Momma Told Me: Be sure to recognize the people who helped get you there.
It's no secret I'm a crazy cat lady. When I got married things were rocky from the get go, and I filled my family needs with the adoption of a black and white tuxedo, Truffles. Home all day, having left my 9-5 when I got married, to have a family, this weened too early ball of fluff was my baby. Wherever I went, she went; within the confines of our house, of course. It didn't take long for her to develop a fondness towards me either. Picky as cats can be in personality, Truffles never cared much for my ex-husband, or any other people for that matter. My friends and family would come over and Truffles would sit in the corner, as far out of reach as she could be while still watching, and she'd be labeled antisocial or a 'mean' kitty. To this day I shrug it off. It matters not to me how people perceive her, she's my cat, and my relationship with her is all that matters. And Truffles and I, we're tight.
No, no, I don't go around scheduling photo sessions with my cat- we're not
that tight. And, while I do have a pet blog dedicated to her, and our other furry kids, Truffles and I prefer to take selfies in the privacy of our own home. That's right, our bond, when it's just her and I, is strong enough that we took one of the best cat-bearding photos in the contest we entered earlier this year. Sponsored by Fresh Step cat litter, you may recall some photos I had posted and content in relation to this infamous cat-bearding contest, of which the hilarious Instagram entries can be viewed
here. Now, I am not a winner. Okay, I don't 'win' contests. Yes, even though I have given away thousands in products on my blog, the number of giveaways I've entered, which I've actually won, are shockingly low. So, when I got an email saying our cat-human hybrid photo had been chosen by a random panel as the best Cat-Bearding shot in the group, I was flabbergasted.
(Seen in the header image.) I'll admit, I really loved the candid nature of our black and white shot, but I never expected it to actually win. Anyone who has ever tried to coax a feline into such a position, while taking a selfie knows this is really a testament to the pet-parent bond. My prize? A $700 Sam's Club gift card (also good at Walmart), and a $300 budget to get pet and family portraits done by a local photographer of my choice. I was immediately nervous about having to put Truffles through the trauma of a professional photo shoot. We live in a small 2BR condo, and having an entire lighting rig, let alone a stranger in her face, was not ideal. Surprisingly, we both sat for about 90 minutes and captured some adorable shots. Of course, no one will ever see Truffles through the lens the way I can capture her in those honest, candid, moments when it's just the two of us.
So, it goes without saying that I felt the win was tremendously in part due to Truffles; after all, you can't have a human-cat hybrid without a cat, right? So I made certain that Truffles was the first to benefit from our big win, especially after the traumatic photo shoot she had to endure to claim her prize. I marches right into my local Walmart, to the very back, where the pet department was, and placed two 16lb bags of her favorite dry food in our cart. That's over 3 times Truffles body weight in tasty, crunchy, Meow-worthy food. Then I made sure I got her a few gifts that she could enjoy, without watching her waistline, and invested in a Sunny Seat cat bed for our sliding glass window, and several new toys, including a door mounted scratcher. In all, it was about $100, but I didn't even bat a lash- honestly, if the pet selection has been bigger (and our home not already filled with cat-spoiling products) I would have spent far more!
What Daughter Says: None of my achievements in life are solely my own, so I try to recognize everyone, even the furry helpers.
It's always fun to see the "Rest of the Story" posts. I followed you throughout the saga, glad to see the conclusion of Cat_Bearding!
ReplyDeleteIt is important to have friends and helpers to go through life - especially the furry ones
ReplyDeleteShe's absolutely adorable. I have never tried cat bearding.
ReplyDeleteThat furry beard photo is amazing! I am so glad that we have a new furry friend in our household too.
ReplyDeleteLOL, how cute...That was an adorable pic...I would say my pups and I are pretty close too!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you won!! I remember when you first posted the cat bearding, I had never heard of it before. Truffles is adorable. Our cat had a very piercing gaze (she wouldn't have hurt a soul) and it always unnerved my family when they visited.
ReplyDeleteA well deserved win 'cause that is a great photo. Your photoshoot pictures are just great. Truffles is a STAR!
ReplyDeleteAt home, our cat likes it when we feed him the chose food, so we think we have settled on a decent decision. DEWELPRO
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