Our Original Babies

I have always lived in houses with cats. To me, a cat makes a home and I told Dave when we first moved in together that I would need a cat to keep me company when he was on night shifts.

At the end of January 2007, 4 months after we first moved in together, we welcomed two new additions into our lives.

Two 8 week old balls of black fluff that we saved from life in a stable – their Mum had been a yard cat keeping away the nice but they found out she was pregnant before they had a chance to get her spayed. A litter of kittens followed and when we went to see them there were 2 boys and a girl left. We were put in a stable with them to see if we liked them. We’d been told that one of the boys was reserved for someone else but they didn’t mind which boy. Our task was made easier as one boy cat refused to talk to us! The other two were jumping up and down at cords on my trousers and generally playing as kittens do. They were beautiful! We paid £20 each for them and took them home with us.

The following few days were full of vets appointments and a huge amount of money in vaccinations but they were worth every penny.

We thought long and hard before giving them names. They were brother and sister. From the same litter. Twins. Dave, the Star Wars fanatic, gave me a little ultimatum – It’s either the cats or the kids.

Luke and Leia.

To think, I could be sitting here now with Ben and Jerry cats and Luke and Leia kids! How strange! 🙂

Our cats have been through a lot with us, getting married, moving house and having babies. They’ve put up with a lot, as have we – flea outbreaks, cat sick, scratched furniture and Luke getting so stressed LP arriving that he locked himself bald and had to take anti depressants until he was used to the new family situation.

Our cats annoy the hell out of me. My hormones through pregnancy made me actually hate them at times – I still can’t bare to have them near me a lot of the time but I know that in time everything will settle down again and they’ll be just as much a part of the family as they always have been.

Luke and Leia were our first babies. They taught us responsibility, how to look after another little life and prepared us for having children. It will be lovely to see LP and LM’s bond with them grow – LP already tries to pick them up, gives Luke head butts like he does to us and likes to give them cuddles at every opportunity. I think pets teach children so much. LP loves the cats completely and I know that when they’re not around anymore we will all be devastated.

Our cats, our two little black furry friends, our constant companions, our Lukey-Poog and Leia-Babe.