Warm Fuzzies

Whenever it begins to get colder, I often think of my very first pet. It was a hamster.

My friend Caren had hamsters and I was in love with them. I'm not really sure how to all went down but all of a sudden my mom had taken me to a house where they apparently bred hamsters. I can remember this gigantic cage filled with hamsters. Seriously there were at least a hundred of them. I picked one out of the bunch (luck had it they also sold starter cages) and away we went.

I loved that hamster. It did not love me. Hamsters really are not that awesome of a pet.

My hamster had an unfortunate short life. Why I think about my first pet when it gets cold is because the room his cage was in did not have very much heat. He either froze to death or had a heart attack (the jury is still out if my mom had something to do with his early death; she hated it). My little heart was broken. I cried and cried and even stayed home from school that day to have a funeral. I buried him in an old hot pink pencil box, bundled in old wash cloths.

A few days after his untimely death I was coming home from school and noticed a couple of feral cats trying to dig up his grave. I freaked out. I made sure he was still in his plastic coffin and buried him deeper to save him from being eaten.

I have no idea why I ever wanted a hamster. They are pretty stupid and do not do anything; plus they smell bad. Growing up is weird.

I do think letting your kids help raise a pet can provide valuable lessons. It teaches them about service and unconditional love; even death and grieving.

In February, it will be seven years since we brought our cat-child home. I am coo-coo over this thing. She is like my child and I am completely obsessed with her. She has this awesome little personality and most days I can't get over that a living animal lives in our home. I love it. She knows when I'm sick and when I'm sad. She can be the sweetest little creature on earth. Don't get me wrong she is still a cat and can be a total bitch. I think that makes me love her even more.

I am forgetting the book title, but I feel like this cat is my animal spirit and that we connect. She understands me and I understand her. When her day comes I am going to need time off work. Thank goodness that is hopefully a long, long time away.

But seriously, how weird is it that we let animals live with us? They have a heart, lungs, blood, and a digestive system. Can you imagine me every having a kid? I would be a hot mess.