Life at my house has been crazy and good this month. Crazy because my husband and I adopted a kitten and good because he’s so flippin’ adorable! Our fuzzy 3-month-old has been dubbed Dewey. (How could this nerdy librarian not name him Dewey? It’s kind of a requirement.) And in less than three weeks he has assumed full control of the Johnston household. This does not sit well with our other cat, Gracie, but she is becoming wise to his ways and exerts a firm parental-like paw when necessary. Despite Gracie’s irritation, we can tell that Dewey Dactyl (he has extra toes which raises the cute factor to the power of infinity) will be a fun if somewhat annoying companion for our mature cat-girl, so kittenhood is worth enduring — for all of us.
Perhaps you or someone you know is in the throes of raising a kitten or a puppy, or maybe you’re just in the “thinking” stage of pet adoption. Caring for a pet can be a wonderful, fulfilling experience, but it should never be taken lightly. Animals, like humans, need the basics — food, water, shelter — but they also need attention and love and health care (and by the way, furry kids won’t be covered under your family’s medical plan; a travesty, to be sure).
If your family has made the commitment to raise another species under your roof, bravo to you, and may I recommend a trip to the library to read up on the care and feeding of furry, feathery or scaly companions. We have oodles of information about caring for pets, so do your current and/or future pet-kids a favor and get informed. A well-placed litter box or a vet-approved chew toy will go a long way toward creating a happy coexistence between man and beast — no matter the species.
• “The Complete Cat’s Meow: Everything You Need to Know about Caring for Your Cat,” by Darlene Arden. Watch out, Dewey. With the help of this book, and Gracie’s vast experience as a cat, we’ll rein in your cuteness in no time. Not.
