Zander's Inside Voice

We have two cats. Or more accurately, we are owned by two cats. They have larger than life personalities and I know some people don’t understand how pets are very much like children. These cats are like toddlers. They can be really sweet, but they also have tantrums which include purposely swatting at the blinds, biting curtains, screaming outside closed doors, refusing to leave a sleeping human alone, and begging for food between meal times.

They are indoor girls, and only rarely try to sneak out the door. They usually regret this decision and hide under the deck furniture immediately or get as low to the ground as possible. They suddenly feel threatened and yet they never run inside. And once you pick them up to return them to safety inside, they voice their displeasure with you immediately.

I’ve had a lot of cats in my lifetime, but these two are special. One of them senses when you’re really upset and will cuddle up to you, purr in your ear, lick the tears off of your face, and stay with you until you feel better. The other cat just started doing that, which was surprising because she always seemed above it all.

They do lots of fun things like chase toys around, fight with crumbs, fight with their twin in the mirror, and “hunt” shipping straps that we give them. They will both bring you straps in their mouths, one more than the other. It’s like they’re bringing you live gifts like outdoor cars. One of the cats howls and howls when she’s hunting the straps. The first time I heard her do it, I thought something was wrong with her and ran upstairs. But no, she was just carrying a strap in her mouth around the bedroom. Life with them is never dull!!