Meet Willow

What can I say?  You know how you hear people referred to as "dog people" or "cat people?"  Well, I am was a "dog person" only, and definitely am was not a "cat person."

Enter Willow.  She is our new cat... yes, I said cat!



A few weeks ago, we became aware that we had an anonymous benefactor leaving mice on our front doorstep.  Suspecting a neighborhood cat, I left out some tuna as a reward and incentive to continue the job well done.  Sure enough, it was a cat, but sadly, she had no owner.  (We did check throughout the neighborhood.) 

Now, since I have not to this point defined myself as a "cat person," it surprised me how happy I was that no one in our neighborhood claimed this cat.  See, I also have a pretty healthy fear of cats (just ask my best friends, who each have cats and have seen my reaction when one of their cats comes near).  But, for some reason, I feel completely comfortable with this cat, who I have now come to call Willow.

We were not seeking to become cat owners, but Willow found us and never looked back. 

She spent many days curled up on a towel I had placed on the front porch for her underneath a small table. 

I knew Willow had firmly placed herself in our family the day I arrived home and one of my neighbors was getting ready to load her in her car.  She said to me, "I'm going to take the cat," and while I probably should have been saying, "Great!  Let me help you load her," instead my heart just sank.  I didn't want anyone to take the cat, because she had become our cat.

So, surprise!  Now Willow has a home and a family, and we have a cat!  Who would have thought? 

Now, not to sound overly philosophical about a cat finding her way into our family, but there are some of you reading this that know why these last few weeks have been difficult and emotional for me and Steve.  And so maybe I have taken some comfort in the arrival of this sweet cat. 

The only thing left to do is tell our dog, right?  :)  At least, for now, she is blissfully unaware as she has been staying at my parent's house.  She is due to return home soon, so that's a bridge to cross later.  But since my parents have recently welcomed a beagle puppy, our Kayla is hopefully becoming more flexible about sharing personal space.  We shall see!