To be honest…I didn’t get it. And although I didn’t show it outwardly…I would definitely do a mental eye roll. I mean…who compares having a pet to a child…seriously?! 😉

Well…now I get it. Our family adopted a just over one-year old cat on June 2nd and it took all of the first hour or two for me to get it and to fall in love with our precious girl. Her name is Macy Rose and her and I instantly bonded.

She was a stray cat that was found pregnant and taken to a vet clinic where she was able to safely deliver two of her babies, but was having trouble with the third. Unfortunately, there were issues and while the vet was able to help deliver the third kitten, it didn’t make it. Macy was then taken to the Willamette Humane Society where she could recover and wait for a new home.

We are so grateful that home is with us. When the woman at the shelter brought Macy in for our interview she was shy and unsure. She hung back in the corner and seemed to want to leave. As our kids excitedly hoped to pet and hug and give lots of love to her…I encouraged them to be calm and quiet and slowly held out the back of my hand towards the adorable feline. Gingerly she stepped closer and closer before finally springing off her back legs and giving my hand a cuddly headbutt. I was hooked 🙂 That is now our thing and I always greet her with an outstretched hand so that she can greet me with a headbutt.

She is a wonderful cat who did not need to be trained to use the litter box and quickly found food and water. She’s only scratched the couches a few times and listens well when we tell her “no”. She’s still a bit uncertain around the kids, specifically our daughter who has trouble with the whole slow and calm part right now, but seems to be loving her now home and has definitely captured our hearts.

Now to connect this back to my opening statement…I didn’t grow up with dogs or cats when I was younger. My family had a dog when I was very little that was jumpy and energetic. I wasn’t a huge fan and we found a new home for the dog before I turned 2. I spent most of my childhood afraid of dogs, actually physically afraid, and only felt comfortable around my grandpa’s and other trusted dogs. I’ve always liked cats just fine, but didn’t ever really consider myself a pet owner as I loved fish and aquariums and that was enough for me.

But now I get it…I totally and completely get why people call their pets their children and why they get so attached. I’ve literally had her for mere days now and am totally smitten. So…to sum up…I’m totally a crazy cat dude now…and I sincerely apologize to those of you that I may or may not have given internal eyerolls 🙂

This is fatherhood…