Friday, June 20, 2014

The ways they change you


I am not a pet person. I just honestly don't get it at all and try to just respect pet people even I don't share their beliefs. This has made dealing with my step-cats somewhat difficult. I'm just not that into them.

I have posted about that on this blog already. I recognized then that the redeeming feature was how infatuated my nephews were. Well multiply that joy to the baby love power and you’d have how Andrew feels about them. It has been pretty adorable to watch him go from complete oblivion that cats (or any other beings) existed to being over-the-top ecstatic when they walk past him.

The thing that amazed me though is what his love for them has done for my feelings towards them. I think teaching children to respect animals is very important but figured there would be a learning curve for both baby and animals as each learned to control some of their actions. I was pretty interested to see how it would play out. Now, if you had asked any of our friends to vote which cat we should have been more worried about around the baby I think 90% would have guessed the male cat Lucky.

This cat has a terrible reputation and has not been able to live down his youth where he had earned the nickname “Wolverine.” He spent many days, much to my chagrin, sharpening his claws on nearly every door frame in the house and is obnoxiously needy in the single digit hours of the morning. Needless to say, he and I were not close. That is until he showed so much restraint and love to my baby boy.



This cat has been the kindest and most gentle toward baby Andrew. Lucky goes to him most of the time, he lets Andrew pet him- which can be very gentle but can sometimes be quite spastic, he delights Andrew by flicking his tail across his face. He hasn’t hissed or swatted at him, even when a gentle petting hand turns into an excited fist. All of this kindness did not go unnoticed by me. I started to love him for loving my baby.



And the more I thought about it, I loved him for loving my Michael too. For being his friend and TV buddy before I got there. For the cute kitten stories and memories he’s given Michael.



Not being a pet person has left me pretty unprepared for the hard choices pet owners have to make. Poor Lucky is feeling pretty bad these days despite our best efforts. I don’t have any way to help Michael know when to make the decision to put him down but now I will mourn losing him from our little family. Not just because Michael loves him or because Andrew loves him but for myself too. I still don’t really get what pet owners get out of their pets but I am feeling the second hand love. I’ll miss what Lucky brought to our family and I’m so sad Andrew won’t get to know him better and have memories of his first pet.

So thank you Lucky for being so great to my boys. And thank you Andrew for the ways you open me up and the light you shine on my life.




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1 comment:

Kathy said...

I am so very sorry to hear that Lucky isn't doing well. He is a cat who truly deserves his name... As you know, Mike rescued Lucky from my next door neighbors who were literally, before our eyes, throwing him away... forcing him away from the only home he had ever known even though he kept trying to come back to them. Any cat would be lucky to have Mike as his person, but this cat was especially lucky! Then, Lucky was lucky to have little Andrew love him in the pure, sweet way only children can... and now, Lucky is lucky to have YOUR love as well, Amber. My thoughts and love are with all of you!!!