Am I raising a cat or an infant?  I ask myself this question often about my little feline bundle of joy, Kiwi.  She is most definitely NOT what I signed up for when I got a cat, and sometimes I wonder if she’s a dog or human child trapped in a cats body.

I ended up with Kiwi by accident.  A friend of mine brought home a stray kitten, knowing her husband was allergic.  Although, this cute little kitten face could not have possibly been resisted.  Alas, the husband remained allergic, and the cat had to go.  At this point I had seen her a few times, and had becomed mesmerized by her cuteness.  So when said friend called and said the kitten was going to the pound unless I took her home, well, if you know me, you know there was no choice for me in the matter.  That’s how Kiwi came to be mine.

I have never been a cat person.  I have always loved dogs.  They are loyal, affectionate, obedient, and you can almost always tell what they are thinking.  Cats scare me.  They are diabolical.  You can never tell what they are thinking, and that just freaks me out.  I often feel when I look at cats that I can see them secretly plotting someones demise.  It’s just a little creepy!

However, as Kiwi and I became aquainted, I began to see she was not like other cats I had known.  She was needy, and affectionate, and wanted a lot more attention than I was prepared to give.  So I had to adjust my expectations.  And the more I got to know this little kitten, the more I became suspicous that she was not a normal cat.  Cats are supposed to be independent and aloof.  But not this little one.

So now I have started asking myself:  Is this a cat, or a child?  In case you’re thinking I’m crazy, I present you with 10 ways my cat acts like a child:

1.  She needs constant attention, and will cry until she gets it, like a baby that cries until you pick it up.

  
2.  She has to be where I am all the time, and does not care if it’s an inconvenience.

  
3.  I can never shower or go to the bathroom alone.

  
4.  She must always sleep in my bed, and must always be on top of or at least touching my body.

  

5.  She needs so much physical affection, but only on her terms

  
6.  She follows me around constantly, and is always in the way

  
7.  My bed is never mine.

  
8.  Constant food and water are always a must.

  
9.  And I can’t forget about the constant early morning wakeup calls…

  
10.  But no matter what, she loves me the most, and always makes sure I know it. 🙂