# How I became a cat lover



## camarochick (Feb 20, 2006)

I always hated cats, and I didn't want any furry animals of any kind. I found a litter of hours old kittens after a home inspector (we were selling the house we moved into ~7 months prior) tipped me off. The mother was not taking care of her babies and 2 or 3 died. I don't think she was lactating because it seemed like she was trying. After 2 days I couldn't take it anymore and went downstairs to find 3 struggling kittens in a puddle in a 40 degree window well. I had my mom pick them out while I blocked the entrance to the window well. Hours later I found only the head left of one of the dead kittens (something ate it) and that was missing the following day. I took the kittens in and put them in a cardboard box with clean warm towels in it and set them in a warm area. I did not know anything about raising kittens and figured I would try my best anyway. I feed them every 1 1/2 to 2 hours and wiped their butts with a warm moist cottonball. I bathed them regularly as one of the cats had diarrhea and made a mess. Eventually I ended up with 3 healthy kittens and was looking for homes. I found one home for one of the females, and she is doing wonderfully-she even had 6 babies of her own a year later. I ended up keeping a male and a female and have been a cat fanatic ever since!  
Here's a pic of one of them a couple weeks later-


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## Ioana (Jul 12, 2003)

That is a great story. 
I love hearing how kitties have sneaked in each of our lives.
Lovely picture, too.
As far as the cat you have found a home for - I would recommend you advise her owner have her spayed. I know kittens are cute but one look at the shelters - especially the kill ones -and they will realize it would be only the humane thing to do (unless they have already done it)
Thanks for sharing!


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## camarochick (Feb 20, 2006)

Phoenix, the other cat, was spayed right after she gave birth. I was glad about that.


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## BastFille (Aug 13, 2005)

That's so interesting. My story is somewhat less exciting. I was almost nine years old, and my grambutter (that's what we've always called my grandmother) was making plastic mesh magnets for all of her grandkids. She was sitting at our kitchen table when I walked in and she asked me, "Marie, what's your favorite animal so I can make you one of these magnets?"

I had just watched yet another Animal Planet documentary the day before and so after agonizing over the decision I piped up, "A Manta Ray!" In my defense, they were extremely cool. But Grambutter laughed and said, "I don't think I can find a pattern for one of those", so I agonized over it for a few more moments. I had grown up with animals around me, and I didn't think it possible to pick a favorite. Then, out of nowhere, I found myself saying, "Ummm...a cat." I had no idea why I'd said it, but from that moment on I found myself getting more and more wrapped up in cats. Soon, I started begging my mother for a kitten of my own. Then, to my surprise a few months later a couple from our summer camp came over with a little charcoal and white kitten for me. I named him Milo and promptly fell in love. I lost him the following year when I moved in with my dad, but my love of cats never ever diminished. 

Considering this and your story, I can't help but wonder what it is about cats that bewitches and beguiles us out of nowhere, and makes cat-people of us all. :wolfie


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## Sheba (Dec 17, 2005)

It's amazing how things can change!


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