I’ve always been a bit of an optimist. Broken computer? Hey, finally a chance to read. Less money during the month? What a great opportunity to get creative with food on a budget. Cat parenting is the kind of the opposite. I love my kitten and I’ve absolutely adored every second he’s lived in our house, but with each passing moment — I can feel that optimism turning into thoughts like ‘What’s he up to now?’ and ‘Padfoot… why is there that suspicious sound coming from the bathroom?’
This isn’t to say being a cat parent isn’t amazing. It’s just that… it’s reminded me that my dreams of having children some day — well, they’re future fantasies for a reason. Emphasis on the word ‘future’.
Although I’m not one to think endlessly about having children, it’s always something that has remained close to my heart. In essence, I’ve always wanted to have them. When I signed up to be a cat parent last month, I somewhat laughed at the usage of the term ‘parent’ to describe what it would be like to adopt a 9 week old kitten in our household.
But it couldn’t be closer to the truth.
Our kitten is named Padfoot and he very much lives up to his namesake: the Dog Star, or Sirius Black from Harry Potter. He’s mischievous, runs around yowling for no particular reason, and lives to knock things over and get his butt wet in any shower or sink left unattended. He’s like an 8-year-old kid, running around not caring what or who he runs over. He yowls like a baby needing attention and love.
Our parenting has been, how can I say this, somewhat been a game of playing catch-up. We love him, but more than often, he’s stealing my pen as I’m trying to write in my calendar and attempting to eat things that would make him sick.
Like a stay-at-home parent, I’m always on the lookout. Even when I’m writing articles and researching, half my mind is always thinking about where he is and what he’s doing. Silence is the worst, that moment when your brain goes ‘it’s too quiet.’
He’s an incredible addition to our household, and yet I find myself always thinking about what he needs or wants. It’s wonderful but also strangely exhausting. Although I’ve had a cat before, it was an older rescue cat who wanted to cuddle more and attack less.
Padfoot is definitely a cuddle cat, but only after running around, knocking five things off of the counter and attacking toes during the night.
Even though I’m loving every minute of this crazy cat parent adventure, it’s reminded me how unprepared I am to have an actual kid.
Of course, I’m only 25. I don’t plan on having kids for another 10 years. But living as a cat parent already has made me see just how much my life and priorities have shifted. I’m less likely to stay out for longer periods of time because I’m worried about Padfoot. I’m not (as) productive when I’m multitasking being a mother and doing my work. My mind is just more concerned about our kitten than so many other things.
And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. I think if you want to be a cat parent, you do need to be there and pay attention to your kitten as much as possible. Just because it isn’t a human, doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve as much love as you have to give it. It’s just a little reminder that actual kids would be 10 million times harder. And… that’s definitely not a sacrifice I’m willing to make just quite yet.
So cat parenting? Awesome. Real parenting? Uhm… call me back in 10+ years.