You know, it's strange... when I was a boy, I didn't like cats at all. They were skittish and sort of unpredictable, and I found them untrustworthy. I had a sandbox, and stray cats were always crapping in the sandbox, and that made me mad at them. Also, the neighbor's cat scratched me once, and those early-in-life experiences tend to stick with you.
Then, a few years later, a stray took up with us. I tried to convince my parents not to feed it. They didn't listen. When it was obvious the creature wasn't just going to go away, I tried to stay emotionally aloof. I didn't want to become a "cat person."
Well, fate has its own ideas, I guess. I eventually came around. Of all of us in the family, I think the cat ended up liking me the best. Go figure.
He didn't trust my sister, though. I think that was because my sister and I didn't get along, and the cat picked up on that and took sides with me against her. He was utterly loyal to me. A guard cat.
I've never had much desire to have another pet. The hair everywhere, the litter box chores, the going in and out... I'm just not eager to go through the hassle again. I'm also afraid the next pet would be a disappointment in comparison to my old buddy. And that wouldn't be fair to either me or that next pet. So I'm pet-free for now and the foreseeable future.
But never say never.
