Ten Things No One Told Me When I Adopted A Cat
And why I love my cats anyway
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I adopted my first cat in my mid-twenties — a beautiful Maine coon kitten named Nicky. She snuck into my parents’ house on a snowy Christmas Day. My family fell in love with her. I was the lucky one who adopted her. I’ve been a devoted cat person ever since. Those first few months with Nicky were amazing, but they were also a learning experience. There are some things I wish I’d known.
1. I never go to the bathroom alone
It’s true. I have three cats. When I first wake up in the morning, all three cats join me in the bedroom. When I get up to go to the bathroom, they follow me and stay until I’ve finished. Why do they do this?
2. I can’t close a door in my house without a cat scratching on it to get to the other side
Other than my front door, I don’t close doors in my condo. If I do by mistake, at least one of my cats will scratch on the door until I open it. My cats suffer from FOMO — fear of missing out. Fearful that something better is on the other side of that door, they scratch on that door until I open it. They will come in, look around, and leave. FOMO and impatience mean that I can’t have any closed doors.
3. I worry about them as if they are my children
Adopting Nicky was my introduction to being a cat lady. In the first few months, I would leave her in the morning and worry about her being lonely without me home. She’d run to the door and jump into my arms when I came home each night, so I think that fueled my separation anxiety. I’ve worried about every cat since when I’ve left them home alone. I don’t think I’ll ever lose that attachment.
4. When I adopted a cat, I also got a new wardrobe accessory — cat hair
Maybe it’s my affinity for black sweaters, but I tend to always be covered in cat hair no matter how often I take a lint roller to my clothes. I try to get rid of it, but somehow it’s always there — the gift that keeps on giving. To tell the truth, I don’t even notice anymore. Usually, someone brings it to my attention…
