Everyone loves kitties! They are cute, cuddly and full of personality. That's probably why there are over 80 million pet cats in the United States alone. But, those of us who actually own a cat know the bittersweet reality, which is that owning a cat can be a really crazy experience. In addition to their ever changing moods, they can be downright bratty– but we love them anyway! Here are the top five signs that you've become a slave to your cat.
5. You buy them special toys.
Forget the newest version of the iPhone, or that rom-com you loved when you saw it in theaters. If your cat is your master, you will ooh and ahh over cat castles and towers, and be thrilled when you find the perfect toy that you know they will love, be it feather duster, jingly ball, or catnip mouse. In fact, you probably have time set aside during the day just to play with your cat. Yet you usually still find him playing in the box rather than with the toy you bought. Oh well. You tried.
4. You share your food,
As if it wasn't enough that they yowl at you for attention when their dish is half-empty, you also cave to giving them your own food. For some kitties, this means licking up the milk in your cereal bowl, or drinking the tuna juice from the can once you've eaten the tuna. Some have finer tastes. For instance, my cat Midas loves popcorn, chips, and pizza, and begs at every meal. We know it's bad for him, but we can help indulge him. We don't even let the dog beg at the table! But the cat we can't stop. Because clearly he is our boss.
3. You let them sit on your chair, your clothes, your keyboard, etc....
In your conversation with human persons, almost all of them begin with, "You have a hair right there." And sometimes you want to be sarcastic and point out that you've got hair everywhere, but you don't say it because non pet owners just won't get it. You might wish your cat didn't sleep on your clothes, or your homework, or your backpack, or your laptop, but even when you physically remove them from your stuff, they always come back. There's no stopping them, and you've given up trying, as evidenced by the surplus of fur on your sweater.
2. You accept their quirks.
Cats are weird little buggers, and they do some really weird stuff. Most every cat loves a good box, and you might leave one out after you get a package, simply because you know how much your cat loves it. Some cats are leg climbers, and others climb doorways and sit atop them. They love Christmas trees, and breaking the ornaments on them. They zoom through your house at 2 a.m. for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
As an added bonus, most cats have oddities that are solely their own. My cat Midas for comfort will suck on yarn ties on one our blankets as if they were nipples, and he's definitely not a kitten anymore. Our other cat Keigh has taken to finding socks, or small rags, or pieces of knitting and present them as gifts, as if he had killed a mouse and was bringing it to us. And he always meows really strangely while doing it. You cannot predict what weirdness your cat will bring to your life. You can only embrace it.
1. You love them unconditionally.
At the end of the day, you love your cat. They may do crazy things, they may make you want to pull your hair out, but you love them. And maybe you don't mind being a slave that much.
