Topic: Where does your love of cats come from? (Read 7238 times)

2d · « **Reply #40 on:** February 01, 2009, 15:57:14 PM »

My Nana.

She always had cats - even when she was in service as a cook (though they had to be working cats to be allowed to stay).

There was a gap in her cats because one died and she couldn't stand to get another because it felt like she was replacing it.

Around the same time my Dad (a toddler) was attacked by a neighbour's cat. It had been mistreated, not fed, left outdoors in all weathers, that kind of thing, and my Grandad actually took it away from it's 'owners' and gave it to an old lady who looked after homeless cats.

My dad remained terrified of all cats well into adulthood, so we always had dogs and budgies and other small animals when I was really little.

Then one day when I was six I was at a friend's house, and her cat fell asleep in my lap. Obviously the love of cats was genetic, because I instantly knew I had to have one. I went home and asked for a cat of my own. Apparently my Dad was scared stiff, and he said no, thinking I'd get over it. I didn't, and after about six weeks he gave in.

I came home from school one day to find a little bundle of black and white fluff - Felix. My Mam and Nana had been to the local shelter and got him for me. Mam had hinted on the way home from school, and I remember going into the kitchen and seeing him sitting by a food bowl with huge scared eyes.
My Dad wasn't too sure, but Felix was a very bright cat (could open doors and windows), and eventually his head bumps brought my Dad round to my way of thinking, and he realised cats weren't monsters. When Felix went missing for six weeks a few years later, my Dad was the most worried of all of us.

I just (a couple of days ago) dug out a picture of him to digitize it:

[attachment deleted by admin]

Dark Moon · « **Reply #39 on:** February 01, 2009, 13:41:33 PM »

Blue Boy. My Mum. I suppose in large measure it is somehow genetic, since I always loved them. But Blue Boy was the first cat in my life. He was a Siamese. Came when I was 6 months old, so, for me, he always existed. Was cantankerous as H. He and my sister hated one another with a passion. I loved him. We always said he was too hateful to die but, alas, he did (of course) at what was then more than the ripe old age of 16. I felt as if I had lost a brother.

But right off I was adopting them. As a child I hauled home cats. Nightie - who blessed us with 3 jet black babies just like her. Snowball (I was never terribly original with names, as a child) who had kittens, but a wandering tom got those. One of the worst memories of my life - seeing them.... And so on. Was but the start of a life long habit of giving homes to those who wander by or are in need.

Since it started before I can even remember, though, I suspect that somehow it had to be genetic. And from my Mum. My Dad had a dog when he grew up but that was it. And, while he enjoyed our animals, he never truly loved them. Except for the hamsters - which he would play with endlessly as he sat in his chair in the evenings. But I remember him telling me (and this was when I was in my 20s) that "You got your love of animals from your Mother." And he was right.

She loved them all. I think in all honesty she may have preferred dogs, but she loved them all. And allowed us to have them all. The multitudes of cats. And dogs. And horses. And birds. And rabbits. And hamsters. And fish. And turtles.... well, you get the idea.

So I guess that's it. Blue Boy and my Mum.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #38 on:** February 01, 2009, 13:21:14 PM »

We had loads of pets as a kid, cats, dogs, birds, hamsters, but there was always a cat. My grandparents had had a lot of cats, but then my granddads favourite was run over and they never had one after that, and claimed to not like them anymore, but he had a soft spot for our childhood cat Felix, and my 3rd cat, Ginger (both were very similar looking cats). When I Was growing up, I always wanted a houseful of animals, but realised when I lived on my own that there was a cost involved, hence fostering. IRonically, when my housemate moved out, I wasn't going to get a cat, as i was going out for my tea a couple of times a week, and nights out, being young and single, and then my neighbours were asked to take in one that lived on the next street, as her owner had died, and as she knew I liked pure white cats, asked me to take her in, and that was the start of it. When she died, I went to the rescue for one cat, then my mum told me Ginger was a stray, so within 11 weeks of saying I wasn't going to have one cat, I had 2, and haven't been catless since - in fact, over 80 cats have come through here since then!!

