At Least Now I know Where the Expression "Scaredy Cat" Comes From

We got a cat five days ago. Paulina's cute, she's furry...and end of story. Okay, so it's probably too soon to judge, but I really wouldn't know. That's because I'm a dog person. I've never spent much time around cats and have never particularly liked them. So why did I allow one in our house, you ask? Ha, because I'm a sucker, that's why.

The literature the animal shelter sent us home with outlined how cats take a while to warm up, and that it might be a week before she even shows her face. Well, Paulina isn't that extreme. She does let us pet her...BUT you have to lie on the floor next to the bed under which she's camped (she's taken over the spare bedroom) and reach, reach, REACH your arm in to do so. Then sometimes she'll purr and use your hand as a scratching post. But you have to go to her; so far it's never the other way around.

I think my problem with this "cat attitude" is that I sort of have one myself. Throughout my life, I've not often been the one who pursued relationships; either they've just happened or else I've been the one pursued. It's just not in my nature to aggressively seek love and affection. Which is why I'm a dog person. Dogs do not hide their love; they slather you with it. With dogs, you get back what you give. With cats...not so much.

The way I feel is that, if the cat wants companionship, she'll come to me. I refuse to beg for her love.

My husband, on the other hand, is always up there reaching his long arm under the bed to pet her, trying to win her affection. Is this a guy thing? Perhaps all those years of wooing girls makes it come naturally to them? Is this learned behavior or innate? Because my son is up there even more than my husband, cooing to the kitty for ages. My daughter, however--whose 3rd birthday present the cat was to begin with--can't understand why the cat is always hiding under the bed, and probably wishes she'd asked for a new tutu for her birthday instead.

Maybe it's a gender thing, or maybe my daughter just takes after me while my son takes after my husband. Who knows?

What I do know is that cats can live a looong time. I also know that I don't plan on sharing my house with a feline stranger for the next decade.

You hear that, Paulina? You'd better start showing us some love soon.

(Oh, and FYI, by love I don't mean the pile of poop you left in our bedroom earlier today because you were too scared by three noisy kids running around to venture down to the basement to use your litter box. That is NOT okay.)