I'm an animal loving freak....

Or so the masses say. People think the amount of energy and money I spend on my cats is absurd. More than often, many of my friends mouths gape in disbelief followed by the repetitive shaking of the head and sucking of the teeth when I tell them my story about my cats. To some degree, I understand why they feel that way. I grew up with a family who treated animals as pets and only pets. They were at first a novelty, then an annoyance, and then as they got older, a burden. My parents never took our animals to the Vet - it was absolutely ridiculous to them that anyone would spend more money on an animal's health then on their own.

The differences between "hard-core" animal lovers and I are many. These are my beliefs:

1. I fully admit that keeping my animals are selfish.
   
2. I fully admit that spending money to keep my animals alive are selfish.
3. I would never keep my pet alive if they were suffering or were lacking quality of life. As it is, my cat Doo Doo (he came to me named that way), is still running, beating up on the others, eating like a dog, bringing me toys, and snuggling and biting my ear after two different bouts of cancer.
4. I feel that if I take them away from their natural environment then I have a responsibility to give them a loving home. My pets give me unconditional love...I owe it to them to give them all I can.
5. I would not choose their lives over mine. I can't take care of them if I'm not healthy.

Despite the fact I am a bit upset that their medical bills have dipped into our wedding fund, I don't question or doubt my actions. My wedding is one day, one day that doesn't have to have all the glitz - it is just a selfish event that ends before I know it. That doesn't mean I don't want it, but it does mean I'm willing to give up some of it to save my cat - something that means much more to me.

Now I must untangle the mess in my hair that my cat Pee Pee kneaded (well I have Doo Doo, I might as well have a Pee Pee!) while I was sleeping.