My dad really did not like cats! However, he let his little girl have several over her childhood. I have a photo of my sister and me where she is behind me holding a ball and I am not quite two and on a kiddie car reaching out to a kitten! So cats were a part of my very early life.
Now as an adult, I presently have three cats. All the cats I have had in my adult life have been rescued.
The gray tabby, Zane is an old boy,14 years. He was born on a farm in southern Ohio. He is very spoiled, demanding to be in my lap, hugging my legs if I have not stopped to feed him this very minute. He was hit by a car when I first had him and I almost had to have him put down but he recovered very well and during that time I nursed him constantly, even getting up at 3 AM to be sure the wood stove was still going!
About five years ago I acquired another cat, owner moving and not able to take her. She is a tortoise color which means she looks like she has been dipped in several different colors of paint! The colors are dark brown, orange, buff, light yellow. A very handsome cat. She was an indoor cat until I got her.
The first summer she brought me 14 voles! Such nice gifts since these creatures burrow under your plants and destroy them over time. That's fine when they are left at the door but that is not always where I find them! Nadahalia is the name of this great hunter. Her past owner named her. I call her Nadi for short and some times naughty Nadi!
Some time ago I did not let her out soon enough and she went through the screen on the door. I have not fixed it since it is convenient for the cats to come and go.
However it has it's draw backs! Often I am in another part of the house and forget that the door is open. So it is not unusual for me to enter the kitchen the next morning and wonder if the mouse I see is alive or dead! When I see it by the fridge as I am making coffee and before it was under the table, I have my answer. This one day I just ignored it and took my coffee into the den. Soon I heard a cat running all over the place and next the mouse was carried into the den. Cats just like to play with the creatures and i do not like to see this. Finally I got it on some of the newspaper lying on the floor, closed both ends , went to the front door and wished it well as I set it into the garden!
On another occasion I left for the afternoon for a concert and knew a mouse was in the house. The next morning it was in the cats' water dish. I never knew if it was homicide or suicide!