I have something to confess: I grew up with a Crazy Cat Lady.
"My first cat hated me," my mother will tell anyone who asks. "His name was Satchamo and my mom was always astounded I grew up still liking cats after how mean he was to me."
I’ve never seen my mother, who has maintained feral cat colonies in addition to her own lap cats since she was my age, without a cat. I grew up in a household that had a (regularly broken) 2-cat limit on it to help my father cope.
"I just can’t get enough," my mother says.
It seems to be a theme with cat lovers, and the cat owners on our Pet World staff are no exception. Here’s a rundown of the cats our staff members adore:
MIHARU
Owned by: Ashley
The Story: Ashley got Miharu (roughly Japanese for 'beautiful sunshine') when she lived in Nebraska. A friend found a little orange fur ball under his porch and Miharu has been sleeping on Ashley’s face ever since.
Why Miharu is the Best Cat Ever: Miharu likes people, much like your average dog does. He’ll lay in your lap for hours and doesn’t mind be cradled like an infant. "He's not like other cats," Ashley says. "He always knows my mood and cheers me up."
TESLA
Owned by: Fitz
The Story: Fitz had been wanting a cat for a long time. This last fall, she decided to swing by the Humane Society, just in case, and ended up leaving with a kitten they had found in a parking lot dumpster just the day before.
Why Tesla is the Best Cat Ever: As Fitz puts it: "Tesla is really good at parkour, or she just has a case of schizophrenia. She occasionally speaks monkey. I consider her the Regina George of cats. She likes long walks on the beach and fireside reading."
LUNCHBOX
Owned by: Theo
The Story: Theo was living in a house on the state streets, which like most student living, was a little less than perfect. The house had mice, so enter Lunchbox, a rescue kitten who gladly took to his new job.
Why Lunchbox is the Best Cat Ever: Lunchbox, on a scale of cats, is perhaps closer to "mountain lion" than he is "domesticated." He plays with his claws out, rips up entire rolls of toilet paper, and can regularly be found perched on top of Theo’s fish tanks, batting at anything that moves. He can, however, play fetch-until he gets tired of that and goes for your feet instead.
LUX, LEONA, RENGAR, & LEBLANC
Owned by: Megan
The Story: Manager Ande brought a box of kittens to Megan's apartment so they could try to find them homes. Lux never left. After that came Leona. She was a farm cat who was born at, funny enough, Ande's dad's house. She came into the family because, as a siamese mix, Lux couldn't handle being alone. After moving to Tennessee Megan and her husband ended up with Rengar, their only male cat. Finally, one day Megan found 2 week old, sick, malnurished LeBlanc under a dumpster. They decided to nurse her back to health and find her a new home but the plan changed and she never left.
Why These Cats Are The Best Cats Ever: Lux is the princess of the house. Leona is a fiersome lioness. Rengar is a playful, fluffy beast who is absolutely terrified of everything. LeBlanc, well she's a kitten, she's equal parts playful and cuddly (she sleeps with them every night!). They're a stone cold pack of weirdos that she wouldn't give up for the world though!
THE FONZ
Morgan is just about as fond of his Green Phantom Pleco as anyone is about any of their more standard furred felines.
So, why do we keep cats? "I love their stoic and disinterested personalities," says Fitz. "They are always calm and composed, just like me."
"I love that cats don’t have a concept of riches," my mother says. "They'll tear up a $20 couch just as quickly as a $2,000 dollar couch, and I’ll love them regardless"
The felines in our lives provide companionship, mice-hunting services and big personalities packed into small, furry packages. What isn’t there to love?
"The scars," Theo says. "I could do without the scars."
