Meow Meow Waagh Waagh.

When I was pregnant I was feeling guilty about having a cat. Why? Most importantly because of toxoplasmosis but that had it's benifits because it meant I could get out of changing the litter box. Also, there is what I consider to be a myth about cats sitting on baby's faces and "stealing their breath". Still, if it ever happened wouldn't I feel stupid!

My cat, Casey, is 14 years old. He is an "old man" in cat terms. Therefore, he can be... well grumpy. He likes my husband and I and most adult friends of ours although he definately dislikes some people and expresses it by trying to bite their ankles. Children, well, he really doesn't like them at all. Unless they are too afraid to go near him. Most kids are all like "Ooooh fluffy kitty!" with their little hands all outstreched ready to maul and torture him.

I have to give him credit. He gives them a warning meow which translated means "Stay the bleep away from me!" But of course they don't speak his language like I do and choose to ignore me when I translate for them. He must be nice because look how fluffy and cute he is, right? Wrong.

So this begs the question. What will he be like with our child? I couldn't help but think one morning while showering "Wouldn't it be easier if he just fell asleep one day before the baby came and didn't wake up." Strangely, a few days after I'd been pondering this I noticed tiny dried pools of watery blood in all of his favorite dwellings. On the window ledge especially. I felt horrible. I had willed him to be sick. I called the vet and made an appointment. I remember sitting in the clinic that day filling out the paperwork after dropping him off and bawling my eyes out. Snot everywhere. I had to ask for a kleenex between sobs. The staff would have thought I was nuts except that I was obviously very pregnant and clearly unstable. He ended up having a UT infection, they gave me pills for him. He got better, the end.

Months later, baby is home. Casey is fine with her. He so far has payed her all the attention of sniffing her head. One day he licked her when she was crying which she was too hysterical to notice anyway. He seems protective. When someone is holding her other than Peter or myself and she is crying he lurks around their feet as if to say "Why are you hurting my baby? Stop it or I'll bite your ankles, I'll do it!" It may be a different story when she is older and has better control over her busy hands. I think she'll be like me and speak his language. In fact, they may have a language all their own.