Thinly Read: Having a cat changes everything

Do I look tired? I bet I look pretty tired. Our little guy keeps us up. We hardly get any sleep some nights.

We try to keep him out of the bedroom now, but that doesn't stop him from looking for attention. I mean, we know better than to expect him to sleep through the night, but really.

And you know, even though we're both so exhausted, we don't mind. He's just so adorable during the day, and we're so happy to have him. Every day is such a precious gift of joy.

I mean, I didn't think our lives would change this much, but what they say really is true: Having a cat changes everything.

It's so funny to think of the way we were before the cat -- so into ourselves and our own little problems. Now our priorities are totally upside down. It's a complete change of perspective. I actually feel bad for people without cats.

My cats name is Stewart.

We'd been talking about this for a while. We weren't even sure we were ready yet. But really, are you ever ready for something like this? There's never a good time. You just have to go with it. It's the best decision we've ever made.

But enough about us. Let me tell you about Stewart. He's already 12 pounds (so big!) and loves to be carried. But when you set him down, look out! He gets into everything. He's very curious. We're sure he's gifted.

We started out feeding him the organic stuff, but it's so expensive and he'll eat practically anything. And, oh, I mean anything. You have to be careful about what you leave on the floor.

Boy, is he talkative! He really thinks we can understand him; it's so cute. Always trying to tell us what he wants. And most of the time it's food. He definitely takes after me.

We're such pushovers, though. It's tough to be the responsible adult when those little eyes look up at you like that. After a while we'll have to be more strict, but for now he's pretty spoiled. I mean, there are toys everywhere.

Our parents are pretty excited, too. Well, we think so. Actually, they've been acting pretty strangely since we broke the news. It's like they were expecting something else entirely. Oh well, they're probably just as overwhelmed as we are. It's hard not to be.
You don't have a cat yet, do you? I mean, of course you're going to get a cat eventually. But you don't want to wait too long. People might start to talk. Tick, tock, right? Those cat clocks are so cute, with the eyes and the curly tail. You should get one of those, too.

I'm telling you, though, it's a transformative experience. I'm sure you can tell how different I am. I hardly recognize myself.
Anyway, I'd better get home and rest up. We're looking at houses next weekend -- hoping to find someplace a little bigger, maybe in a quiet cul-de-sac.

We're already talking about a second cat.