Sometimes I feel like I have a secret. It's personal. It's a love affair... It's the incredible difference my cats make in my life.
Companionship, entertainment, emotional support... my cats give me all this and more.
How can words really express the comfort and sweetness of a kitten purring on your lap? Or the joy of watching a momma-cat cuddling her newborns for the first time? Or the giggles I get watching a kitten's first reaction to its reflection in a mirror?
There is the satisfaction of granding a special kitty - or the victory of nursing a kitten through a life-threatening disease.
There is no measuring stick long enough or high enough or wide enough that could quantify how much my cats & kittens add to the fullness of my life... and because this is such a deeply personal acknowledgment, I've always felt like this was my little secret :-)
Recently, I received a short note from one of my kitten buyers. It reminded me that the difference my cats make in my life is the same difference they make in the lives of my kitten buyers... that my little secret is also their secret.
Owners, Lisa and Terry, are the kind of pet buyers every breeder hopes for. They LOVE their kitties, take wonderful care of them, and regularly send me emails and photos telling me how they are doing. If I could clone these people, I would!
They actually have three Mockingbird babies. They bought a brother-sister combo, Oliver and Emma one Christmas... and a year later an Exotic "baby brother" joined their family. They named him Chili.
The triumvirate of Chili, Emma and Oliver have become known collectively by their initials - CEO. It seems appropriate since the three kitties think they are in charge of the house :-).
Below is the a short email I received late one night from Lisa. It touched my heart - and reminded me that there is a world filled with people whose lives are made richer by the feline(s) of the family...
Hi Lee, I am working late today. When I do get home late, there is always a husband and a kitty (or two, or three) to cheer me up (or to jump in the toilet and require a late evening bath… that would be a kitty not a husband). There is never a dull moment in our house now. Terry and I were discussing the change in our lives now compared to prior to CEO… WOW! What a difference. What would a night be like without doling out lysine and chicken baby food? Playing fetch with their toys of choice... Combing (combing and more combing)... A furry face keeping us company in the shower or while we are brushing our teeth... A paw in my ice water or Terry’s ice cream... Tipping the waste baskets back up into their upright position... Refereeing a race from the front to back windows... Finding a new scratch on the hardwood floor (it was a good one too, looked like someone locked up the brakes)... Climbing through a three kitty obstacle course to get to our pillows... And the sound of a constant purr... in 3-D stereo! What a difference!!! Love As Always, Lisa |
I had tears of joy when I read that email.
And I realized, my secret wasn't really a secret after all, but is shared by cat lovers around the world. But sh-sh-sh-sh... That will remain "our" little secret. :-)