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Hey There!

I am excited to introduce you to the newest member of our little family – our kitten, Luna. Having a kitten is a huge adventure, so I am also going to share with you 5 things no one told us before we got a cat!

Back in January, we re-homed little Luna from a friend at work whose adult cat was not liking there being a new kitten in her space. After much stress and many attempts to reconcile the two, Luna came to live with us.

The Fellow was not convinced that he wanted a pet at first, but I’d been talking about wanting a cat for about a year, and he finally gave the go-ahead. We’ve had a few months to get to know one another now, and she has absolutely brightened our lives. (The Fellow still likes to act tough, but he’s attached.)

I researched a lot about being a cat owner before bringing Luna home. I read articles and kitten-proofed (ha!) her space. As promised earlier, here are 5 things I was so not prepared for:

1. Cats do the weirdest things.

There is no planning for it. Luna tries to eat our hair. Off of our heads. No one told us to expect that. Of all things, she plays fetch. She also sits in the bathtub and meows at the faucet until we turn it on so she can drink. Luna hates being wet but will sit on the edge of the tub while the shower is running. At least twice, while I was taking a bubble bath, she has decided that my knees were a safe island to jump to. That didn’t end well for either of us.

2. Cats have the biggest personalities.

Each cat has their own distinct personality and there’s no telling what weird quirks they will have once you get them home. Luna hates being more than 2 feet away from us at any given time. She will follow me back and forth throughout the house as I’m doing chores and loves all the pets ever. However, she decidedly does not enjoy being picked up. We’ve learned that she tolerates it as long as we let her stand on our arms and be carried to her destination – kind of like Cleopatra being carried on her litter. (Google tells me litter is the official word for “chase-lounge-chair-thing-on-poles.)

3. You can train a cat.

Well, to a certain degree anyway. We harness-trained Luna. We’re working on her fetch game, and we don’t let her on the table or counters. The Fellow and I are very serious about how we allow her to play with us. When we play, we don’t roughhouse, and if she bites or claws we encourage her to do so at a gentle level. If she bites too hard, we pull our hands back and whimper (which is about the most adorable thing to watch the Fellow do), and that’s the end of play time. You can actually see her realize she’s playing too hard and dial back the bites to little love nips.

4. They are great alarm clocks.

Remember my saying I was seriously struggling getting back to my early morning wake-up time? I am happy to say that I’m back to getting up between 5-5:30 a.m. Luna comes into the bedroom, hops up on the bed, walks up the entire length of my body to sit on my chest, and tries to eat my hair. Good morning!

Side Story: When I was in high school, my father was dead set on having a domesticated bobcat as a pet. My mother and I vetoed the idea. I remember saying, “I am not waking up to a 40-pound house cat sitting on my chest licking its lips.” After life with Luna, I am convinced we made the right call.

5. Once you have a cat, you can’t imagine your life without them.

In just four short months, Luna has become such a part of our lives. The first thing I do in the morning is give her snuggles. I can’t wait to get home to see her, and I have become used to having her company while I hang out around the house. She has the cutest, chirpy voice and the biggest personality. While I may never have the bathroom to myself again, that little ball of fur curled up on my toes purring away while I do my makeup is completely worth it.