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #37 on:** February 01, 2009, 12:31:23 PM »

I always loved animals as a child. My family weren't anti pet, but they weren't overly enthusiastic. My parents did have a cat (called Bunny) when they were first married, but had no further pets until we (maninly me) started asking for them. I had goldfish and a hamster when I was small, and when I was 11 I started asking for a dog and was eventually promised that if I passed my eleven plus I could have a dog. I did pass it so we got a dog (a black and white cocker spaniel). All except my middle sister were besotted with him, but I doubt my parents would have got a dog if I hadn't mithered them for one. My eldest sister now has a dog (had 2 but one died about a year ago). My middle sister is the only one not really into animals (she used to refer to our dog as "the mammal" and would only consent to walk him when she wanted to walk past a certain boy's house and look like it wasnt' deliberate

) but she eventually gave in to pressure from her daughter and allowed her to have first a hamster, and then a share in a horse. She is as daft about both of them as the rest of us are with our pets. I'm the only cat person though.

soudicca · « **Reply #36 on:** February 01, 2009, 12:08:06 PM »

In 1985 for my birthday, my niece offered me a box of chocolates or a kitten. I said no to the chocolates and thought one kitten on its own when I was at work all day was unfair.
On the day, my niece and her mum rolled up with cat litter, cat tray, cat food and two 10wk old black and white kittens. That was it Suki & Cleo had come to stay and one more cat fanatic was born.

Sabrina (Auferstehen) · « **Reply #35 on:** February 01, 2009, 10:31:20 AM »

My entire family are dog people. Growing up I had all kinds of animals however I never had them for very long.

Guinea pigs - when we moved i had to give 3 away and the one we took with us my mom left out in the Arizona heat so the poor thing died of heat stroke.

Maxi the dog - was taken away because she bit me, I was too young to remember this but I have no scar so I think this was either an reason my parents made up or I did something stupid.

Slim the dog - my mom gave her away on my 13th birthday.

Pistol the dog - my mom gave away when I wasn't home.

So my folks had issues with keeping dogs or well anything really. So when I moved out on my own I started with ferrets who I adore but I didn't like caging them, dogs i'm too lazy to walk and eventually I was given a cat from a coworker.

That started it all and to be honest I adore them and wish my folks had given me a cat when I was younger.

Ela · « **Reply #34 on:** February 01, 2009, 08:32:47 AM »

In Stuarts case, me

. (Well that is not actually true it must have come from a little one itself). When a child his family had always had a dog. After we married a neighbours cat had kittens and the rest is history. One day not long after we had our first kitten (yes, in those days I was young an foolish and adopted a kitten) I nipped to my mums who lived opposite, on the way home I could see clearly Stuart on the floor playing with the kitten (Our house was much lower than mums and there were about 6 spaced out steps to get to the door so it was easy to see in and of course no net curtains as they would have been ruined). As I walked into the lounge he said get this kitten away from me you know I don't like them. I just said I have just seen you playing with it. After that he showed his true colours in front of me as loves them as much as me.

Janeyk · « **Reply #33 on:** February 01, 2009, 07:39:59 AM »

Quote from: Maddiesmum on January 31, 2009, 06:35:16 AM

From my lovely late mum. She was animal mad - she once knocked on someone's door and pretended to be from the RSPCA as she thought they weren't looking after their pets properly. Another time when I was about ten, we were out shopping and suddenly my mum dropped all her bags, literally, ran across a road, grabbed a pan off a woman and hit her with it. Apparently she had seen the woman hit the dog with the pan!

Good on your mum, she sounds like my kind of lady!

Not about cats but that reminds me of a tale my sister told me about her husband's cousin, a couple of years ago she was walking her dog in the woods and there was a man walking his dog and he was shouting at it and hitting it so she shouted to him your poor dog what on earth are you doing? he said it's a bl**** nuisance she said well you shouldn't be treating it like that and he said well you take it then. She stormed up to him and snatched the dog on the lead and said I will do, to which her husband was saying what have you done Janice we don't want another dog and she said well we've got one now

Apparently he's a very cute little imp up to allsorts but very loved and spoiled now.

