Fur Ball of Love

Meet Wilbur. He is a furry feline full of love. I hug him so much I now have a fur ball problem myself. He actually belongs to my niece, Sherry. We’re just taking care of him while she is in residential transit mode (takes after her aunt).

When Chrystal moved in with me and mother she broached the subject of getting a pet, specifically a cat. I was “put my foot down” adamant about not getting one, figuring we had our hands full taking care of our demented mother. Plus I didn’t want the safety hazard of mother tripping over a cat weaving its way underfoot. Since Chrystal’s the older sister, I lost that argument. I knew I would. I was just surprised it took so long.

Upon Wilbur’s arrival I announced my door was to stay closed, and he was not to set foot in my bedroom. I’d had four years of no cat hair on my clothes and didn’t feel like investing in new lint rollers. Well, that lasted all of one night. He is now this single girl’s bed partner-cuddle muffin. It didn’t take much. I was so easy. A cat slut if you will. I didn’t even put up a fight. It took just one look at him snuggled up on my bed, and my heart melted. I was in love.

I knew the day would come when Wilbur would have to go back home to Sherry. However, her bossy mother came into my room this evening and said Sherry was ready to take him back. Chrystal however, informed her daughter that Wilbur was a permanent resident of the Brown house. Yay!

My phone is now full of pictures of Wilbur. I take a picture and then crop it to get even more up close and personal. I can’t help myself. Like right now. He’s curled up in a gray oval with his tail wrapped around him, and his sweet little muffin face nestled ever so preciously on top of his white gloved paws. Every so now and again one of his funny snaggle-toothed fangs will slip out, but that doesn’t take anything away from the sweetness of that face. Ooooo, that face. He’s so handsome!

He misses me when I gone. When I come home he meows and meows, as if he’s telling me about his day. Then he’ll follow me into my room, but more likely though, he’s already sleeping on my bed purring away. He’ll look at me as if he’s wondering how I could be away from him for so long. I wonder that, too. First thing I do is pick him up and nuzzle his furry face close to mine. He’ll linger for a bit, but not too long. He let’s me know it’s time to be put down by putting his little paw on my cheek, gently pushing me away. If I don’t do as he says right away the gentle push turn into a firm smack (ok, ok, I’ll put you down).

I also now refer to him as my boyfriend. “Hi boyfriend,” I sweetly say when I see him. How precious. And sad. But mostly precious.

There is just something about a cat curled up on the back of a couch that makes a house so homey. I smile when I pass by a window and spy a cat sleeping the day away in the warm glow of the sun. But there is also something wonderful about sitting in a chair and standing back up without a slathering of cat hair on the seat of your pants. Or plopping clean laundry on your bed only to find you’re folding up new cat hair to replace the hair that you’d just washed away.

As I sit here typing this Wilbur is snuggled up on my bed, inches away from the towel I leave there for him.  A few months ago I would have lifted him up and put him on the towel. But today, nah, he’s fine. Go figure. Love changes things. Parents of human children have to forgive, ignore, accept, deal with and take care of the messy side of their children because they love them. Pet parents are the same. Smelly kitty litter on the floor is our version of a dirty diaper. You begin to find other places to sit (or buy leather furniture) to cut down on time spent lint rolling your pants. And you find the kitty butt in your face hilariously charming. All because we love them.

I am a pet person. The last few years without one I thought I had left that companionship behind. But it appears I have not (you may want to invest in lint rollers). I highly recommend pet parenthood for everyone, especially my fellow singles. Having pet babies makes life more cozy. I like cozy. I mean, come on!  How cute is he?!?!

Are you a pet person?  Cat or Dog?  Lizard or Frog?

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