I’m currently hyperfixating on getting a kitten.
And no, it’s not an unfounded obsession.
Last week Taylor adopted her first cat from a friend of a friend who had a stray show up on her porch. When Taylor brought the little black-and-white beauty home the whole thing was a bit sus, and now our suspicions have been pretty much confirmed by the vets: little miss Agnes is preggers. She is with child. She has buns in the oven. She’s eating for two (or eight).
I’m thrilled. My cousin Maddie is thrilled. Taylor is thrilled (after initially having an anxiety attack about it). Assuming that all goes well, and that Agnes pops out at least three healthy babies, the three musketeers™ will all be adopting sibling kittens. How cute is that!?! I’m obsessed with this idea (and yes, we already have a group chat going).
I could be picking out a kitten by the end of this month, and I’m not gonna lie, this has restored my will to live. Twenty years ago I watched a litter of kittens be born in my parents’ bedroom, and I’m so excited be part of this whole fun process again. You know I’ll be over at Taylor’s apartment every day, and I will be on call for the birth. I’ll camp out there if I have to. I simply do not want to miss it.
(y’all better keep ordering pet portraits, because imma need gas money)
I mean, what would you expect me to do? Say no when the universe practically drops a kitten into my lap!? As if. I’ve put my request in for a beautiful short-haired little girl who I shall name Amelia, but we’ll see if I’m taken into consideration.
2003 with the babies: Oscar, Diddly, Flower, Hazel, and Meemo
A few months ago I was talking to a friend and I was telling her how our household was down to two chickens and a 20-year-old cat from the aforementioned litter of kittens (as of a month ago we’re officially down to two chickens). Having this few animals is kinda insane for us. Since the day I was born I’ve been surrounded by pets, and my childhood was incredibly fun and full because of it — ducks, chickens, goats, dogs, cats, hamsters, mice, rats, bunnies, ferrets, guinea pigs, hermit crabs, fish, a gecko. We were practically a petting zoo. What we wanted, we simply got. It was amazing.
My friend asked me if I thought I’d miss having pets, or if I wanted to get more, and I said no. And I meant it too — I’ve been greatly enjoying life with less responsibilities, less worries, less noise, less mess.
the little baby mama Agnes
But then, life happens.
July sucked for me, and it made me miss my guinea pig Esther a lot. She used to be able to make me smile even on my absolute worst days. I loved her so much that sometimes looking at her (even when she was old and losing hair and actually kinda ugly) would make me wanna cry. She loved me, I loved her, it was just an unexplainably deep bond.
I joke that Esther was my ferret Irma reincarnated to come back to me, because that’s the only time I’ve ever had a similar bond to the one I had with Esther. They had the exact same personality and queen-like bitchiness that made everyone else think that they were just spoiled rotten brats, but to me they were perfect.
Irma, 2012 — Esther, 2018
Like sure, Mom and Riley Mae will tell you stories about how Irma terrorized them, bit their toes, and refused to let them down off chairs. But that was only when she was a baaaaaby…she grew up…eventually.
She used to love to run through the water while I took a shower, and then bounce around the bathroom all sopping wet and happy. And she’d just spend most days in my room with me while I worked — I even made her a Pinterest-worthy bed using a little vintage suitcase. Three years later when she got sick, that little suitcase bed was where she spent her hospice days because she loved it so much.
Anyways, the point is: it turns out that I need something to love again.
I have so much love to give, and I don’t know what to do with it anymore.
So I’m going to get an adorable kitten who I’ll turn into my bff, and who I’ll teach to love a harness and ride in a backpack so that I can take it on hikes with me, and who’ll keep me company while I work at my desk all day, and who’ll sleep with me every night.
I mean, what can I say, the universe is forcing it upon me, and I simply don’t have the energy to resist 🎀
(now accepting applications for cat dads)
art by jordan rae 