You Might Be a Crazy Cat Lady

I have another confession to make.

Despite all of my promises to myself to avoid this fate, I am a Crazy Cat Lady.

As a kid growing up, we weren't allowed to have pets because Mom claimed she was allergic and couldn't handle them, but I always wanted a cat. When I moved out on my own, I thought about getting a cat to keep me company, but since I'd never had one before, I was nervous that I wouldn't know what to do...so I didn't get a cat.

But then I had roommates with cats. In fact, there was one point where I was living in a single hotel room with three other people and eight cats for about a month. (Five of those eight were kittens who were too young to be separated from their mother.) It was then that I knew, without a doubt, that someday I would have my own cats.

When I had a different roommate--one who also had cats--she surprised me one day by bringing me a kitten of my very own. Ever since that day, I've always had at least one cat, more often two.

I have never, however, had three cats at a time. Well, except for that one time when there was a wormy, little stray kitten meowing in my bushes that I took in for a week or so until she was healthy.

And then there have been the times that my sister has been living here, with her cat.

And I suppose there have been a few times where I've done some pet sitting for friends and family, and their cats have come to stay with me and mine.

But I've never had three cats at once where I was intending to keep all of them. So there is that.

Still, over the years, I've come to realize that even if I don't have a dozen cats at my house, I am a bit of a crazy cat lady. How did I come to this realization? Try answering the following questions, and see where you end up.

What tone of voice do you use with your cats?

1. Authoritative, no-nonsense, my way or the highway.
2. An average, everyday sort of speaking voice.
3. Baby talk, sugar-wooger sweetikins, what a good girl you are!

Do you give your cats any sort of food other than regular cat food?

1. Strictly the dry cat food recommended by my veterinarian, with the once-monthly can of soft food.
2. Usually their normal cat food, but we do keep a bit of catnip around for special occasions.
3. Cat food, catnip, ten varieties of cat treats, table scraps, milk, cheese, yogurt...nothing's too good for my kitties.

Where do your cats sleep?

1. Not in the bedroom. Bedrooms are for humans.
2. In their special cat beds which are in the bedroom, but not in my bed.
3. In my bed, on my pillow, on me...wherever they decide they're going to sleep.

How many toys do you have for your cat?

1. Toys are for children, not cats.
2. Pumpkin has her three favorite toy mice and a couple of feather toys.
3. My house is littered with cat toys, both the purchased variety and those the cat stole from the trash can and made into cat toys.

How does your furniture look?

1. Pristine. No cat hair to be found, and not a single claw mark in any pieces. My cats are declawed.
2. Eh. There's some cat hair that I haven't gotten to in a week or so, and we buy furniture that is not too enticing for kitties to use for claw sharpening.
3. Thank goodness it is all hand-me-down, because wow, my cats have done a number on it.

How often do you travel?

1. Whenever I want. Butch can go to the kennel and be just fine while I'm gone.
2. Occasionally, as long as I can be sure Fluffy's favorite pet sitter is available.
3. Travel? Are you crazy? I couldn't leave my babies all alone!

If you answered with mostly A's, you might need to loosen up a little bit. If your answers were mostly B's, then you're probably fairly normal in terms of cat ownership. If you answered with primarily C's, however, then I am afraid I must break it to you...like me, you might just be a Crazy Cat Lady.

It's okay, though. You're in good company.

So tell me, are there any other Crazy Cat Ladies out there? Are any of you the same way with your dogs?

**Originally published at Lady Scribes**