Yes, I may have been called a crazy cat lady a time or two, but truthfully, these little creatures bring so much joy to my life. Four little souls share our home with us, each with their own personality and quirks. Is it sad that I have more pictures of my cats on my phone than I do my children? Maybe so, but finding joy in the world around us is a gift and I cherish these gifts every day.
A little background on our crew. We have had many cats over the years, many lived both in our house and out in the world. Unfortunately, these cats did not survive very long, so when I had an opportunity to adopt a kitten from a co-worker, I decided this little lady would live solely inside. Fast forward about three years and we found a female stray who ended up being pregnant. Her four little kittens were born in our basement and, other than the one we adopted out, they have lived in our house ever since.
So let’s meet them!
First is Kiki. She is nine years old this year and a little bitty thing. Last I weighed her, she was seven pounds. What she lacks in girth, she makes up for in attitude! This little soul is a fireball. From day one she has made it known that she lives on her own terms, and when the new kitties came along, she made her disdain of them well known. Even today (five years later), she tries to avoid all of them and voices her opinions daily. But she is my spirit animal and loves me when she wants to. I’m not sure what I would do without her.
Now onto the triplets: JJ, Chole (CC) and Shadow. They are now five years old. In the beginning, Shadow was the only kitten we were going to keep. Try as I may, however, the Universe had a different plan for us.
JJ is named for his ability to jump out at your legs from several not so good hiding places, to let you know that he is there. He’s our “fat cat” coming in at about 16 pounds. He’s super lovey and will tell you all about his troubles while snuggling into your lap. He’s a mackerel tabby, meaning his stripes go up and down like a tiger (or maybe a fish, thus the name). He has a “heart nose” which is so cute!
Our little girl is CC (officially named Chloe). She is an orange tabby, which is rare in the cat world. I’ve read that 80% of orange tabbies are male, putting her into the special 20% bracket of females. At first, as a kitten, she didn’t make a sound, not a peep. Now, watch out! She demands pets when we get home from work with quite the vocal prowess. She is by far, the softess cat we have ever owned. I call her squishy and if she sat still, she would be the best pillow. She is not as affectionate as the boys, she likes to lay by herself, but when she does decide to jump up on your lap, it’s a treat!
Lastly, we have Shadow, our tuxedo cat. This guy can be a little jerk-every cat family has one! He’s the trouble maker, the attention seeker, and the whiner. For some reason he has bonded with me and every night I get my biscuits making massage before he snuggles into my lap for a nap. He waits for me to settle onto the couch for the night, then we are a pair. Even though he is “that kid,” we love him to death.
Having four cats is not for everyone, but I would definitely recommend having at least one in your life. There are so many in the shelters right now, it is easy to find one that fits your personality. They are, by far, the most interesting pets we have ever had and bring so much joy to our “empty nest” home. I hope that you are able to enjoy a cat right now or in the near future!
Peace be with you all!
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