I grew up with a Labrador retriever, but as an adult have mostly had cats as pets. In fact, just a few years ago I had five cats. I am currently petless, and have no plans to add animals to my household.

I’ve rather avoided dogs, for the most part. They drool, and lick, and sniff in a sometimes embarrassing way. Small dogs yip, and uncontrolled big dogs can be scary.

It has been said by more than one person  that when you feed a dog they think you are a god, but when you feed a cat they think they are God.

On my recent trip to Maine, I stayed with a family which included a dog that I fell totally in love with. Once we got past the excitement of meeting a new person, and the mutual acceptance that occurred, Ralphie did what dogs do best. She hung around looking at me soulfully, nuzzled and licked my hand, and I couldn’t resist her. I petted her, and she lay her head on my lap, then curled up at my feet.  Her presence was love.

I wanted to take her home with me. She made me change my mind about having a dog, if I can have one like her, that is for sure!

“The only creatures that are evolved enough to convey pure love are dogs and infants.― Johnny Depp

And then there are cats. Cats just really don’t care what you think. Even when they rub your legs, or sit in your lap, they do it for themselves. In a way, I have related well to cats because of this attitude – “I gotta take care of me.” However, when people act this way all the time, those around them tend to see them as selfish, cold, and uncaring. Which is probably why people are attracted to them. They act like we don’t allow ourselves to, most of the time.

I rescued this beautiful cat when she was small and malnourished, outside a church. She is now well-fed, living with my son in Massachusetts. When I visited her, she showed no sign that she was happy or grateful. She is very pretty and soft, which is the main reason people like having them.

“A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.”
― Ernest Hemingway

for some fun cat facts check this out:  sorry, but your cat is actually a total jerk