Cat City

Lee and I have decided that pets are not convenient for us for many reasons.  The only pet that we agree that would ever be a possibility for us is a dog.  But, after weighing the pros and cons, we realised the cons are too great for us at this time.

Pets create costs for food, veterinary bills, toys, and grooming.  They need to be looked after any time you want to leave the house for more than a day and even then, you cannot leave the house for too long in one day because they will need to be fed and let out.  On top of all of this is the little extras they can bring into the house like fleas, mud, smells, bugs, and other small animal friends.  And who knows when they might bite or scratch or chew up the furniture?  There are just too many things to worry about and with a baby at home, the extra effort just isn't worth it for us now.

It seems that a lot of our neighbours in Ainsdale have found a solution to wanting a pet but not wanting to take care of one:  get a cat!

Yes, cats are apparently allowed to dig in everyone's flowerbeds and leave disgusting droppings for you to find while planting and weeding.  They are also allowed to prowl on and under cars.  The worst of their offences is hiding behind the low walls by the sidewalk (pavement) and then jumping up to be shoulder-height just as you walk by their little trap.

Our back yard's security light goes off at all times of the night due to these rebel prowlers so even though I thought that they at least went home at night to be watched by their 'owners,' they don't!  These trespassing felines are in charge and Ainsdale seems to accept them as their pets, welcoming them over to 'give them a stroke.'  (I am the exception to this rule; the only thing I have ever said to the cats is, 'Go home.'  They are starting to listen to me now.  At first, they thought I was one of the natives.  Sorry, but I am not a 'cat person.')

I keep wondering why cats get a pass as public pets.  Imagine if people let out their chickens, rabbits, hamsters, dogs, and turtles for the day.  Madness!  I think we need to redefine the term 'pet' and if someone owns a pet, it shouldn't be allowed to be half-wild, half-domesticated.

So although we are not ready for a pet--which could only ever be a dog--when we are ready for one, we will keep it on a leash when we leave the house and within our property's boundaries when we are at home.  We have enough to worry about with bees, wasps, pigeons, and ... well, that's all of the wildlife I can think of around here ... so let's try to keep the list low and take cats off the streets.

Exploring our local park with his updated running and climbing skills

Getting really dizzy by spinning and looking out of the side of his eye

Playing his invented spinning game

The future England captain

Reading his pop-up book to us before bed

Developmental updates:  Jackson turned 20-months-old on Sunday.  It hardly seems possible that he is nearly two already!  Jackson's new words this week were horse, everybody, please, gone, and bee.  He has been practising his kicking and throwing skills with a soccer ball (football) and bocce ball (lawn bowl) respectively.  He is still going through a phase where he doesn't want to be left at nursery, but his teachers have reassured me that he calms down after I leave within about ten minutes.  Our prediction as to why this is happening is because a lot of his friends moved up to the next toddler class and he must be missing them.  Jackson has been making sound effects especially when we read We're Going On a Bear Hunt for the grass swishing and the wind in the snowstorm.  He consistently picks out 101 Dalmatians from the DVD shelf and he finds watching the puppies very exciting.  We took a few trips to the local park this week and Jackson wore his baby harness and reins for the first time.  He wasn't wild about putting it on because he didn't understand its purpose, but then when we got home, he associated it with being outside and didn't want to take it off.  It really is a good solution for children with lots of energy who are also fearless.

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.