By MAD21
I know that not everyone is a "cat-person." But quite honestly, I think most people who don't like cats have never been loved by one. Now, before you get all wound up over the "Cat vs. Dog" thing, know that my family are also "dog-people." We have a wonderful puppy, too, but I'll save her story for another day. Personally, my home just doesn't feel complete without one of each.
When my hubby and I got married, I brought two cats with me. They were brother and sister, but acted more like a married couple. It was quite entertaining. They were both given to me right after my previous cat had died. They were awful as kittens, I cannot say that strongly enough... AWFUL kittens. Most people, my parents included, would never have kept them. They tore everything up. But they became the most loving pets, but they were most assuredly, my pets. The girl cat, Emmy, didn't like anyone but me, and she let you know that if you got anywhere near her. She eventually accepted my hubby, but she would never had admitted it. They boy cat, Oscar, was like a little kid.. all the time. He was very mischievous, loved to play, and liked just about everyone.
Emmy died about nine months after my first daughter was born (and as a side-note... she LOVED the baby...how weird is that?). Oscar survived another four years. Long enough for both of my daughters to fall in love with him. When he got really sick this past January, we learned that he had cancer. It had progressed far enough, there wasn't anything we could do. We decided that as long as we believed he was not in pain, and he remained 'himself' that we would keep him home with us. This was so that all of us, our kids included, could prepare to say goodbye.
It gave us a tremendous opportunity to talk to our girls about life and death... and love. And so when the time came to say goodbye to Oscar in March, we were as ready as we could be. During the last few months we had with him, we loved all over him, but we also prayed that God would prepare for our family, a new kitty to love. After several visits to animal shelters over a few months, we finally found the one in June. She was this tiny little gray kitten with a small white patch on her chest. We all instantly fell in love with her.
After a few weeks of deliberation over names, we got stuck chose the name KC, short for Kitty Cat, since that's what everyone kept calling her. My hubby and I had some other more exotic names for her because she was so beautiful, but it kept going back to KC. So.. it stuck.
I have to say, KC is no ordinary cat. She is the best cat that my husband and I have ever had. She loves all over us, and puts up with all the loving she receives from our girls. Actually, she does more that put up with the them, she seeks them out sometimes to play with or for some nuzzling. One of my favorite things is how she stalks us. I have actually gotten to the point where I'm afraid to walk around a corner or past a bed, because she always comes running out to 'attack' (picture a martial arts kind of slow mo thing where she's in the air with all fours out but never actually hits you--but it's enough to startle you...).
A month or so ago, I was looking through some of the papers the shelter gave to us when we brought her home. It never occurred to me to see when her actual birthday was when we found and adopted her. How amazing is it that KC was born the week that Oscar died? Why should I be surprised?
If you ever wondered if God hears you when you cry, let me tell you, he does. It doesn't always work out this way, but He hears, and He feels your pain. In this case He brought us the perfect kitten. I'm convinced it was Him, because His fingerprints are all over her.
[Editors Note: KC is having some health issues that we are trying to resolve. I would very much appreciate some prayers for her. Thanks!]
Fellow blogger Beki at Pampering You has a really great weekly post she does every Friday called "Fingerprint Friday." We are to look around and see where we can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Anywhere? Go find out where Beki saw God this week, and be sure to check out the other bloggers who linked their stories as well.