While running errands with the kids one Saturday I spotted a row of cages lined up on the sidewalk outside a pet store.
“We’re not getting a pet,” I told the kids, “but we can play with them…that’s all.”
There was squealing.
“I’m serious,” I said. “Don’t ask, don’t beg, don’t whine…no pets. We’re just playing with them. Understand?”
Nodding all around. And more squealing.
Becky is adamantly against pets. She has four children.
But Becky was out of town. So I texted her a picture of a puppy.
“You want a dog? Very mellow lab mix up for adoption.”
“Don’t do it!” she said.
“Mellow. And it has the saddest face.”
“Please no! Look away!”
“Caramel colored. Light blue eyes. And did I mention mellow?”
“All I asked was that you find a table for the den while I’m gone…not another kid.”
“I’ll take care of him. And give you a table.”
Twenty minutes later… “You’re gonna love our new dog!”
“You better be kidding.”
I waited a few minutes and then… “If I got a dog without you I know you would never go out of town again. And then when would I get to see Candy?” (Candy is my make-believe girlfriend. Becky’s make-believe boyfriend is Walter. This is dysfunctional, of course, but we’ve been together for 21 years so dysfunctional is working just fine for us.)
Two weeks later I called home from the lobby of a hotel in Canada. A small voice answered — Not with “hello” but with “We got kittens!”
“Can I talk to your mother please?”
There’s a boy down the street who killed a pet baby bunny last year. “On accident.” When this boy rang our doorbell to show off his two new kittens? It was justice issue.
The boy was given the kittens by a neighbor who obviously had not heard about the bunny’s untimely end. And the boy’s mother told him that if he couldn’t find a home for the kittens he could keep them. He knocked on our door knowing Becky didn’t want pets…but not knowing the extent to which she would go to save a life.
“We don’t have to keep them,” Becky told me as I paced the hotel lobby. “I don’t want to keep them either. But we’ll have to find them a safe place to live.”
The next day I met Margo and Buttercup.
Yes, they already had names. And a blanket the girls made for them to sleep on.
“I really don’t want cats,” I said.
Margo curled up in my lap purring.
“Litter boxes stink. Cats just sleep all day. They’ll need shots. We’ll have to take care of these things long after you guys move out and…”
Buttercup spun in circles chasing her tail.
“But they’re orphans, Daddy,” Penelope said. “We’re supposed to take care of orphans.”
And now I have cats.
Jim Gray says:
When we moved to WA State, I really wanted a dog. And the dog thing was so bad. I got rid of him and we got a barn-cat/mouser. Then a black stray kitten showed up and we kept him. It’s addicting.
Needless to say, now we live in Co. Springs w/no animals and I often think I hear meowing…
Jonnia Smith says:
Awww!!! This is wonderful for your kids! I am pretty certain you have two new permanent family members here.
steph waldrop says:
i think you were just sad because my fat cat wouldn’t join us for the jaunt over to the amy grant show…and so, you gave in to the kitty peer pressure. ๐
love your cats! ๐
Shaun Groves says:
Love? So you want them?
Kelli says:
Sucker…
Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect says:
WE’RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF ORPHANS. Oh, kids. They are brilliant, are they not??
In related news, my husband informed me yesterday that my beloved first baby – I mean, MY CAT – is well within the normal age for DYING. Because yeah, you’re right, they totally outlive their cuteness and usefulness. (I’m kidding. Cats are useless. But…but…so cuuuuute!!!)
Tina says:
How could you resist your kids when they use scripture…great story. BTW…i am not a cat person in any way shape or form…but we have one,that is my daughters…that I take care of…LOL
jenn in GA says:
beware the mellow puppy! our first dog–the first i’d ever owned, since animals weren’t allowed in my mom’s house (she was a nurse)–was this sweet beagle who didn’t run around like all the others in the litter. he had worms! once dewormed, he was a crazy dog, and i wandered the neighborhood numerous times in the 4 years we had him, yelling, “BAILEY!”
enjoy–animals do make your life better. really.
Katie Axelson says:
LOL. That’s how we ended up with our newest cat too. All the other barn kitties were getting diseases and dying. This one was so cuddly and cute and stupid enough to crawl into the truck engine. We HAD to rescue him… While we all love him, he also comes with a, “I hope this cat is dead before I’m old and feeble otherwise I’m going to fall and squash him” and a “one of you girls needs to move into an apartment where you can have cats so you have take this one.” None of us have cat allergies… except to this one cat. He’s even allergic to himself. And right now he’s downstairs mewoing because he can’t find anybody to play with. Gotta go fix that. ๐
Natasha says:
I love my cats. I simultaneously regret ever adopting them. They’re a 13-16 year ball and chain around my ankle. (Literally, they are around my ankles so much more than you’d imagine for an animal that is supposed to be lethargic and disinterested in you.)
