, as was Dave, and we always had a cat while we were growing up. I have had hamsters, rabbits, birds, fish, dogs, and even turtles, but cats are by far the best pets that exist. They clean themselves, require very little care, and pretty much keep to themselves. They don't need to be walked, covered up, bathed, or groomed. Just give them a bowl of crunchy nuggets, some water (a flushed toilet will do), and a litter box. Scoop daily, and voila! If you haven't ever owned one, give it a try. I even convinced my sister's husband that he would love having a cat, and guess what...now he does!

We currently have three cats. The first one is Scooter, a short-furred black and gray marbled cat, with very sharp claws! We got Scooter as a kitten for Luke on his 4th birthday. Luke loves that cat, and will pick him up whenever he sees him. Strangely, Scooter actually likes Luke, too. He's one of the only things Luke is actually gentle with. Funny! Scooter is a very reserved, yet lovable cat. Not the first one to jump up on your lap for affection, he usually keeps himself hidden. Not for the sake of fear, he is just more anti-social. But he will let you know that it's time to be picked up and loved on. He prefers being held over your shoulder like a little baby, and walked around. As soon as you sit with him, he takes off.

Murphy is another one of our feline friends. We actually inherited two cats that belonged to my parents when my Mom passed away. My Mom was a most avid cat lover, and my dad is really just a kitten lover. In fact, when they went to pick out a kitten at the pound, they actually ended up taking home two (my Dad seemed to bond with Murphy, and my Mom with another one, Callie, who is our third cat). So now we have both of them! Murphy is one of the best cats I have ever had. He is the one that will jump up onto your lap, no matter what you're doing, and plop himself down. He will stay for hours and purr if you keep petting him. He is very large (around 16-18 lbs I would say), and fluffy gray and white. He is a character, and resembles the personality of a sweet little old man. I adore it when he just rubs his head up against you! He is a big softie.

Callie is the third cat, a calico, who is quite quirky. She was very skittish when we first got her (she actually hid behind the Christmas tree and under the bed for about 3 days). She finally came out, and has turned into a wonderfully affectionate and spunky cat. She is thriving in our environment, because we are home all day, and she gets all kind of attention, negative as well as positive! At my parents' house, they were gone at work most of the day. She continues to be more bold and friendly by the day. She has a very interesting quality about her-she plays fetch. When she's in the mood to play, she will drop her favorite toy at your feet, usually a furry toy mouse or rubber band, and meow with a squeaky little voice. When you throw it, she will retrieve it and bring it back in her mouth and drop it at your feet again. She will usually do this for quite a while until we wear her out! It's so cute to watch her. She has the softest bunny fur and beautiful calico black, orange, and white markings. She ALWAYS sleeps on our bed at night. She finds a spot, curls up, and plops herself down in one quick motion. And she's still there when we wake up!

All of our cats bring such joy to our family (for the most part). When the house is quiet in the morning before the boys wake up, and Dave is gone to work, it is sweet to have a companion laying on my lap as I read and pray. Or when I'm sitting at my desk, and a cat jumps up into my chair with me-it's so sweet! God made animals for us to enjoy. And our motto is "as soon as that joy stops, they're out"!!!