This week I'll be fulfilling a promise I made last week to tell you guys about our new cat. First, though, let me thank those who hung around through my NBA-fueled column. I'm sure that was tough for a lot of you guys and I appreciate your patience.
If I've learned anything growing up during the age of the Internet it's that nothing gets a person's attention like cats. From LOLCat asking "I can has Cheezburger" to the popular "if I fitz, I sitz" pictures of cats in tiny containers or perched on razor thin ledges.
Yep, people love cats.
I didn't always like cats though. I've always been the kind of person who owned dogs (not to be confused with a "dog-person" which sounds like some crazy experiment that fused a human and a dog).
Despite my aversion to cats in the past, when it came time to start looking for a pet for Caroline I kind of felt a cat might work out the best. Their aloofness and independence mixed with the ease of litter training seemed like a good fit for us at this point in our lives. So last Thursday we got the cutest little gray fuzzy kitten. And you know what? It's really working out for us.
First, I want to thank my friend Lora for picking up the kitten for us while she was in Memphis. I was incredibly busy last week and didn't know when or if I'd have time to head over the river.
Now, I was a little more excited about getting the kitten than Ashley was. As such, I was given full naming rights. That didn't quite pan out. Not only was Ashley not a fan of any of the names I was mulling over -- Blu Ivy Carter (yes, named after Jay Z's daughter), Princess Leia, Pizza or Holi (short for Holiday), but she also took to the kitten right away and decided she would name it Lucy (she's a near lifelong "I Love Lucy" fan).
Before I go any further, I want you guys to know that even though I was looking forward to getting the cat, I was also pretty nervous. I've never had a cat before and I didn't know what to expect. Some people said they're the best pets you can own. In fact, my brother now prefers cats over dogs. Others, however, said cats are crazy and if they aren't sleeping they're plotting your death.
At this point though we've had the kitten for five days and I love having a cat ...and so does Ashley, which was surprising. Here's an example of how much Ashley loves they kitty: On Saturday we were in the pet store buying some supplies, and out of nowhere Ashley says "You know, I can definitely see why people have multiple cats. We'll probably get another one."
Yeah, two days with the fuzz ball and she was hooked.
But I know you guys probably don't care about how much Ashley and I like this cat. You all probably wondering how Caroline is taking to this gray streak. Well, she absolutely loves her. And surprisingly, Caroline is pretty gentle and manages to stay out of her face. Honestly I think Caroline is happy to have a buddy to play with. Sometimes she even lays on the floor and just watches Lucy eat or sleep or do whatever she's doing. It's adorable.
While things are working out well between us and Lucy, there is a certain level of crazy that I'm assuming cats are born with.
I think my favorite thing the cat does is when she slowly walks into the living room, peeks around the couch to see us and then bolts off to the back room as if she didn't know we were there. It reminds me of being a kid and trying to sneak into the living room to watch TV after my bedtime.
She's also amazingly limber and has a decent vertical leap for a 10-week-old kitten. I can think of at least a few NBA players who'd give anything to have hops like that. Also, I'm constantly amazed at the balancing act she often puts on. Jumping from the floor to the back of our dinning room chairs is beyond impressive.
Anyhow, so we are cat owners now ... and I think we all really like it. In fact, I'm fairly certain that if Ashley likes it any more we'll own multiple cats.
Follow me on Twitter at @CN_ChrisP. May the force be with you.
cpinkard@blythevillecourier.com