Garance Galore

It’s hard to explain the love I feel for my cats. It’s especially difficult to explain it to someone who’s never had pets. Taking them in was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I grew up around pets, but I always considered myself more of a dog person. I think I was a bit scared of cats and never quite understood the fuss about these little furry creatures. When I met A he already had Mojo, our oldest baby, along with her sister Sky, who unfortunately passed away due to medical reasons.

So when my husband and I began our relationship, I had no choice but to welcome Mojo into my life. Whether I wanted to or not, I had to adopt her.

It didn’t take long for her to grow on me, and since then, she’s become one of the most important beings in my life!

Seeing Mojo alone every day made me sad, especially since she had lost her sister years earlier. So, we decided to adopt a kitten, hoping they would get along and hopefully even love each other.

There are so many things I didn’t know or thought I knew about these beautiful and sweet creatures. And today, I’d love to share with you what I’ve learned over these few years living with my babies.

Cats are not low maintenance

A lot of people choose to adopt cats because they think they require less maintenance than dogs. While you don’t have to walk your cat every day and yes, they do tend to be more independent at times, cats are not low maintenance.

Cats need playtime, attention, stimulation, and love. They’re not accessories. Adopting a kitten with that mindset is wrong in my opinion. They also require organisation when it comes to holidays for example, especially if you only have one cat.

Two or none!

Seeing Mojo and Tabo together brings me so much joy. They play, love, and groom each other daily. Even though we love them, we can’t give them what they provide for each other.

It is true that cats can be territorial, but I believe company is important.

There’s plenty of good advice online on how to introduce cats to each other if you want to explore this option!

We kept ours apart for the first 24 hours, but they wanted to be together much sooner than expected. We were so lucky! It’s not always like that; we were told to keep them apart for at least four days…

Of course, you need to keep an eye on them in the beginning, but everything went so well. It was heartwarming to see.

Vacations will never be the same

First off, you have to think about what to do with your cats when you go on vacations.

We once took Mojo to France because I stayed there for almost two months.

The flight was about 50 euros, and you need to visit the vet before each flight to make sure your cat is healthy and has up-to-date vaccinations.

And yes, just like us, they need a passport!

But most of the time, we have friends taking care of them, or we find a pet sitter.

I’ve heard that the highest rate of pet abandonment happens in the summer because people don’t want or can’t take their pets and have no one to look after them.

I find this disgusting and disturbing. Pets aren’t disposable.

Now that that’s been said, once you find a proper solution for your furry baby, trust me, you’ll still feel a little guilt, a little worry. I haven’t been able to fully enjoy my holidays since becoming a cat mom.

It’s like someone is missing.

They will teach you how to love

Cats sometimes get a bad reputation because of their “temper.” They’re not dogs, and they won’t always beg for attention, like being held or petted when they’re not in the mood, and they probably won’t run to you when you call their name. But,

would you?

Again, pets aren’t toys or animated accessories.

No shade to dogs, I love them! But what I love about cats is that they teach you boundaries, and we have a lot to learn from that.

And just because they don’t seem as expressive as dogs doesn’t mean they don’t feel love, or care for their humans.

In fact, once you take an interest in cats and treat them with kindness and patience, you’ll easily notice the small ways they show affection. And it’s truly rewarding.

You will never feel alone again

Coming home and seeing my babies at the door after a long day, having Mojo lay on me when I’m feeling down, or waking up with Tabo in my arms are sensations I’m grateful for every day.

They’re hilarious, goofy, sweet, and thoughtful like no one else (except A, lol).

They’ll be with you through all the mundane tasks like going to the bathroom, folding laundry, or cleaning. They’ll make your everyday life so much more special and meaningful.

I’m not sure what else to say except: please think more than twice before adopting a cat. And once you do, shower them with love because they truly deserve it.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post. And if not, honestly, I couldn’t care less, LOL, because I love talking about my babies.

xoxo,

Garance