The road to becoming a cat lady has by no means been an easy journey. From the countless kitty battle scars to the never ending cleaning of the litter box, being a cat lady is a job to be respected.
I first realized I was obsessed with the feline when I babysat my sister’s cat, Hoshi. My sister wasn’t allowed to have a cat in her new apartment, so that’s when I took the initiative, as her aunt, to take Hoshi under my wing.
Her never-ending purring consumed my mind at all times of the day. I came home after school to a cat on my bed waiting for my love and affection. I went to sleep with Hoshi on my pillow, snuggling next to me. The weeks with Hoshi made me become conscious of my love for cats.
For the past year, I have begged my parents for cats. Finally, my aunt’s cats decided that they wanted to have children. The moment had come for me to fulfill my purpose in life. I was going to  be a cat lady.
I couldn’t fall asleep the night before their arrival. I could feel the kittens pawing at me when they wanted to play. I could hear their purring when I pet them under their chin. I went to cheer that morning hoping there would be cats when I finished my daily 8 hours of education. I couldn’t contain my excitement all day. My mom finally came to pick me up. I got in the car to see a cat carrier in the back. I heard their cries pleading to escape the prison. They were dying to run around their new living quarters.
At last, I was home. I scurried up the stairs with my backpack in one hand and the carrier in another. I opened the cage door as soon as I could. The second I put them down, they ran out. I immediately heard the toys being pushed around the room. Happiness filled my soul as I realized I had received unconditional love from one of the sweetest animals on Earth.
They had forever changed my life. These cats were now a part of me in ways I didn’t even know. When I cried, they came to lie down with me. When I was angry, they tried to console me with their purrs and jumping into my lap. No matter my emotion, the cats were there for me.
As I became more and more attached to my cats, my social life slowly declined. I stopped hanging out with my friends; instead, I stayed at home and cuddled with my cats while we watched Netflix. I only left my room for food and school. The cats became the top of the priority totem pole while everything else slowly fell behind.
My last hope at a normal life was my boyfriend. I tried to break away from the stereotypical cat lady by not letting my kittens get in the way of our relationship. The kittens and I hung out with Pat on the weekends as a family. I had barely saved myself from becoming the crazy cat lady.
My life was now consumed with the kittens. They were in my mind at all times. They defined me. The cats have helped me find my true self in the fact that I am forever your everyday cat lady.
