VOLUME 1, ISSUE 7

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"I would never own a cat.  I only like dogs."

"I'm just not a 'cat' person, that's all."

"Cats are not affectionate and just too independent."

We've all heard them.  All those reasons recited by people who've never had a cat.  Too many people don't know that cats can be very "dog-like."  Some fetch, some are very demanding of attention, some follow you from room to room - just like a dog.  Too many people don't know what "cat-like" means.  Delicately affectionate, daintily demanding, subtlely dependent - cats are all of these things plus they have an air of elegance and grace no dog could ever match.

Not that I'm only a fan of cats.  I own both cats and dogs, and truly (this question keeps me up at nights), if some evil person said, "You can only have one animal - a cat or a dog.  Choose!",  I honestly wouldn't be able to answer.

For one thing, I own two ex-racing Greyhounds which are very "cat-like" in that they are fairly undemanding, quiet, and restful to be around.  However, even Greyhounds can't purr - one of the most beautiful and soothing sounds in the world.   If you come home from a stressful day at work and pick up your cat for a quick hug, your blood pressure will drop twenty points.  There is no better comfort in the world than ten, well, maybe fifteen pounds, of the warm, sinuous, silky soft fur-covered body of a cat - all of which is vibrating from the force of his purring.

For those who still say they would never own a cat, I say, "You just haven't met the right cat yet."  No one appreciates the comment but I can't help it - I know too many people who tell me how a cat became a beloved pet.

You know the ones: "This stray just showed up one day, and he fit right into our family.  We started calling him Max, but when we finally admitted we were keeping him and took him to the vet, we found out we had to change 'his' name to Maxi."

"Well, this cat used to come into our garage and rub against our legs, starting with his upper lip and then his head followed by his entire body.  Even his tail wrapped around our legs.  At first, I thought it was creepy.  But pretty soon, I liked it!  We started feeding him, and pretty soon he was spending all of his time at our house."

"My husband let me get a cat even though he said he didn't like them.  Guess who gave him nicknames like 'Sacramento Fats,' 'Fat Boy,' and 'Daddy's Boy'?  Guess whose lap the cat jumped in every night for ten minutes of petting?"

"My mom let me get a kitten when I was ten but only after I promised her I'd take care of it.  Guess who bought the cat special food and cat toys and brushed her every day and baby talked to her?"

For the first time cat owner, I recommend you make sure you adopt an affectionate, sweet, kind, and loving cat.  That's most of them but, as there are a few, a very few skittish or haughty "cats from hell" out there -  "scooters," "loners," and "touch-me-nots," make sure you don't adopt one of them.

How?  Come see our cats at Folsom Feline adoption events, of course!  We will match the right cat to your household.  For example: The degree of affection you want in your first cat is very important: There are "face" kitties who are too much for some people.  We understand that not all household members want to sleep with a "fur hat" on

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