The New (Temporary) Member of the Family

Life has changed over the weekend. The Husband and I now have a crippling addiction to the awesome game, Plants Vs Zombies, and there is a new member to our small household -- a cat. Well, to be sure, it's a temporary resident that is renting our common toilet for about 2 months, but still, it's an adjustment for us.

Pre-cat era, The Husband and I languish in bed in the mornings until it's absolutely crucial to get up to get to work at all; now we get up earlier to change kitty litter, give it some food and affection, sweep up the scattered kitty litter around the bathroom floor and let it roam around the house. Pre-cat era, we didn't care what time we got home, as long as we get some sleep that night; now, we make sure we're home earlier to pander to the needs and wants of Queen Cat, clearing up her mess and giving her affection according to her demands.

My mum, the faithful Nagger and Naysayer, tells me that my house will be covered in fur and given the track record I've had with housework, she predicts that the value of my flat will depreciate drastically due to the fur and cat smell that will linger on til Kingdom comes. My dad says, with both hands raised, "as long as it remains YOUR problem and not MY problem."

I asked friends who keep cats, how do they deal with the fur? The most honest answer I've gotten is: "Cats and fur come together. Don't fight it, it's not worth it. Fur always wins." Well, now.

How did the cat end up on our lap? A friend of a friend has a housing issue and needs to keep the cat somewhere temporarily. My friend then asked me if I'd like to keep itand I said ok, let's give it a try. I honestly don't know why he approached me in the first place, since I've never kept any pets, and the only time I've demonstrated any affinity to cats is when I pet strays. Coincidentally, a few weeks earlier, I was smsing The Husband, saying that in this lifetime, it'll be nice to have kept a dog, a cat, and to raise about two kids. So when the opportunity came to test drive this dream, we took it!

Some fun facts:
- The cat is named Mimi, but The Husband wants to rename it "Cleopatra, The Sun Goddess", inspired by the regal way she claimed the kitchen rug for herself when she reclined on it.
- It looks an awful lot like Puss from Shrek, especially the gorgeous green eyes.
- It likes to squeeze inside shoeboxes, low shelves and dark corners. It's also partial to hiding behind curtains. SO ADORABLE.

In the mean time, I've got friends who are now asking to visit to see the cat. Not because they want to visit us. Because. Of. The Cat. It makes me wonder about the friends we have and the company we keep.