Bazsmum · « **Reply #32 on:** February 01, 2009, 03:47:50 AM »

Ive always adored Tigers....so 6 of my gang are tabbies! The other are panthers and pandas....ooo I nearly forgot the ginger-bread lady!

(dont ask its late

)

CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls · « **Reply #31 on:** February 01, 2009, 01:16:32 AM »

From my mum, she always had cats as I was growning up.

I love them because they are no hassle really, you feed them, let them out, clean the litter and they are faithfull friends forever. I love cats more than any other animal, and I cant really explain why

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #30 on:** February 01, 2009, 00:40:27 AM »

Quote from: hannah (weeny) on January 31, 2009, 23:25:05 PM

i cant imagine ever not having a cat in my life, i truly love everything about them

Me neither. I don't ever want to be cat-less

hannah (weeny) · « **Reply #29 on:** January 31, 2009, 23:25:05 PM »

my mum had an aunt (who i never met) who was a fanatic cat lady and had a house full though my mum was more of a dog person... my dad had cats when he was young (and dogs) a cat even gave birth on his lap once!! he likes cats lots.

i got given a toy when i was born by some woman and i still have her now... although not recognisable now, she's a cat...

i got suzy when i was five and it was love at first sight apparently. she was so lovely.

took me ages to recover when she went to the bridge and now i have jasper, who makes me smile and laugh every single day - even when i wasnt with him for so long, he still made me smile

i cant imagine ever not having a cat in my life, i truly love everything about them

Kally · « **Reply #28 on:** January 31, 2009, 20:37:29 PM »

I was curious as to everyones story cause i know that i got it from my mums side and this is bit that will shock or make you disgusted or both my dad was the type that would incredibly proud of his garden so much and was proud of the garden and the pond so much that he would throw half a brick if a cat came into the garden he never killed any it was only to scare them but still i find it horrible for him to have done that with any animal thats why we werent allowed any pets that could not live in a pond or a cage he no longer does it any more but its part of the reason that i cant stand him to be honest the only reason i stay in touch with him is it would upset my nana if i didnt keep in touch with him

Kirst · « **Reply #27 on:** January 31, 2009, 18:51:04 PM »

I've always ahd a cat form the age of about 4...................I couln't imagine being without one!

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #26 on:** January 31, 2009, 18:30:19 PM »

from kocka, my first cat.

i hated cats and one day this beautiful blue cat with longish fur walked into my garden. i had never seen her around before and i did all the staring, hissinf and clapping hands but she decided she was gonna come into my little garden anyway.

before i knew it she had snuggled down by my side purring on that fateful bank holiday monday in august.

its a long story that many will have heard before but she so badly wanted to stay in my house, she started breaking in during the day while i was out at work and after 3 months she stayed forever.

she taught me how to love cats and respect for all other animals cos i had never had any.

Topsy Turvey · « **Reply #25 on:** January 31, 2009, 18:23:11 PM »

My hubby had never had a cat until he met me. Sasha claimed him from the first minute they met. It was lovely. He wouldn't know what to do with himself if he didn't have a cat asleep on him now

Bonkers Mad!!! · « **Reply #24 on:** January 31, 2009, 18:19:38 PM »

awww Den, that story made my eyes leak

i've always said that my ideal man, when asked to choose between me and his cat would choose his cat without hesitation (obviously i'd never lay down that ultimatum). i've yet to meet that man and if i did he'd have to have his own house, my bed just isnt big enough

Indys Mamma · « **Reply #23 on:** January 31, 2009, 18:10:09 PM »

Den I know how you feel on that one... I always like cats in a general 'well I don't *dislike* them' way until Indy came and he turned me into a cat fanatatic

MrsR · « **Reply #22 on:** January 31, 2009, 17:49:59 PM »

Den its so true that once you get to know a cat you realise that there is way more to them than you think - my husband and family have foudn this when they were forced to be around cats with me.

