Week Three: The Cat Story

Right now, the most important thing in my life is the warm and furry bundle of cat in my lap. She's sitting so quietly, sound asleep, face buried in her own paws, the lightest of purrs rumbling through her body.

Honestly, Peanut spends most of her time in this asleep and sprawled-out state. Usually she camps out on a bed, in front of the fireplace, or in a pile of fresh-from-the-dryer towels. But, when she's on my lap, it's different. When she choose me to cuddle up with all is right with the world.

How I got my cat is a long story. Her grandmother was a stray neighborhood cat who had babies on my family's pool deck the spring before my senior year of high school. My mom and I fed them, despite my dad's protests. The babies became friendly and before we knew it, they were breaking into our house, pushing themselves under the screened door-wall and inside. Out of the six, only one stayed with us throughout the summer. We named her Sophie. She spent the days outside in the sun and the nights asleep at the foot of my bed. That winter, we learned that Sophie was pregnant.

In April, Sophie gave birth to six babies in our laundry room. That day is so clear in my mind because Sophie woke me up just before her water broke. Not knowing how long the birthing would take, my mom sent me to school. Fifteen minutes after getting there, I got a text from my sister announcing the arrival of the first kitten. Throughout the day, my friends and teachers asked for updates. I kept my phone close,
declaring proudly every time another kitten was born. I couldn't wait to get home that day and meet my new little bundles of fur.

By June, after the kittens were fully grown and litter-box trained, they were ready to find their own homes. We were going to keep Sophie, but my dad didn't want six others running around the house. Within weeks, four of them found homes with friends of our family. July came and went and two of them were still with us. They happened to be Peanut Butter and Indiana-- my favorite and my sister's favorite.

Needless to say, we didn't even try to find homes for them. They had been part of the family since the day they were born. I can't think of my life without them.

Peanut always seems to know when I have a bad day.  She's my companion-- the one that will listen without judgment or opinion. She knows how to make life a little bit brighter-- and a little bit furrier.