Life with the Sees: Chapter 12--A Two Cat Household
I’m currently curled up on our couch with a fuzzy blanket and a tiny kitten sitting on my shoulder, purring into my ear. If you keep up with me on the “gram” —I really don’t expect you to keep up with all that—but if you do, you know I have a full-grown, calico cat named Callie who has more sass and snark in the tip of her crooked tail than I do in my whole body. Callie is my girl. I so appreciate her lack of filter and sassy attitude. She has 10 collars, and because of this collection, I was in danger of being a crazy cat lady.
Now, you may be wondering why I have a tiny, purring kitten on my shoulder. In a small way, I’m wondering the same thing myself. How is it that I find myself with a tiny cat at my shoulder and a cat with a serious case of RBF at my feet?
Well, let me tell you a story…
Last week after church, I was taking photos of folks for the new church directory. There was a big hubbub going on in the bushes across the parking lot. When I asked what was going on, I was told there was a buff colored kitten with blue eyes, crying in the bushes. No, no, no. Don’t tell me that. I could just hear Garrett’s groan. He knows me. To be honest, he knew me better than I knew myself.
I deployed every ounce of will-power I could muster to not get sucked into the kitten quest that was taking place. I found my feet walking towards the bush, though. Next thing I know, I’m in the dirt (in a dress), with my head in the bush, coaxing this tiny, obnoxiously loud, kitten to come out. She was not to be had. She bolted away and on to the next bush. I was in tunnel vision at this point. There was no thought of what happens if she was caught. The chase was on. Several of us were trying to corner the poor thing, but she was a speedy bugger—not to mentioned terrified.
After about (maybe) 20 minutes of playing hide and seek/tag, the kitten ran under a wooden pallet. That was it. We had her. I worked her to an opening, thankful that she wasn’t hissing and clawing. I wrapped her in a towel and held her up a bit like Simba from the Lion King (best movie ever).
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Garrett’s face. It wasn’t a face of horror, but it definitely said “oh no” tinged with a healthy dose of exasperation. I saw our visiting friend John, with a "told you so” face snapping some photos of the whole thing with my camera. At that point, I snapped out of my tunnel vision, and realized the situation. I, Marisa See, was holding a kitten. G knew. I was in denial. I weakly offered the kitten to those gathered around, but we all knew she was going home with me.
The moment I start to think a bit more clearly, and realize what exactly is taking place… also, peep G in the background.
Photo Creds: John
Garrett was quiet on the drive home. John was trying not to smile. Apparently, bets had been going around if the kitten would come home with me or not. I was just trying to be logical and not emotional about the whole thing.
Things running through my mind:
This is a gift from God. I have been begging for another kitten, and here she is!! The sermon was on loving well, based on the Samaritan woman at the well with Jesus. Here was my chance to love well.
Crap! This isn’t good. G doesn’t want another cat. I have to be respectful of that.
Oh, but she’s an orange tabby! I’ve always wanted an orange tabby!
Crap! Literally. Two cats means two litter boxes. Do I really wanna deal with that?
She and Callie could play together! Callie gets super lonely when we are gone.
Crap! what if Callie hates her. Then what?
And so the thoughts spiraled.
We put the kitten in our bathroom with a place to hide and some food and water. Callie’s first response was a long, distressed meow. Oh boy. We had to leave soon,though, for lunch and to take John to the airport.
Once home, I took the kitten in her cat cave and sat her on the couch with me while I worked. Callie beep bopped onto the couch and froze when she smelled the kitten. She hissed and ran. For the rest of the night, she wouldn’t even let me near her. She hissed at me and hid under the bed. I was devastated. This was my special Callie, and she wouldn’t let me near her.
The next morning I told G to ask around to see if anyone wanted the kitten. I couldn’t keep her at the detriment of the mental state of the household. Of course, no one wanted her. For two whole days the both of us were distraught at what to do. Logically, I shouldn’t keep her, but my heart said otherwise.
Callie giving Lil Cat a wide birth.
As luck would have it, Callie started to tolerate the little cat, and Lil Cat as she was now being called, was coming out of her shell. No longer was she the spastic, flighty kitten of the bushes. She wanted to play and had personality. Wednesday, I told G that I couldn’t bare to take her to the shelter. I looked into it. I really did, but visiting the websites made it worse. I saw all these kittens and cats who needed homes. Here I was with the chance to help one little kitten I had found. The deal was sealed when on Thursday night, Callie and Lil Cat actually played together and Lil Cat fell asleep on Garrett’s chest as we watched TV.
So, here we are, the proud and excited, albeit reluctant, owner of TWO cats. G and Callie still throw shade every now and then, but they can also be found playing and cuddling (G not Callie on the cuddling bit) with Lil Cat. It has also not even been a week.
Lil Cat now has her very own collar, although pink really isn’t her color. I’m new at having a redhead in the house. She also has the official name of Lily, although, I think G will always call her Lil Cat. Callie still pouts occasionally, and feeding time is crazy. They both want to see what the other is getting.
I don’t know if this story makes me a crazy cat lady or not. I’d like to think not. It does certainly give me a proven track record for determination in catching kittens and keeping them once caught. Callie came into my life in much the same way.
I like how my mom put it: This is a beautiful, evolving story of love, acceptance and belonging.
She’s so right. There were a lot of doubts, and it was stressful. Who knew that one little cat could cause such serious conversations between me and G. I do owe G a shout out for being so supportive and such a trooper. Don’t judge him too harshly. He’s got a pretty impulsive and persuasive wife with a soft spot for cats. Plus, when we have a yard, he can get any pupper he wants!
So, that’s it. That’s the story of us getting another cat. I don’t know if it was truly a God thing, but I like to think that God sends things our way so we can practice love and open our hearts. I know it is just a cat, but there’s lessons to be learned in all God’s creatures.
Wish us luck on this new journey. We’ve got a cute, rambunctious kitten named Lily, a grumpy, diva cat named Callie, a happy-go lucky fish named Jasper, a reluctant but trooper of a hubs named Garrett, and then there’s the optimistic, cat enthusiastic wife—me. We are all living in a red door apartment in the heartland of Nebraska. Thanks for reading this chapter in the life of the Sees. We’re officially a two cat household!
