With all the "stuff" I have gone through the last 2 years I have been dealing with the usual depression that so often comes along with chronic illness. One of the biggest joys in my life are my pets. I got two 7 week old persian cats 19 years ago. They brought me so much joy I can't even explain it. I have no kids and these were my babies. 1 1/2 years ago I lost my grey kitty "Sweetie" to kidney disease. He had been sick for along time, but the end was very sudden. It broke my heart. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't still have his brother "Baby". Unfortunately, Baby also had kidney disease, and really for the last year and a half, I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop. 2 weeks ago he was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer and I had to put him to sleep. I have been terrible depressed ever since. These two cats loved me more then half of family, put together. Today, my sister and I stopped by an animal rescue event at a pet store. There were two orange tabby kittens, a black short hair, and a black long hair kitten. The two tabby's are brother and sister, as are the two black kittens. The lady took them out of the cage and gave one to me, and for the first time in a long time, I felt true joy. I can't even describe it. My heart was just bursting with happiness.

I originally wanted 2 more persians. My fiance wanted short hair domestics. I called home to discuss it with him. I told him I would meet him half way. I said I would be willing to get short hairs, but I wanted 4 of them. He said, I was crazy, and it was new pain meds talking.

He said if I came home with 3 cats, he's gone. I said "Well...if I come home with 4, could be gone by tonight?" I said I wouldn't do anything right then, but we could talk about it. He wasn't even willing to talk about it. It's my birthday Monday, and he just asked me what I wanted. I reminded him of that, and now I want 4 kittens. He wouldn't hear of it. On the way home, my sister said something very profound. She said "It's your house, do whatever the hell you want to." Oh yeah...it is my house. So Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas to me all rolled into one, or make that rolled into 4. If all the vet stuff works out, I'm going to adopt 4 new kittens. I'm starting to feel like a mom again. Some of you will think this is silly, but I am so excited I probably won't sleep tonight.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Cataja,

Pets really are the best therapy. (So you are quadrupling yours)
I hope you have many years of health and happiness with your new babies!
You will have to post pics.

Oh that's so wonderful Cat! Yay for rescue!!
You are going to have your hands full, you know that right?? What about the fiance? Is he serious?

We want another dog so much but I am resisting for now... haha

Well...I told ya...I am too excited to sleep.

I think 4 domestics equal 2 persians as far as maintenence. Persians are very high maintence.

I was finally able to get him to settle down and at least discuss it.

When I bought my two persians, I thought I was crazy for a second. But I never for one milisecond regreted it. The kitties loved me so unconditionally. They never thought I need to lose weight, or complained about my cooking or health issues. I can't say that about the fiance.
His biggest complaint is that he thinks they will destroy the house. I guess kind of like his dogs almost did 2 years ago when we got them. But then as my sister said...it is my house.

We can relate--total cat people. When Thomas was in the hospital for five months, the thing he missed most was the wonderful big black cat he got when he was 3. When that cat developed cancer and had to be put down 3 years ago at only age 10, we all were devastated. We got another beautiful, black, 3-y-o black shelter kitty a couple of months later. Hard to imagine how someone could have abandoned such a nice cat. It took him a couple of years to completly recover from the mental trauma he had suffered, and Thomas won't allow himself to become as attached again; but in some ways he is even nicer and more gentle than the first one. I adore him. For some reason, my cats always end up being very talkative.

Four is a LOT of cats, though. Because ours spend a little time outside, I won't declaw, and our first one shredded several couches. (The current one has such good manners, he doesn't even do that!) And the shedding . . .

Cataja, as you know I lost one of my cats to 18 months ago and Nermal (her sister) isn't well so I don't think she'll make it to her 18th birthday in May. I do know how you feel about them. My cats have been through everything with me and given me nothing but unconditional love (and the occasional furry or feathered present). They were there through years of UC and surgery, and through my divorce. They shared the good times too and adopted Frank quite happily.

I had my cats from the day they were born to our first cat Tabby so they really were my babies. In fact Tabby had 4 kittens and when we found a home for one of them the children were so upset that we decided to keep the others. Sadly one of the kittens went missing out of our garden and a few months later their mum got knocked down outside my house.

It's really heartbreaking when they die and I'm not sure how I'll feel about getting another kitten when Nermal goes, but I really can't imagine my life without a cat in it.

I'm pretty sure that your new kitties will bring you as much happiness and fun as your persians did. I'm also sure that your fiance will come round eventually.

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas.

Shell

I am a complete cat person, we also have a very tolerant dog. My cat, Walter, that passed away over a year ago spent many quality hours sitting on the couch with me when I recovered from many surgeries. I also worked for a while as a public health nurse and I really appreciated how a pet contributes to recovery and is an important member of the family.
I also inheireted 2 cats several years back from a friend that had a terminal illness. I do not let them outside because there are so many cats in the neighborhood. But to keep the peace, and the furniture, we put 'fake fingernails' on them. They are called Soft Paws and you glue them on and they fall off as their nails grow. Saved my furniture and helped my husband 'accept' extra cats. Maybe this could be a solution for you Catja?
JA

not silly at all my wife and I can not have kids and our 3 dogs are our kids we bought them xmas presents and even let them open them and yes they open them.... I love them to death they mean more to me and my wife than anything. they are spoiled rotten so I know what ya mean.

As you can tell I am a "cat" person. Right now I have 3 tabby brothers. Tabbies are the best. For a while I had 4 and at one point 5. As much as I love cats I vote with your boyfriend. When the time comes and I'm down to none, 2 is all I will go for.
PS My daughter is constantly hanging out at the pet store trying to get me to say yes to a new baby and it is really hard so I know what you are feeling.
Susan

Things have unfortunately gotten a little complicated at home. I need to check out the route I have to travel for work, and see if I can find hotels that take pets, so they can travel with me. More later...

Cataja, I can SO relate! I'll PM you as I'm just running out the door, but I think you should do what your instincts tell you. We have no regrets whatsoever taking on two kittens instead of just one after losing our much-loved Baggy this summer. These two balls of fur and teeth are so cuddly and loving - they enrich our lives and souls. So go for it!

Hooray for animal rescue!!! You should totally go for it, do what makes you smile. You deserve this, and animals have so much to offer the human soul!

We have 4 cats and they came to me as strays and from the shelter. They barely tolerate each other and they pi$$ me off to no end sometimes (like now since we have a nasty urine issue - the power balance was disrupted and one or two of them are stressed). HOWEVER... I couldn't be without them. Peace, contentment, love and happiness curl up beside me every night and every morning I wake up to purring. They are excellent judges of character and have more personality than most people I know.

Cataja, with your 4 you'll have an advantage over - since your kids will grow up together, your house will be more harmonious than mine is since they'll like each other and get along. I desperately hope everything works out for you.

I've got all my fingers and toes crossed for you and the kids,

Suzanne