I'm a cat person. I admit it! There is no shame in my game! I don't think that makes me weird; it just makes me a cat person. Cats have been a part of my life since I was a child, along with dogs, horses, cows, and the occasional calf in my living room on a cold winter night.
I love animals, no doubt, but I am particularly fond of cats; I find them relaxing, entertaining, peculiar, interesting and just beautiful. I am not the crazy cat lady (Dr. Jennie has claimed that title), as only two cats reside at my home. However, if the hubs would let me, I would surely have more. Sadly he's not exactly a cat person, but he does do a good job of hiding his disdain for them.
I don't know why, but cats are considered second rate pets in America. Only 23% of the patients on file at Leesburg Animal Hospital are cats. Leesburg Animal Hospital statistics show if a family has both a cat and a dog, the dog will visit the veterinary hospital twice as much as the cat.
As she did not want to disappoint the girls if they returned empty handed, she did not even tell them she and Paul were going. On that visit Julie and Paul met a cute, friendly eight month old, kitten named Willow that just spoke to them. Within a few minutes of interacting Julie said she knew the kitten would be living at their house. In Julie's own words she says "she has been the best pet for our family for our stage of life. The girls adore her and she is so easy to care for! We can leave for the weekend and have family check in on her, but for the most part she takes care of herself. With three children to care for I needed an easy, simple pet, and Willow fits that bill!"
To further drive home how wonderful cats are, I have come up with my list of top reasons cats make great pets.
2. Cats are easy to find. Cats are extremely prolific animals. They can have their first litter of kittens as early as six months of age and will have multiple litters of kittens in a year. Unlike dogs, cats can become pregnant again while nursing kittens. Routinely we have a group of kittens at Leesburg Animal Hospital needing a home and shelters are always overflowing with cats, so finding a cat is not a difficult task.
3. Cats are cheap! Annual visits to the vet are cheaper for a cat when compared to a dog. Feeding a cat, the largest expense of any animal, is much less costly than feeding a dog. Think about it; you could feed your eight pound cat the fanciest of all cat foods...one that is all natural, grain free, gluten free, made with organic fruits and vegetables, grass fed beef and free range chickens and will make your cat poop glitter, cheaper than you can feed your German Shepard the cheapest of cheap foods at the grocery store. Talk about a savings...can I get an "amen?"
4. Cats are low maintenance animals. "Independent" is the best adjective for a cat. Cat owners never have to hurry home to let their cat out. Like Julie, many cat owners will leave town for a long weekend and leave their cat(s) at home with plenty of food and water and an extra litter box. . Their independence makes them the perfect pet for apartment living, big city dwellers and workaholics.
5. Cats are resilient. I have seen cats live for 3 years with chronic renal failure or pancreatitis. They seem to have the ability to deal with their medical issues better than dogs. Cats are just tough. They have grit.
6. Cats have longevity. My oldest cat is approaching 17 years old. It's rare to see a dog live that long, and if you have, chances are he's not a large breed dog. I even have a few clients claim their cats are in their 20's.
If you are considering adopting a pet. Please think about shopping at your local shelter. So many dogs, cats, puppies and kittens are in need of a loving home.