Den · « **Reply #21 on:** January 31, 2009, 17:48:03 PM »

I always had a huge love of dogs but hated cats and thought cat people were odd [sorry

] I went to work at a kennel which also had a large cattery. At first I wasn't thrilled to look after the cats

but the more I did it the better it got and it actually became nice and relaxing. We had some really lovely friendly cats so I got to see the differences in individual cats and various breeds. That got me thinking they weren't that bad.

Fast forward a couple of years and all the boring stuff to when I was working at a rescue when Memphis' litter came in at approx 3 weeks. Having each one sat in the palm of my hand syringe feeding them all milk and having their teeny tiny little paws wrapped around my thumb was really special. They were such vulnerable hungry little things. There was a certain little black and white boy with a massive personality that pulled at all my heart strings

Basically I went from hating to not being fussed with cats, until I saw Memphis. It was without a doubt love at first sight with him. Don't get me wrong, I thought the rest of his litter were cute, but with him it was a case of must have. The bigger/older he got the more I fell in love. Something in my brain switched from "I don't like cats" to "That cat is mine". I just had that overwhelming feeling that it was meant to be. After that I saw cats in a whole other light and really enjoyed spending time with them all

Then I joined purrs and saw all the pictures, learnt there was waaaaaaaaay more to cats that I had thought. The stinky one has taught me soooooooooo much, and I honestly wouldn't be without him, it's because of him that I now love cats. Love looking at pictures and love reading about everyones stories. There is never a dull day here with him and he puts a smile on my face and makes me laugh every single day

I honestly cannot imagine not having a cat now .. whereas 2 years ago I couldn't imagine ever owning a cat

I like cats so much now that I would love to add another

MrsR · « **Reply #20 on:** January 31, 2009, 17:42:47 PM »

Can I just say my husbands love of cats comes from me

He was purely a dog person when we met and I actually said to him in the very early days "its me and my cats or nothing"

He obviously took up the challenge and is now the biggest cat loving softey rugby player you have ever seen in your life

bonnielass · « **Reply #19 on:** January 31, 2009, 17:38:07 PM »

I ve always loved animals right from an early age but never had a cat until 1990 when i got my first one ,a little black kitten that i found called Sooty,i had him for i had him for 6 yrs before he disappeared one day

then i was adopted by a large ginger cat (Smartie ) and a tabby who was found with his throat cut,luckyily the vet was able to save him and i lost him in 1998 with a heart condition after that came the gang that i have now

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #18 on:** January 31, 2009, 16:47:33 PM »

I think all of my friends have pets.

Growing up at home we had (over the years)
4 cats
2 dogs
rabbit
ginni pig
mice
fish
As i got older i also had 2 horses

My grandparents always had dogs and later on went to cats ...they have a cat now

My Aunt and Uncle have dogs

My parents have a cat .....and also feed and care for the local foxes

So i have never known a family home that doesnt have animals

Topsy Turvey · « **Reply #17 on:** January 31, 2009, 16:41:54 PM »

I was always terrified of cats after being badly scratched by one when I was very young (my fault obvioulsy).

A friend asked me to house sit for her while she went away for a holiday and she had two cats. Over the fortnight, I just completely fell in love with them. Summer and Sasha came along about a month later when I knew that I wanted furries of my own.

I don't think I could ever be without a cat (or three

) now. They just steal your heart

Wibblechick · « **Reply #16 on:** January 31, 2009, 16:35:04 PM »