But there’s all this…
http://distractify.com/people/personal/agonizing-struggles-that-prove-cat-owners-are-the-best-people-ever/
Cindi says:
Studies show that kids that grow up in houses with pets are healthier… ๐ We have a cat and a small dog and kids. I highly recommend a Litter Genie to keep down the odor and teach your kids now to scoop the box morning and evening so it becomes a habit while the kittens are cute and cuddly. Adult cats can be cuddly but tend to be somewhat less so. Enjoy your new furry family members.
Shaun Groves says:
I’ve never heard of the Little Genie. Googling immediately.
Amy says:
Well played, children! We have a dog. I was never going to get a dog. I asked my son how we ended up with our dog, Max. He said, “Well, I talked a lot about dogs and I prayed about it.”
Just doing my part to show my children how God answers prayer.
Shaun Groves says:
Well played, kid.
Terri says:
For almost a year, our neighbor’s kitty would visit us twice a day. When they moved and couldn’t keep him, he was re-homed to us. I said I would NEVER get a kitty, but now “Anakin Skywhiskers” (we call him Fred) is ours and we love him! And….the Litter Genie ROCKS!! ๐
gretchen says:
hi, old friend… how can you say no to those adorable faces?!
didn’t kathy and becky have cats in school…. i remember thinking they had the coolest names and one day maybe i’d be cool enough to name my cat something cool.
hugs to you all!
Shaun Groves says:
Hey, Gretchen! Yes, you remember correctly. In college (before children) Becky and her sisters had Josephine and Telulah and Isabeau…cool names but still cats.
Mary(Owlhaven) says:
Yay! How fun! I don’t blame her for changing her mind with the knowledge of the rabbit. It was the right thing to do.
๐
Wende says:
After stepping in the annoying litter mess left on the floor from our cat we found this. https://www.clevercatinnovations.com/top_entry_litterbox_about.aspx Probably best to try after they have mastered basic litter training. Your new furbabies are adorable.
Leeann says:
Ours is a shelter cat and it was a little touch and go for a couple years, but now my husband can honestly say that he loves Vincent Van cat. Cats grow on people, though I love dogs and cats instantly, so he never had to work to grow on me.:) Love your daughter’s wisdom.:)
Penny says:
This would be the perfect time to get a puppy. Young animals learn to get along together much faster than older ones.
Nicole says:
Yep! But I also had an older cat and then got a puppy, and they did well too. They just acted like siblings and picked on each other constantly. ๐
Kris says:
Heh heh. But they’re orphans…..oh Shaun. That’s good. ๐
Win says:
I highly recommend Dr. Elsey’s ultra precious cat litter. We have two cats and this litter is easy to work with and captures the spell completely, and it is hypoalergenic for the cats which helps with their overall health. It is more expensive than some liters but it is worth it. We get ours at PetSmart.
http://www.preciouscat.com/product/ultra/
Shari Brown says:
Not a cat fan, but big fan of those bright kids…
Matthew W says:
I adopted a stray over a year ago. A month after I adopted her, I figured out that she was pregnant. She had one kitten. Since it was only one, I thought “I’ll keep her!” Then the mom got pregnant again. Got rid of those. Needless to say, Mom is spayed now…
And I still have the two.
Sherron says:
Oh Shaun…who are you kidding? There is no such thing as a mellow lab mix!
Your kitties may win you over. I am a dog person who was adopted by two cats. (I also have dogs.) I hate-hate-hate litter boxes. I use the Breeze litter box, which offends me quite a bit less than the regular ones do. Easier to scoop, only have to change the litter once a month. I spritz with Nok-Out to control odor.
I have to add: Good for Becky for saving these kittens’ lives!!
Nicole says:
Hahaha! My first cat arrived by literally waltzing in my front door one day. I adopted a second from our local shelter to keep her company. They are so fun, even if I am allergic to them (not too severe, really).
The advantage you have about getting your new “kids” this young is they are more trainable. I am teaching mine to use the human toilet so I can get rid of the litter boxes. They are making good progress so far! You might want to consider that if you have a spare bathroom you can set up. Just a thought. ๐