How many cats do I have? My sister told me to simply say "why thank you, I have them all." Just stupid enough to make them think they've asked the question wrong and maybe change the subject.
Why is the number of cats that I have an issue to some and to others it's like they just met the bearded lady from the circus? Do people buying a 50 pound bag of dog food ever get asked "how many dogs do you have?" I don't have a dog but I'm willing to bet no one asks.
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| Trouble, Gett, Sam and Tucker |
Why? Why does the number of cats I have seem to bother people. I don't think I have that many; I don't even hit the double digits. There are two of us here, Ron and I, and we both clean the litter boxes (him more so), we both sweep the hard wood floors, one of us will inevitably find the hairball and clean it. So what's the big deal? Okay, I'm going to say it - we have 9 cats. Is that really so crazy? If the guy next door has two Golden Retrievers, and let's say they each weigh over 50 pounds, is that so different than my tiny 9 cats? If his two dogs are on the couch I bet it gets covered with fur. I'm guessing if one dog jumped on me to greet me I'd fall back a little, but if my little Angel came up to you to smell your shoe, you would not fall over.
Yet it's these same people at work who openly refer to me as the "crazy cat lady" who are the first to call when they know of a cat that needs rescue. "Umm... Jennifer, my daughter's friend's sister's boyfriend's cat gave birth to kittens. You can take one, right; you have cats. I told them you'd help." Okay, maybe it's not always that exact sentence, but time after time I get "you have how many cats" or at the office functions "Jennifer, go ahead tell him how many cats you have" and then these same folks come to me and want me to take just one more.
Why the double standard? Why the hypocrisy? It's not okay for me to have 9 cats, but if you have a cat that needs a home, then it's okay for me to have 10? And you think that I can add just any cat and they will all just party and be happy.
Those of us in rescue know - it's quality, not quantity. You can be a bad pet guardian with two cats or an excellent one with a dozen. It's about caring and responsibility, traits we should be proud for. But it's easy to forget when others look down upon you. As much as I hate to admit it, I know that the next time someone asks me about my cats in that judgmental tone, I won't be able to stop myself from feeling like the Kate Gosselin of the cat world.
Great post! I have 13 cats , yes 13 and I get the same thing ALL the time. And I love the fact that you mention that its not ok to have so many but ok for people to ask advice on anythings cats or you will adopt another and that would be ok. my real friends understand and if they don't they are not friends. I usually only have 9 but also feel the need to explain all of mine are rescue and 2 newest are from a great friend who did rescue who died suddenly. When someone call me crazy cat lady i usually reply " no I just REALLY like cats and have a big heart. My oldest is going to be 20 in January and I am proud to have rescue cats and proud to say I take great care of each and every one!! :)... Oh and another thing some people say are " Oh your a cat person" to whih I reply " No I am an ANIMAL person" I love every and all animals I just choose to have cats. I am lucky that I work at a zoo so many coworkers have a mutual love for creatures. Again great article!!
ReplyDeleteI love your sister's answer, I think I'll be borrowing that. You'll be horrified to know I get the same questions, with the same 5 cases of cat food and the same horrified look when I say "2". Sometimes I say "well.. it's 2 now, I just lost my sweet baby.." and tear up. On purpose. You know, fake tears. Just because I am annoyed they've asked. At first it was cool, and I thought they really were interested in my animals. But they're not, they're just talking to hear themselves talk, so they can whisper amongst themselves, about us crazy cat ladies. And the other day when I walked out with 5 cases, after 3 people asked me how many cats I had, it dawned on me that I should have asked them how many cats they have in response to their question. I don't blame you for what you said, it's really none of their business how many cats you have. Sometimes it's better just to deflect what you know is coming..
ReplyDeleteoh thank you for making me feel normal. i have 17 cats (just lost one beloved boy) and am asked that question every time i go pet food shopping! i think most people just ask out of curiosity, but if i get a certain vibe from someone, i will tell them how many i have and that they are all indoors just to watch them be horrified :) and then tell them that when i was growing up i wanted 75 so i think i'm doing pretty good holding it down to just 17 ... so be a proud crazy cat lady and when someone asks you to take a cat (because, as you said, they assume you will take one because you have some), just tell them to try to be a more responsible human being and work on finding a home for the cat rather than placing that burden on you (i volunteer at a local shelter). great article!
ReplyDeleteI only have four. On Black Saturday, I left the pet store with 19 cases. In the parking lot while I was loading my food purchases (no room for litter even though I needed it), the fellow of a couple (a couple that had more food than I did) said "It looks like you like cats as much as we do." I said "Maybe, but I also don't want to come to the mall again until the holidays are over." ~Venita
ReplyDeleteSo glad to know I'm not alone! I always get that at the grocery store. It's a good thing I don't add that the veggies I'm buying are for the birds and the bunny.
ReplyDeleteI do get exasperated by the people who think you are nuts for having so many pets but then call you right away when they know of one that needs a home. Then they get mad when you decline. Sigh....
What a great post! I only have 4, but I get the same question all the time! I love your sister's answer, by the way! Hehehe.
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure the magic number is five.....under that, you just like cats. 5 and over, you earn the "crazy cat person" title. I have only two right now, but have had as many as 13 at once. I like to use this answer, which goes along with what your sister said...and is "borrowed" in part from a line comedian Stephen Wright used when talking about sea shells. "Well, I used to have them all, but recently some of them have escaped....you haven't seen one or two of them, have you?"
ReplyDeleteThe cashiers at the pet store used to ask me that but don't anymore. It could be that when I only had 3 cats it was just small chit-chat. Now that I'm a cat parent, foster and otherwise, I think I probably look at least a little crazy: disheveled, dirty clothing (hey! I just cleaned 8 litter boxes), uncombed hair and no makeup (who's got the time?), somewhat overweight (because when I finally sit down, it's to eat dinner in front of the boob tube). PEOPLE DON'T WANNA KNOW. Thank goodness I get the majority of the pet food as home-delivered raw, outside the scrutiny of everybody.
ReplyDeleteSo many good points here. I come from a family where everyone's house is full of cats. I currently have four, but other family members have up to 20. So your nine doesn't sound like so many to me.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it's so true what you said about the people who judge you for caring about cats are the same ones who expect you to rescue any needy cat they might encounter.