I’ve always been a “dog person”. Yes, while growing up our family did have a cat or two, but we always had dogs. I continued having some great dogs as an adult. But during a divorce, the ex-wife got custody of all the Jack Russells and Rat Terriers. I really missed those little doggies, but at the time I was traveling a lot and a new dog would not have worked out. A few years went by, then COVID hit. I was retired by then, so no more work travel and my scuba diving trips were curtailed by the epidemic, so like a lot of other folks at that time, I started thinking about adopting a dog.
Visits to the Pet Helpers “dog room” was so much fun. There were all sorts of potential best friends looking for me to take them home. But hey, why not check out the “cat room” as well? I always did like cats, too. That’s when it struck me. In the dog room they were all like, “Pet me, hold me, love me” but also, “ brush me, train me, and clean up my poop!” While in the cat room it was like, “Hey, want to be friends?”. Yes, a cat! Why didn’t I think of that before. Much more practical, I thought.
So, back in the cat room I went to see if I could find a new friend. There were kittens flying through the air. No thanks. There was this tuxedo insisting on laying on my feet everywhere I went. Too clingy. A couple cats were fighting. I am looking for someone calmer. I almost missed this black tabby isolating himself in one of the open cages. While not mingling with the others, he didn’t look afraid or nervous. And he welcomed my petting, but didn’t get all excited about it. Maybe he’s the one!
His Pet Helpers name was Stingray. He was abandoned by his owner at six months of age and had been at Pet Helpers for the last three years. I spent maybe twenty minutes getting to know Stingray a little better. He was calm and affectionate but not clingy and had a great overall disposition. He was going home with me!
I renamed him Jack London and started calling him Jack Kitty. Things were a bit shaky at first. Jack Kitty had been at Pet Helpers for so long his muscles were atrophied, he didn’t know where he was, and he was very shy around people including me. He didn’t know how to climb stairs and it was even hard for him just to jump up on the couch. If anyone came over or even if I made noise, he would run and hide. But, all that didn’t last long at all!
With a big house to roam around and investigate, Jack quickly gained his strength. He soon learned that everyone that came over wanted to pet him. He wasn’t used to a lot of attention, but boy did he learn to like it. He loves all my friends now and meets them at the door when they come over.
Jack Kitty is now seven years old, and we are each other’s best friend. I cannot imagine life without him. We have our daily routine we both enjoy together including hanging out in the backyard in the evenings. We talk to each other all the time and understand each other perfectly. One strange thing though, he snores! I never knew any cats that snored. It’s not like a person though; it’s more of a “coo” sound. Jack’s little snores are quite cute and even comforting at night.
I can’t believe it, but I’m a cat person now! All my neighbors have dogs and most of them are left in the back yard all day, with little attention, and barking at every little thing. Don’t get me wrong, I still love dogs, but if I got another animal, it would be a cat. With Jack Kitty’s permission of course 😉
The Blog of Tim Schmitz 