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Momma Told Me: If you could talk to humans the way you communicate with cats, you'd be all set.
I just may be a bit of a crazy cat lady. But I'd prefer if you don't quote me on that, I'm late on my dues and the CCLA, Crazy Cat Lady Association, is relentless. You see, I was raised in a condo, much like the one I now live in as an adult today. While we were permitted to have a family dog, we only had a 7 x 4 concrete 'deck,' which didn't make for much of a yard. Growing up Momma would pull in wayward felines off the street, or even adopt terminally ill cats. Shelters would provide medication to make them comfortable and permit them the remaining months of their lives in a loving home, until it was time to lay them down for their forever sleep, chasing mice and that never-ending ball of yarn. It never made me sad, but happy rather to provide them a belly full of the
best cat food and plenty of snuggles each night.
My entire life I always wanted 'my own' cat. Sure, we had cats growing up, and I cared for friend's pets when they went away- but I wanted a furbaby of my own. There is just something about the bond between feline and owner that can never be messed with. It is an eternal relationship that transcends language and knows no boundaries such as those created in human conflicts. But, make no mistake, cats have plenty of feelings and personality- and they care not for labels and possession. Once you bring a feline into your home everything within reach is theirs; especially the things which you use the most (they have your scent.)
But this is a tale about Truffles, the tiny ball of fluff named (sarcastically) after the cat-crazed Angela's (
The Office, US) beloved 'Sprinkles.' When I first got married my husband and I weren’t ready for kids but we
wanted to share the responsibility of taking care of a living thing, so
we hunted (for 4 long months) for a kitten. We didn’t want to buy one,
we wanted to rescue one. Typically I'd advocate adopting an adult cat with less chance of finding a home, but I'd had those my entire childhood, and I wanted a kitten at last. Everywhere I went I kept hearing ‘It’s not
kitten season,’ as if they were deer or something! I didn’t care what
gender the cat was, what color, what length of fur, I just wanted a tiny ball of fluff to love and bond with.
Then I found Truffles, the runt of her little, a little black and white
ball of fluff smaller than the palm of my hand. She was trembling in the
back of a large animal carrier on top of a chicken coop, with a St
Bernard sniffing just a foot from her terrified face. She was covered in
fleas, and too young to have already been weened from her Momma. I took
her home and spent hours cleaning her safely, picking flea by flea off,
then bottle feeding her. For weeks she slept nestled in the scoop of my
shirt, sleeping to the sound of my heartbeat. When I'd bathe her I'd swaddle her in a towel to soothe her to sleep before grooming her tiny little nails. She was my child, and no matter who came in and out of our lives, we had each other.
It's hard to imagine it's been 5 years since I brought that little
terror treasure home from that Chicken Farm. I've uncovered so much of her personality since those first few cuddles. As a kitten she spent her litter training time in our master bathroom; so she's developed a sense of security with the washroom. She won't tolerate a closed bathroom door, and insists on sitting on the toilet while I shower. Then there's her uncanny fondness for Beanie Babies. Long before they were even half her size she was dropping them on our heads as we slept, waiting for us to throw them so she could fetch them to be thrown again! And, when it comes to cats in random places, Truffles has the most 'cat' of cats outdone- printers, stoves, computers, aquariums, the refrigerator, lamps, and more have often become a relaxing spot for this Tuxedo feline. I often post her exploits on my social media, too.
If you're a cat-lover like me you have got to follow the hashtags #Catsagram and #CatsofInstagram on Instagram for some daily feline love! (You just may spot Truffles, too!)
Of course, when I'm not snapping the daily (or hourly) Instagram shot of
my furry daughter, I'm focused on keeping her healthy so we can enjoy
another 15 years together. Every year when that pesky animal control
officer comes around I
trick coax her furry butt into a carrier and take Truffles for her yearly shots and checkup. Even though she is a fairly lazy adult household cat, I often worry about her weight and receiving the
right nutrition. As the runt of her litter, Truffle required
round-the-clock care and feeding when I first brought her home. She is
also a much smaller framed cat than any of her neighborhood friends. I
am careful not to overfeed her, but I also want to ensure she eats
enough essential nutrients to keep her coat healthy and her body in tune
for the coming years.
Feeding your cat can be one of the biggest bonding points in the day.
Truffles knows when it's time for food (10:30 AM, 10:30 PM in our house)
and will literally walk around the house demanding her meals. She
receives edible treats about twice a week (when I feel guilty about
going away all day), and wet food a few times a month. Having a well
balanced dry food that encourages healthy digestion, helps clean her
teeth thanks to the crunch, and contains real natural ingredients, is a
must. I watch what I put in my mouth, so why shouldn't I read labels
when it comes to my fur-child? That's why Truffles enjoys the thoughtful
recipe of #GoodlifePet food.
Made with carefully chosen, artificial and preservative free, real ingredients,
GOODLIFE™ brand Grain Free Cat Food is a natural choice for me as a pet parent. Unlike the Iams blend she ate as a kitten,
GOODLIFE™ brand Real Salmon Recipe from Walmart features no corn, soy, or wheat (which is helpful in digestion and for cats with allergies) and has real fruits and veggies worked into the recipe. It doesn't cover up a lack of nutrition with fancy jingles, cute kibble shapes, or branding gimmicks- it's simply the best dry cat food for Truffles based on real food, and real nutrition. My wallet even thanks me when I invest in a few bags with the
printable coupon found on the
GOODLIFE™ brand website. And it makes it just a teeny bit harder to ignore those 'meal time' yoga poses Truffles is so prone do doing when her stomach starts to grumble!
The moral of my tail? (See what I did there?) Whether your cat is brought home as a kitten, or adopted into your family as an adult; those first precious connections are sure to impact a lifetime of kitty-kisses and laptop squatting. Know that, as with most pets, whomever has the food will most often be the best friend- but you can also work to create special places, mementos, and moments that connect you and your cat for life. From there on out the memories will make themselves, your only job left is to preserve them and their future with smart choices as a pet parent.
What are some things you do to ensure more than 9 lives with your feline friend?
What Daughter Says: Truffles and I share an unbreakable bond. She will always be my first 'child,' and I will always make smart decisions as her 'pet parent'!
