My Heart Is Full (of Cat Hair)
Meet Juno!
As you may have heard from Jenn’s post, we got a cat! His name is Juno, and he’s a very sweet boy.
Almost two weeks ago my mother-in-law swung by aaaalllll the way from Michigan to plop him off in our apartment, unable to keep him due to making a big move soon. Life hasn’t been better since.
While he hid in the bathtub the entire first night, by the next morning he had come to visit Jenn and I in bed, ready to pester us and ask for attention. He was a little shy still, but I think that was mostly from being in a completely new space and having us and my in-laws in our apartment (I mean I would be shy too in his paws.)
For most of that first weekend, it was just me and Juno as Jenn was out of town for a family event. It was a strange experience to come home from my Saturday shift to a house that was empty all except for one lone cat. I was a little restless as a result, so I did a bunch of chores while Juno kept me company, watching me from the comfort of our couch. In between chores I’d come to visit him for a minute or two. I’d wash dishes, then pet Juno for a bit. Do some laundry, then take in more Juno time. Rinse-repeat until it was time for bed, an experience made better by Juno at the edge of our bed.
While I normally get a little lonely when Jenn’s gone, having Juno to keep me company helped me feel less so. It’s like having a furry roommate who pays for rent with cute looks and cuddles.
The rest of that weekend was pretty uneventful, but that’s probably a good thing. I got him some toys from the pet store, picked up Jenn from her family trip, and returned home with her where we reveled in Juno’s presence.
Since then, we’ve all been getting used to each other’s routines. He’s slowly starting to learn our bedtime routine and comes to lay with us when we sleep. We’re getting accustomed to his daily visits at five am where he usually asks for pets from one of us — usually Jenn because I’m a heavy sleeper. It’s the funniest thing because he’ll sit right in front of Jenn’s face, staring at her to make sure she’s awake before laying down, making biscuits on her arm, and doing other cat things that are simultaneously cute and mildly annoying when you’re trying to sleep.
And through it all, I can’t help but feel so happy to have a cat again. I grew up with three cats, so to me it’s like reviving a little bit of my childhood. Juno’s presence is (almost) always a calming one. When I’m feeling a little stressed, I can’t help but look at him chilling on his back and be reminded that it’s not all that serious. Maybe I can stop and breathe, just for a little bit, to give him some pets.
Do you have any pets? What are their names?
Are you a dog or cat person (or both?)
What’s your favorite thing about having pets? Your least favorite?
Life is so much better with cats. I have 3 cats and one of them is black like Juno