Success Story: How I Became a 'Cat Person'
By Harry Kitty’s Pet Parent
When I moved to Michigan back in June, I said that I was definitely going to get a dog. I had a dog, Reggie, when I was a kid, so I was definitely a “dog person.” However, upon apartment shopping in Michigan, I quickly realized that there was going to be no way I could have a dog—none of the apartments in the area were dog-friendly! I pouted for a bit but started to consider cats. I liked cats, but every cat I've ever known has been a skittish recluse who's barely ever seen and just likes to bite (a lot)—so, I've never really been a “cat person.” But I really wanted a furry friend now that I was going to be alone in Michigan, so I compromised and told myself that if I found the perfect cat, I would get him. And I would name him Henry. If I was going to have a cat, he'd have to have a funny old man name.
Little did I know, just a few weeks after settling in, I'd find him.
On a routine trip to Petco to pick up food for my Gecko and Hermit Crabs, I strode past the cages of lonely cats looking for a home and came across a big orange fluffball with bright green eyes. Unlike other cats I'd encountered at pet stores, he took interest in me and got up to sniff my hand and attempt to rub his scent on me. He was eager for attention and wouldn't let me walk away, so I played with him for a little bit and happened to glance up at the sign on his cage. “Harry” it read. “A shy cat that would do well in a quiet, single-person home.” I wasn't sure what they meant by shy, because he sure wasn't shy with me, but I definitely had a quiet, single-person home! And that name—not quite Henry, but close enough.
He was my cat. I knew it and he knew it.
Unfortunately, I came to the store too late and was told I had to come back the next day to adopt him. Worst of all, they wouldn't be able to hold him for me.
So I went home that night and for the next 18 hours or so, I worried that my Harry was going to be gone. He was the perfect cat. Naturally, everyone in the world was going to want him.
I called the store three times while at work, making sure that Harry was still available, and kept telling the store associates that I would be over around 4 pm to formally adopt him. I made sure I had every form and letter I needed to make the process go smoothly.
I sped over to Petco the second I was off work and rushed over to check on Harry. There was a family petting him through the cage, and as I walked up to them, I just blurted out, "I'm adopting him today.” The family smiled and said they were glad to see him going to good home. I was safe; they weren't adopting him.
After that, it ran like clockwork. Several initials, signatures and a cart full of goodies later, Harry was my cat. My Harry.
The trip home was only 15 minutes, but it was painful, with one very unhappy kitty crying from his kennel in the back seat. The second he got home, however, he relaxed. Closed off to the bathroom for a bit, I sat and watched him explore. Checking out each corner and taking in every little bit of his strange new environment, he made sure he saw everything at least twice. I introduced different toys and he was eager to play. I still don’t understand what the store was talking about when they labeled him as a shy kitty. There wasn’t an ounce of shyness in him! He was a sweet boy who just wanted to play and be loved—and he still is today.
Months later, he’s the greatest decision of my life. I couldn’t imagine my life without him.
He’s always close by so that chin scratches and loving rubs can be administered at all times. Of course, with him being so close at all times, he always ends up in front of my camera lens. I always have my camera ready to catch Harry at the perfect moment, and with him, there is a never a dull moment. Even when I’m not taking photos of him, he still tries to be the subject. He has very quickly become one of my favorite subjects to photograph. Surely Harry was a model in a past life.
So that is life today. I’m now a “cat person,” and Harry is my big, photo-loving, snuggly furball.