This past week I stayed at my friend’s house while she and her family went on vacation. I had the hard task of using their Wi-Fi, swimming in their pool, and eating their food. It was a long and tiring week but somehow I made it through. I also had the task of taking care of their dog, Lucky, and their two cats, Lola and Ozzy. Staying in their home made me realize two things: I am not a cat person and cats are weird. I don’t have anything against cats, I just prefer dogs. The one thing I thought I knew about cats is that they like to be left alone. While that may be true for most cats, it is not the case when it comes to Lola and Ozzy.

The first night in their home I was woken up every hour by a cat. While Ozzy ran around the room most of the night, Lola spent the night glued to my side. The second I laid down Lola jumped on the bed and nuzzled up against me. She purred in my face and blocked my view of the television. My peaceful night of watching “Full House” soon turned into a night of petting Lola. I tried to sleep with my hair in a bun on top of my head but I quickly learned that wasn’t an option. If I didn’t wake up to her purring in my face, I woke up to her trying to make a nest out of my hair. She was also very fascinated with my hands; every time I moved them to reposition my blanket or look at my phone she rushed to them knowing their only true purpose was to be used to pet her.

The next morning I woke up to Ozzy standing on the kitchen table. As I walked by him he jumped at my chest and I was suddenly carrying him like a baby. He purred in my ear while simultaneously digging his claws into the back of my shoulder. I tried to shake him off but he only clung tighter. This behavior continued throughout the week as I found Ozzy laying on top of other various countertops and tables. I couldn’t just pet him and walk away. Once I showed him the slightest bit of attention he craved more.

Throughout the week I learned the cats needed to be wherever I was. If I was in the kitchen Ozzy was probably on top of the refrigerator and Lola was on the kitchen table. If I was in the living room, Lola was probably on my lap and Ozzy was standing on the coffee table. They even followed me into the bathroom on more than one occasion.

There is no denying Lola and Ozzy are a breed of their own. They are the only cats I know that like to be held and loved as much as they do. They certainly make their presence known. Although they kept me up at night with their constant need for attention, it was fun to be a cat parent for a week. However, I’m definitely more of a dog person.