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| Bandit has to be a Momma's boy... he has his own car seat! (Photo: Jamie Sullivan) |
Who doesn’t love puppies and kittens? Every child has
that moment with their parents where they’re standing with a small furry animal
in their hands and plead to their parents to take it home. I had that same look
in the 7th grade at Easter when my cousin brought a litter of puppies
his dog recently had to our family gathering. And now, Bandit’s a part of the
family and a total Momma’s boy. You’re welcome, Mom.
But that moment definitely takes some convincing:
“I promise I’ll take it out!”
“This could be my best friend.”
“BUT MOMMMM, LOOK HOW CUTE HE IS…”
“Dad, he’s hypoallergenic, no excuses.”
And sometimes they just look at you like you’re crazy
and shut you down, crushing your hopes and dreams. So when we move out of our
parents’ houses we have the ability to expand our responsibilities and possibly
even add a four-legged friend to the mix.
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| The Austin Humane Society (Photo: Jamie Sullivan) |
When I moved into my apartment, a common piece of advice
I received was that I should get a pet. It’s companionship, it makes sense. But
this wasn’t something I was going to do on a whim, because getting a pet is
also a pretty big responsibility. So, I decided to go to the Austin Humane
Society to do some research and look at some adoption possibilities.
I talked to one of the volunteers, Alexa about what she thought about adopting a pet when you’re living alone, and about whether a dog or cat would suit me better.
“Cats are a lot less work,” she said. “I find it easier when you’re a college student to have a cat because they’re a lot more independent than dogs.”
I talked to one of the volunteers, Alexa about what she thought about adopting a pet when you’re living alone, and about whether a dog or cat would suit me better.
“Cats are a lot less work,” she said. “I find it easier when you’re a college student to have a cat because they’re a lot more independent than dogs.”
This made a lot of sense to me, seeing as how my
schedule isn’t always concrete and I’m out of the apartment for multiple hours
at a time during the day. Alexa then started promoting the idea of an older cat
for adoption.
“Older cats just want a bed to hide under,” she said. “They
don’t ask for much but are always up for cuddling. Dogs need attention and can
get depressed if they’re left alone for long periods of time and can develop
anxiety issues. Apartments are more ideal for cats.”
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| Me and Biggs, a male cat up for adoption at the Humane Society. He was so friendly! (Photo: Jamie Sullivan) |
Perfect! That’s really all I want (and can handle):
something to be happy to see me when I come home and curl up on my lap, but not
be sad and lonely while I’m away.
Stella Luna is my outdoor family cat back home. When we first found her as a kitten she stayed inside for a few months before my dad’s allergies couldn’t handle it any longer. Now, she’s 9 years old, and has a sort of vendetta against my family. When we got Bandit a year after her, she would stand at the back door and look confused as to why he was allowed inside while she wasn’t. Needless to say, she’s constantly trying to sneak into the house to reclaim her territory.
She’s older, relaxed, and familiar with me. On top of that, I know she’ll worship me for giving her an entire apartment to claim as her own. So, this weekend after Easter at home, I’ll be coming back with my new furry roommate in tow!
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| Stella, my soon-to-be new roommate! (Photo: Kathy Sullivan) |
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