Fang - Damn Cat

Damn Cat. Lived with us 4/29/11-5/14/11

Zach and Chelsea have been trying to talk Brandon into getting a cat for a long time. Even more so since the guinea pig died. They even started a thing where they each asked him once a day every day for a cat. The big push came after the guinea died Zach was talking about how old BooBoos cat is and cats live longer then guineas so he would rather have a cat next. It took a while but I watched as they wore Brandon down. I could see it happening. When we were at the pet store he would be looking at cat towers things like that. I just backed off, I knew he was working his way through it. And its no secret I've wanted a cat for a long time. So when the super adoption was happening at petsmart we went. Brandon told us all, we are just looking. We are NOT getting a cat today. And we almost made it through without one. The very last section we went to was the south salt lake shelter. And the most neglected cat ever was there. He was matted and bone skinny. And he had these massive fangs that came to the bottom of his chin, a bit like a sabertooth tiger. But SO sweet and friendly. He was just talking up a storm. But no one was stopping to even look at him. Brandon couldn't walk away. He was in a trance. Love at first sight. A little fact about Brandon, he is a protector. He is surrounded by broken people because he wants to fix everything for people. And animals. This is similar to the way we got Bridget also. Poor unloved dog that we went to look at for his sister and he couldn't leave her there, even though we weren't ready to get a dog yet. She is neurotic and crazy and flourishes under Brandons love for her.

So, anyway, we spend over an hour wandering around while he decides if he is ready to adopt this cat. He keeps disappearing while deciding and I would find him over holding the cat again. I knew he wouldn't be able to leave him there, I was just waiting for him to know it too. Its easier for me and the kids, we can walk in and instantly fall in love with any cat. I don't think Brandon has ever fallen in love with a cat before.

Obviously, we left with the cat. And a ton of cat stuff. We named the cat Fang but his unofficial name was Damn Cat. I'm willing to bet he thought his name was Damn Cat. It was meant with complete love though. He fit in our family perfectly. The dogs were a bit standoff-ish for a bit but they all got a long just fine. Brandon could sit for hours with the cat sitting on his lap. It quickly felt like he had always been here.

The other night, we got home from a friends house and he didn't come to the door for us. Which always meant "the damn cat ran off again!" so I sent my whole family in different directions to look for him. I walked into the living room and said "really no one could find him?? he's right here!" Then I picked him up and he was just limp. Brandon came in and I told him something is wrong. One of us has to take him to the vet but wait til the kids are in bed. So I get the kids in bed and come back. Brandon is sitting on the couch with the damn cat just laying on him. It was the saddest and sweetest thing I have ever seen. I truly regret not taking of photo of it. Brandon didn't want to take him in. He kept saying "I know they wont be able to do anything for him" in a rare moment I put my foot down. I said you can take him or I can but neither of us will be able to live with the what-ifs if we don't. So Brandon took him to the emergency vet that is basically at the end of our street and I sat here and prayed they could do something. He called after getting there and said there was nothing to be done but putting him down so he didn't suffer longer then necessary. He asked me to bring the kids in to say goodbye. So, sobbing mamma wakes 2 sweet kids up and takes them down to say goodbye to the cat we just barely got. Kids and I waited while Brandon stayed with Damn Cat. Then we brought him home and had a midnight funeral for him. Zach said "I'm glad he got to have some time living with us and didn't have to die in that cage he lived in" 


We are all doing mostly ok. Its weird how much he affected us so quickly. Chelsea and I were at Costco today buying green bean and she said "for our dogs and kitty! no, just our dogs." Then meltdown into tears. I know that *some* of my readers are thinking "its just a cat" and "they didn't even have it that long" but please keep it to yourself. For my animal loving family it was very difficult. We only had him a short time but if felt like a long time and we all loved him. 

Diet world

I was reading a few other blogs tonight and noticing a theme. Diets. As I read each and every one my thought was "she is too hard on herself." Flash forward an hour as I'm getting in the shower and berating myself for eating like a pig today and if I keep it up I'll always be fat. Yeah, awesome. Except what I ate today was a bowl of special k for breakfast, a side salad at lunch, a veggie burger for dinner and granola for a snack. For that I am beating myself up. Did I mention that we were out riding bikes all evening? Not sitting around staring at the tv. Riding bikes. Ridiculous. Why are we all doing this to ourselves. The worst part is, I decided to stop doing this to myself already. I changed my lifestyle and as part of that I decided that I was going to stop worrying about "being fat" and diet and such. I'm actually ok with myself for the first time since having kids. Would I rather look like the cute 110 pound 22 year old I was? Hell yes. Do I deserve to be called a fat pig because I don't look like that? No. What the hell? I made 2 people! That changes things! But it's so engrained in me to beat myself up that I don't notice when I do it anymore. Sooo not the keys to happiness there. I'm working on it though. I hope you other girls out there do too. Because I think you are too hard on yourselves!!