I don't know!!
I remember my Grandmother telling me that when I was still only about two, I would drag her by the hand in the street shouting "cat" if I saw one and cried if I couldn't cross the road to stroke one.
My favourite toy was "Pinky pussycat" who had been a christening gift.
I didn't actually own a cat until I was 17 - I think my mother and father gave in as I had been very, very persistent in asking for one, and was forever borrowing the neighbours cats and fussing them.
Mum wasn't an animal lover at all - although she wouldn't dream of harming an animal she certainly wasn't someone who particularly wanted a cat as part of her household. Dad's sister had had cats while they were growing up and I think he was more in favour. Certainly Pixie, my first cat, wouldn't have become mine if it hadn't been for him. Dad was in advertising and Pixie had been a kitten in a cat food commercial. Pixie was half Siamese (her mother had "married beneath her") according to Dad ....) Pixie hadn't been people-socialised and was a real little

at first. She liked to go next door and visit with two neutered male cats who became her best friends. Probably because I had been making a fuss of them for years before I had her!!
As far as I'm concerned a cat makes a house into a home

Feline Costumier · « **Reply #15 on:** January 31, 2009, 16:10:55 PM »

My Dad. Everyone on my Dad's side of the family has a cat in their house apparently

We had two cats and the little girl had a litter too when I was little little but had to find them a new home when my Mum got very ill with kidney disease. We also had a budgie at some stage. My Mum isn't a huge fan of pets but she'd not see any harm come to an animal, she does like budgies. It then took me several years of constant pestering to get another kitten, he was stolen a few months later. A couple years later my brother got a kitten but he was too irresponsible so she became my cat. She is now in lovely retirement with my Mum and her partner and has a very nice life. She has my Mum's partner, who supposedly doesn't like her, he's a dog man and even calls the cat dog, well she has him wrapped round her little paw.

I remember when I went to visit my Dad, a rare occasion, he had these two beautiful kitties called Edward and Mrs Simpson

Sadly they were both hit by cars and my Dad never got another cat as he passed away not too long afterwards.

I am ridiculously animal mad, my biggest madness for cats and I know it comes almost entirely from my Dad, a wonderful legacy for him to leave me as it brings me so much joy

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #14 on:** January 31, 2009, 13:36:43 PM »

I've always loved all animals but i didn't grow up around cats and really my love of cats only came from having cats. Obv I liked cats or wouldn't have got them in the first place. I had hamsters and a dog when a child, and several hamsters as a young adult when it was inpractical to have anything bigger. I was thinking about what pets I could have in a flat and working full time (so dog out of the question) and thought about poss cats for some time but didn't think it was doable until I read in magazines about people in US keeping cats indoors. When I got Jaffa and his brother Magpie, it was love at first sight and I've become increasingly besotted. I am now a mad cat lady for sure. I even go on a cat forum each day to talk about cats

MrsR · « **Reply #13 on:** January 31, 2009, 11:57:15 AM »

No idea as I was brought up with dogs, I had a cat called Suki when I was around 4 or 5 but only for a little while then it was dogs dogs and more dogs, I was the only cat freak, now of course I have converted everyone in the family but no idea where my love of cats has come from.

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #12 on:** January 31, 2009, 11:42:13 AM »

Both my parents are animal lovers ... although my Dad never had any pets until he married my Mum. They got a pair of Siamese kittens immediately after their honeymoon ... I arrived about year later and from a very early age knew my place in the pecking order

I have always had cats in my life

Mark · « **Reply #11 on:** January 31, 2009, 11:37:00 AM »

Quote from: Rosella moggy on January 31, 2009, 09:19:15 AM

Me mum

What she said

Indys Mamma · « **Reply #10 on:** January 31, 2009, 10:18:55 AM »

I have always loved animals, infact I get on better with critters with 4 legs than 2! but my Mum hated cats, I liked them but didn't really want them and Dad thought that cats should live loose on farms and only get fed 2-3 times a week to encourage them to hunt

Mum hated cats because she had never met a cared for, well behaved one, when we lived in Germany the flat next door had 2 uneutered tomcats (this was in the 80's) and they would come into our flat and pee everywhere, eat any food left out, leave dead birds all over the place and poop on the beds, and the most unforgivable act in Mums eyes was one attcked me and I was 18months old, I still have a faint scar... Also my Grandma on Mums side hated all animals as being dangerous and dirty, so the only pets Mum had growing up was the odd budgie.

