Ethan and Megs LOVE all creatures (as you saw in my recent family day out post). It’s a relief that they have no fear around them and get ridiculously giddy when in the presence of bounding dogs, cats, woodlice, hamsters, rabbits and baboons (you name it and they love it) but it also means that they at times pester for pets of their own or bring bugs, spiders and even dead mice (true story) into the house!
I like most animals (from a distance) but don’t particularly like creepy Crawley’s, and I know I am deffs not a cat person…far from it, they creep me out and I find them to be very sneaky little creatures. I had dogs, rabbits, mice, fish, a rat and guinea pigs in my home growing up, but as I have got older I do not feel the need to share my home with animals and Nathan couldn’t think of anything worse… its clear cut, and a little sad for the kids, that for the foreseeable future we will not be having any pets in our home!We will not be an “ordinary pet Family”, so they will just have to enjoy Grandma’s doggy or see other peoples.
The kids dreams came true this week though when a newly wed couple at church asked if we would cat sit for the week for them. Whilst im not into cats, we did decide it would be fun for the kids and an opportunity to be helpful and do something nice for other, and as this is very important to us that they learn to be this way in life, we said “sure why not”.
Ethan and Megs make an excellent little team and I have enjoyed sat watching their flow and interactions to get the job done. They both put in so much effort as we went each day and would clean their bowls, then filled their water bowls and food, put them in the cat house and then sweep up spilt food.
They then would go on the hunt for them, in a hope that they could play with them and at this point it made me laugh my head off that the cats would always just leg it – they were wise to see that here comes double trouble!
They kept it up all week, never complaining and happy to help. We were impressed that they were so very responsible and helpful, until they went to their grandma’s for a sleepover… and then I realised that it was my turn to look after them – eeeeekkkkkkk.
I was a little awkward with how I feel about cats generally, but guess what? The cats came out to play. I sat on the front step for about 15 minutes just tickling their little ears and chatting to them (maybe I’m loosing it?) and I actually found it very therapeutic… I am not a cat person as I said but it was great fun.
I have loved seeing how seriously the kids took their responsibility. How grown up they were and caring. I love as the kids grow they become aware of others and helpful to them, that they are happy to do things for others and didn’t moan once. It isn’t Ordinary for us to look after cats (or other peoples pets), but I hope that their attitudes to helping others becomes an ordinary part of their life as it is for Nath and I.
I must admit I am much more of a dog person and my husband is more of a cat person. I like cats but they freak me out a little too! It sounds like they did an excellent job of looking after them, what a good pair of helpers they were! x
What a great team they make and how lovely that they kept it up all week. I like cats but one of our neighbours cats used to come in and the kids used to fuss around him. I say ‘used’ as one time it was sick on my daughters bed ewwwwww. Never again lol x
Eiuuww Tracey – Id drop kick it out of my house lol!!! Yeah they make a great team haha x
Such a sweet post. I laughed at that bit about the cats running away. Our cat is very good with my two, but I think he’s had a bit of a shock, because while my eldest pretty much ignored him, my 17 month old emphatically does not, and chases him all over the house.