Practical cats

I’ve written about our dog, Ella, before, and how she enriches my life in so many ways.

I haven’t shared much about our cats. We have four feisty felines, each with a strong personality and endearing kitty quirks.

Jules, our first baby, likes to jump up on our shoulders and stay like she’s a pirate parrot. OK, so I maybe have trained her to do that. She’s also the sock herder.

Emma is the napper. Any time of the day, she is available for cuddling.

Raja (she’s a she, not a he, which we didn’t realize until after we named her), is a polydactyl, so her paws are the size of baseball mitts. She is chill most of the time but can be a troublemaker.

Squirt, so named because she was at one time tiny, is skittish yet surprisingly brazen at times (jumping from a sunroom window 16 feet from the ground).

I get a kick out of these girls every single day. We love watching them interact with one another, examining the dynamic and pecking order that has been established.

I bought a rattan basket recently but haven’t put anything in it yet because it is always occupied by one of them. They will fight over who gets to be in it almost daily.

I’m sure in some circles I’m bordering on crazy cat lady. That’s OK. I love caring for these creatures — they are family.

They bring a lightness to the heavy days.

And seriously if they don’t crack me up with their antics.