Well, I guess you could say I'm a cat lady in training. Most of my pet experience was with dogs until about 15 years ago. So you could say I've just started my training with the basic care-taking duties for cats. I chose to be the "food mama" for our cats. I'm a person of routine and pretty regular, so the regimen of feeding and providing water is easy for me. Of course, the cats ignored me at first. No acknowledgement that I provided them with their food. For so long I just felt like a servant. But cats are not easy with their affections. And I knew that if I persisted that they would come to appreciate my ministrations.
You also must understand that the other cat lady in our household ranks on the level of a cat goddess. Kathleen practically grew up in a zoo. Her mother was both a breeder and trainer of dogs. And her mother always had a few cats in the house, so Kathleen was surrounded by pets from an early age. I also think that Kathleen's affinity for pets, and cats in particular, is both genetic and a product of many lifetimes. Cats will often ignore me while they are drawn to Kathleen. So, you see, I've got some tough competition for the cats' attentions and affections.
Well, years of feedings have passed, and I've been reliable. I make sure feeding time is always "on-time", and the food is top quality and never in short supply. Our alpha cat, Perrier, will actually remind me an hour or so before feeding time. This is the only time she pays attention to me, but we still do the will-you-feed-me-now-routine every day. We have bonded. I have found my place in the cats' lives. Finally.
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