Cats Are Not Dogs . . . Getting A Gizmo!

Two years I had to put my beloved dog, Rockefeller down just four month prior to the day I decided I would go to the shelter and look for another dog. I wasn't totally over losing Rocky dog but I hurt so bad. My soul needed to find peace from the emptiness of his passing, yet all I could think about was missing him. And as silly as it sounds, it was his old bad habits I missed the most. You see, Rocky was a rescue dog that was by all accounts the worst dog anyone could ever have. He was a long haired terrier mix or as the vet said, "I'd hate to venture a guess what all is mixed up in this dog." He'd been beaten and starved before I got him, and I was his only hope of getting a home because of the trauma of his other home. He hated men but liked most women, barked non-stop, ate whole legs off tables, & he would tolerate kids but wouldn't let my husband on the bed. My husband would have to push Rocky off and dive into bed before the darn dog would jump back up, or the process would start all over. Poor hubby! Everyone else wanted him put down because of his constant grumpy nature along with his other bad habits that drove people nuts. Nah, he was my dog and I would do the best I could for him until the day he died like every other animal I've ever had. Somehow Rocky and I both knew I was his only hope and we bonded deeply.



He lived for 13 ripe old years and oh, how I mourned him! I still do at times, but it was time for a new pet. My husband and daughter wanted to go with me but this was a deeply personal mission and I wanted to go alone. I had to find that deep magical connection because if I didn't' feel it--I wasn't ready for a new family member.



I walked in, and the kind folks at the shelter were surprised to see me so soon, but I think there was an unspoken understanding on where I was emotionally. I walked alone past all the wire kennel doors that were filled with mostly cute, happy puppies. I passed on them because I knew they would be adopted--puppies always get a family. The only other dogs there were of Pit Bull mixes and I didn't want to take a chance with one since we have kids running in and out of the house all the time.



Dejectedly, I decided to go into cat room number one just to look the cats over because I just didn't want to go home. Home was so empty. I knew I was a confirmed dog person and that I had no intentions of getting a cat. I just needed to pet something!



The room was filled with all colors and sizes of cats. I petted several but felt nothing. I walked into room number two and petted a few cats and enjoyed it. My husband wanted a cat but our daughter and I really wanted another dog.



I was ready to leave, when I decided to go into cat room number three. There were only a few cages and most of them were empty. A year old ginger cat gazed up at me wearily and I bent down and tried to coax him to my hand. Suddenly I felt something twining in my hair. I looked up at the top cage and there was a small Tabby kitten with his arm stretched out through the wire as far as he could reach with his small paws tangled in my hair. I looked into his eyes and BAM! I felt the magic connection instantly. But this couldn't be. A cat? The little kitten closed his eyes, threw his head back and let out the awfullest, "mowwwwwww!" as if to say, "finally your here to take me away!" I couldn't explain this connection, but I took him out and he wrapped around my neck and "mowwwwwwwwwwed" again. His purr was so loud for this little six inch body that was covered in spots of stripes. My eyes teared up and my heart swelled at the feel of his purr on my neck. But a cat? Could this be?



I walked out to talk to the rescue officer that was a friend of mine. "Sarah, ah that's a cat! I thought you wanted a dog?" Officer Annie was the gal that came to the house to see how Rocky was doing after I got him. "Yeah I know but this cat . . . there is something about this . . . cat.



"I can't explain it, but I think he's mine." I said. I stared at her still in shock as I watched a slow smile spread across her fair face. "Ahhh . . . but I think but I better go get the tribe (my family) and let them see this little guy. Is he available?"



She spoke with her eyes sparkling making me blush as the empty words I'd uttered more than once floated back to my ears, "Nah I can't take a cat. I'm a dog person, sorry. I only do dogs." I can't tell you how the emptiness of my soul returned instantly as I handed him back to Annie, making me want to grab him back. Annie said, "This is Gizmo. He just came up for adoption one hour ago and just got finished being weaned today. Do you want to start the paperwork?" I told her I wanted to get the family's thoughts before I took him home and asked her to hold him for me. But strict rules of the shelter didn't' allow her to hold him and I panicked. <em>What if someone else came in while I went to pick up my husband and took him?</em>



"I'll be right back." I dashed out the car and was on my cell phone to hubby before the door shut. I begged him to come right then and look at the cat--he did, and loved him too! That just left my daughter who was in elementary school. I knew she really wanted a dog too, so I didn't know if she'd go for a cat. I dropped my hubby back at work and pick her up from school. I drove like a mad woman and waited impatiently until she came out and got in the car.



"Get your belt on honey! I'm having a kid!" "You're pregnant?!" she screamed surprised. "No, I'm having a kitten!" "WHAT?!" she yelled. I gunned the car as much as I safely could around a school as my daughter asked me if I was pregnant. I laughed all the way to the shelter as I explained about Gizmo and roared inside to get the kitten. My daughter squealed with joy when she saw him on Annie's arm. Again the plucky little cat "mowwwwwwwwed!" loudly as if he recognized us and was ready to go home.



The rest is history. The plucky little cat turned out to be my daughters cat, lock, stock, and barrel. I've often told people that the little dickens tricked me to get to my daughter, but that's fine with me. He's such a character! Always into everything and he's the most talkative cat I've ever seen. He sits and talks to me while I do my work, while I cook, and as I entertain. I know cats are not dogs, but this spunky cat thinks he is a dog at times. He follows us around like a dog, greets us at the door like a dog, but is a pure old cat. I've taken a lot of ribbing from friends about going to the shelter for a dog and coming back with a fiesty kitten that was just weaned the same day I found him. That's ok. Gizmo has added so much to our lives and I still feel that connection with him that only animal people know about. That intangible connection that we feel to creatures that come into our lives that is at times stronger than the connections we feel with other humans. Yeah cats are not dogs and I'm so glad!



Sarah