(This entry was written while I was staying with my Aunt and Uncle. There may be further observations from my vaction, but this is the first.)
I’m on vacation, staying at my aunt and uncle’s house, and they do not have cats. I, of course, have cats, two of them, and I’ve had them, or other cats, for so long now, for most of my adult life, that I sort of forgot what it’s like to NOT have cats. Until now.
When you don’t have cats, you can leave your jewelry on top of the dresser at night and feel assured that it will still be there in the morning. When you open a door, you don’t have to worry about closing it again very quickly, if it’s a place you really don’t want furry little feet running into. In fact, you can open the front door of the house and not to worry about those furry feet taking off down the street. (My cats now are not “adventurers,” but I used to have a cat, Max, who in his younger days would take every opportunity he could to explore the neighborhood. Several times we were sure we had lost him for good.)
So…no cats, no annoyances. These things I put in the Plus Column. Oh, and one more thing, though it may be more a comment on my aunt’s cleaning abilities as compared to my own, but when you don’t have cats, the house seems so much cleaner! You don’t have freaking cat hairs all over the place! And of course, let’s not forget the wonderful aroma of the cat box. (Do you recognize sarcasm when you read it?)
That’s the Plus Column. Now, here are the things in the Minus Column. In a word: you do not have cats. For all the troubles and annoyances they bring, they also bring life and joy into a house. When you open that door, there is NOT somebody there, trying to get in or out. The darkness of the house feels empty. And when you sit down in a chair, no furry feet jump into your lap, rubbing against your arms and purring “Pet me…pet me…pay attention to me…”
Yes, they’re a pain. And they’re trouble…but more trouble than they’re worth? I guess everybody draws the line somewhere. I draw the line on the side of cats. It’s a pleasure to not have to worry about them for a short while, but I am looking forward to getting back to them.