Dad grew up in rural Scotland... very rural, so he grew up with a pack of labradors and a few chickens and ferrets, Granddad was a gamekeeper so had working animals, and there was the farm next door which had a couple scrawny working cats.

The thing that changed their opinions and took me from liking cats to loving them was Indy, after the RSPCA announced that if we took Mabel and Indy to them they would be euthanised as both needed long term care I managed to let my parents get them better before 'we looked for new homes for them'... that was last May

Mabel is what my Dad calls a 'proper cat' in that she lives entirely outside and comes in as far as the back porch for food, Indy had everyone besotted after he strolled up to our old and grumpy spaniel and bopped Max on the nose, 2 days after we took him in. After that Max adopted him and was in charge of washing, toilet training and babysitting!

Janeyk · « **Reply #9 on:** January 31, 2009, 09:38:44 AM »

I have always loved animals but never had a cat as a child and my family were more dog lovers my dad actually grumbled at cats in the garden

We had mainly budgies and 1 dog which my sister brought from a farm which I adored. When we got married we would have both liked a dog but both myself and Steve were working full time so Steve persuased me to get a cat, although his family had a dog at that time they did have a cat when he was younger. We adopted Penny then a year later Squeaky and have never had more than 2 cats but I am a cat mad woman now

JackSpratt · « **Reply #8 on:** January 31, 2009, 09:27:16 AM »

Hmmmm....I don't think one specific person gave me the love of animals I have. But I have to admit that my Mum is very good with animals and we always had a family pet growing up. (Or more than one!) She used to be very patient with me bringing home injured birds and mice as a child and had a small cage that we kept in the garage until it was needed put aside for that purpose. She still helps me now when I agree to take on animals, buying them treats and toys. (or if I'm caring for them temporarily, putting money towards food.)

My Dad likes animals but isn't especially good with them. Although I will be fair and say he seems a lot better with the dog he has now.

Bonkers Mad!!! · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2009, 09:25:01 AM »

both sides of my family have always had animals so it was inevitable that i would too. i used to take stray dogs and cats home which didnt really please my parents as we already had enough animals of our own. Maddiesmum, your mum sounds fantastic. when i was about 19 i was walking my first dog and saw a man hitting his german shepherd with it's lead. i didnt even think about it before running over and belting him a few times with my dogs chain lead. looking back that was a very foolish thing to do but i know i'd do it again. i have also confiscated other peoples pets if i dont think they are being looked after properly (although ive never thought of impersonating an rspca officer, thats a brilliant idea). as for the cat obsession. well i looked after my brothers then GF's kitten while she went away for xmas. she was supposed to be gone for a fortnight but ended up being gone for a month. when she came back i told it that as i'd had the cat for longer than she had before she went away that meant the cat was actually mine. she didnt argue and that was that

.

although my mum and dad are both animal lovers they do tend to think i'm a little over the top with my love of cats, they have 2 cats and 2 dogs and they think that 13 cats and 2 dogs is just a little excessive.

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2009, 09:19:15 AM »

Me mum

blackcat · « **Reply #5 on:** January 31, 2009, 09:05:35 AM »

I have always loved animals, since a small child. So generally I must assume that it comes from my parents. But I was also a loner as a child (grew up in the country so my only company was parents, and sister), so animals gave me companionship when I wanted it. I used to observe the birds in the sanctuary over the road, and wander for miles in the country. Cats came rather later as we were a dog-oriented family. We did finally get a cat when I was around 17 and talked my parents into letting me have a kitten from a friend's siamese cat litter. The first siamese I saw belonged to a lady named Nan Chauncy who was a local author and lived in the bush. The cat wandered down the path with her when she came to the gate to let us through into their property. I think it was their dog-like character that appealed.
Mouse, the first cat, was a tiny grey bundle of fluff and dad insisted he stay outside. Then came Natasha, who was mine but who my mother insisted should stay at home when I moved into a flat. From there, there has been a constant furry stream of purr-pusses in my life, with very few periods of catlessness ..

