by Author Name Withheld 118

Created on: September 03, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Growing up with several cats in my home and the homes of most family members, it never occurred to me that someone could be indifferent to them. Hate them? Sure, though I didn't understand how. Afraid? Many people have bad experiences with claws that scar them in multiple ways. But to just see them and not react at all- how was it even possible? Cats are so well-designed, so ergonomically correct, so mysterious and precise, I wrongly assumed that at least they must be universally appreciated for their beauty. Enter Garrett.

My Garrett was raised in a dog loving home by parents that disliked cats, and his mother is unfortunately allergic to them as well. He didn't understand the first thing about cats when I met him, and he had no intention of learning. The fact that my family still all have cats made some visits slightly uncomfortable, as Garrett was singled out by some of the animals for conversion- but they failed every time. This didn't sit well with my cat-fanatic family, either. One animal in particular, the late great Stanley, followed Garrett like he was catnip. He'd jump up and try to sleep next to him at night, rub against his legs, hop into his lap only to be rebuffed, and despite my pathetic attempts to get Stan's attention for myself. It was pitiful.
I had looked forward to having my own cat, now I despaired of ever making that dream happen. I tried to show him cats at their best, I talked about how low maintenance they were as pets, I showed him pictures of kittens being cute on the Internet. Nothing, no enthusiasm or interest. I began to resign myself to being a cat visitor, to never having a warm furry lump at the end of the bed. I thought about which dog breed might be right for me instead.
Enter Max. Max came into our lives through the back door, literally. He just showed up one day in the back porch at my employer's home. She also was not fond of cats, but was an animal lover in general. When her family couldn't find the cat's owners, they took him in, had him checked out by a vet, and started looking for another family to adopt him. But Max has great charm- both well-mannered and intelligent as well as highly independent, he warmed himself up to my cat-indifferent boss and won her over. Though he was and remains slightly reserved, he likes to be around his people and it shows. He takes an interest in the family and their activities, and all he asks is to be fed regularly and to be let back outside to roam his territory. He can take good care

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