Hey y’all, it’s A!
Fun fact: I’m pretty sure I came out of the womb an animal lover. Both my parents love animals and I was born into a household that had both cats and dogs. Because my mom is actually allergic to cats, I adopted dogs a few years before I was able to adopt cats. Now I have a full house, with two cats and two dogs!
Wanna meet them?! Well you’re gonna! Let’s start with the cats:
James
Originally a feral outside my apartment, James got her name because most orange cats are male (thanks, genetics). By the time I realized my mistake, she already responded to her name so James it stayed. James is incredibly smart, which explains how she managed to live outside for so long and how she eluded being captured for two years. Since coming inside, James has learned to love weird things like the toilet flushing & cuddling in the bed. She’s still quite skittish but very loving when she’s feeling safe.
Leela
One day while picking up supplies at the pet store, I noticed a calico for adoption from the local shelter. After showing her to my then-boyfriend, we quickly fell in love and adopted her. When we got home, we realized she had a little trouble seeing and hearing (which later was attributed to mites). Her wonkiness led us to naming her Leela inspired by the Futurama character. Leela is the sweetest cat imaginable, with a purr like a motor engine and an extreme passion for belly rubs.
As I mentioned, I also have two dogs whom I also love and adore. Here, we’ll call them honorary felines. Their names are:
Samara
Sammy-girl is my OG baby. Adopted while I was in undergrad, Sam was the first pet I adopted myself. As Jack Russell and Chihuahua mix, she can be pretty crazy though she’s (thankfully) mellowed out as she’s gotten older. We just celebrated her 9th birthday with a Paw Patrol party, one of her favorite shows. Sam loves snuggling under the covers, playing with her aunties (E and my sister, Taryn) and her gammy, and squeaky toys she can destroy.
Thea
When I started a masters program in 2013, school started to take over my life. While Sam and I still hit up the park weekly, I knew she needed more activity. Enter dog number 2. Named for Thea Queen from Arrow, Thea was a welcome addition to my little crew. With her long legs and bouncy energy, she’s been the perfect companion for Sam. Thea loves running back and forth between people she loves, belly rubs, and pretending she’s your shadow.
People always ask: what’s it like to have cats and dogs? Well, it is pretty amazing. All my girls get along well and conspire together to take over my whole bed. You can check them out on instagram at The Finkdom!