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #4 on:** January 31, 2009, 09:02:39 AM »

bless your Mum, Chrissie, she sounds so lovely. We always had animals from when I was tiny and I always wanted to work with animals. Cats, dogs, rabbits, white rat (the incontinent Sir Samuel Cecil Ratty). I don't think I could imagine life without them. My mum was very much a dog person though, like most people in SA. Her 5 dogs didn't even manage to put me off dogs (but could be why I've always preferred cats!) - they were all fat staffies and all flatulent to the extent that brought tears to the eyes. We were always having to rush one or the other to the vet as it had eaten something it shouldn't (eg a kilo of raw oats, then fat Flora had herself a drink.....). I was the "cat mad" one in the house though, from when I was a little girl, it just happened that way. I remember Micky and Lucky, the tea drinking cat, from when I was very small. My love for cats was reinforced when I lived for a year in Scotland with my aunt who had 5 cats. Her big, gorgeous, fluffy, but tim'rous beastie boy, Skittles, used to play tennis with me with his giant paw. He used to dive at imaginary enemies in the snow, then re-emerge looking sodden and hugely embarrassed. He once escaped from the vet and was chased down the High Street by lots of old ladies (old ladies being the specialty of her wee toon). When I left, she gave me a card with all the cats' paw prints on it and I howled on the train all the way to London. Then when I got home the first thing I did was get a cat. The biggest agony was the 6 years in a tiny flat in London when we first got here when cats were not allowed. When we moved, we had no furniture, but the first thing we did was get Swampy. OH didn't grow up with pets at all but after living with me for so long, he now knows that cats are the best of the world, are there to be adored, worshipped and obeyed and all decisions have to be taken with their best interests in mind

moiramassey · « **Reply #3 on:** January 31, 2009, 08:57:33 AM »

My Grandpa was terrified of cats so we never had any when I was a child - a dog, birds, guinea piges and gold fish but no cats. Add the fact that I was scratched by the only neighbour's cat I ever tried to stroke and cats were not at the top of my list of potential pets.

Then I lodged in a friend's house who had a cat. A quick and complete conversion.

The same friend gave me my first kitten as sson as I was settled in my first long-term home.

Maddiesmum · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2009, 06:35:16 AM »

From my lovely late mum. She was animal mad - she once knocked on someone's door and pretended to be from the RSPCA as she thought they weren't looking after their pets properly. Bless her I lost count of how many little cats and dogs she rescued over the years and took to rescues. After she died and I was sorting through her things, I found a little red book in which she had written the name (or her chosen name) for every animal she rescued over the years, each one had a lovely little message at the side of it. It made me cry. Only problem was she was over enthusiastic sometimes and found cats before they were lost. She nearly always reunited them though cos everyone knew she was first port of call if the cat didn't come home. Another time when I was about ten, we were out shopping and suddenly my mum dropped all her bags, literally, ran across a road, grabbed a pan off a woman and hit her with it. Apparently she had seen the woman hit the dog with the pan! Not always suitable remedies but she did try so hard for the animals. Maybe she now works at Rainbow Bridge caring for them, at least I hope so. I also remember her climbing over railings with a man she accosted on the street because she had heard kittens crying. Down by the railway embankment she found two kittens tied up in a plastic carrier bag, tiny little mites. She rushed them to the vet. Sadly one had died but she did hand rear the other and called it JR .... until, a couple of weeks later the vet told her it was a Sue Ellen!

Kally · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2009, 01:48:35 AM »

I just wondered where everyones love of cats came from i know where mine came from it came from my mums side of the family my grandparents have always been known for their animal rescues my grandad would apparently come home with a different stray dog each week and then when i was roughly 3 ish i think they found this white little stray cat (half dead) they took her in got her well fed and when they thought she was strong enough took her to the vet found out she was pregnant but would not be strong enough to come to full term and they aborted the kittens didnt know whether the cat would survive even then and thankfully she survived and lived for another 5ish happy years and it all started from there

Author Topic: Where does your love of cats come from? (Read 7238 times)

Dark Moon