My Furry Menagerie

Once or twice a year something magical happens...we will be laying in bed at night and I will look down and realize that all six, yes six, of our animals will be sound asleep on the bed with us.  I always get excited and try to take a picture without disturbing anyone.

They are all rescues (except one who I randomly decided one day that I needed an orange boy kitty named Thomas and made it happen) that at some point in my life I felt compelled to give a better life without taking into account that kitties live to be 90, or at least mine will.  I was in college and prepared to save the world one needing animal at a time.  They all have their own story and I love them all dearly.  We also used to have a 70 pound black lab named Abby but we lost her last year.  I am still not sure how we slept with all of them on our bed back then.

We have our moments, with two in particular, where they suddenly forget how to use a litter box or jump on the counter one too many times and I decide they need a new home.  I was not a very nice pregnant lady and I really wasn't nice for a few months when Caden's colic was at its height.  I had no patience left for my animals and at one point truly tried to find two of my cats a new home.  I am glad I didn't.  I knew deep down I would regret it and feel guilty forever and ever about it.  Now that everyone is happy and well slept I am more thankful than ever that I did nothing dramatic.  They are never going to go anywhere whether I want them to or not.  They are part of this family, they were my babies before I had babies, and they are here to stay, and I love them...pet hair, hair balls, gross cat vomit, and all.  

Now our doggie, Peanut, is always on the bed...it is pretty much a guarantee.  The rest are kitties and kitties are moody.  We have 5 and two of them are siblings so they are usually together.  There are another 2 that are besties and can usually be found getting into trouble or sleeping together.  And lastly there is our manic kitty who likes no one except me and my three year old.  I still find it odd that of all people to like she chooses a three year old but to me this just further proves her certifiableness.  She does not get along with the other kitties and they don't like her either.  You can see them paired off in these pictures, especially the top one.  

SO to see all the different personalities chillax for a hot minute and fall soundly asleep on the bed is an exciting thing for me.  I can go back through the years and find pics of this and it always makes me happy.  I am well aware that this makes me the craziest of all.  Most people are horrified and ask me to repeat myself when I tell them how many animals we have.  My poor hubby must really love me because he is most definitely a dog person and would likely be content to not have any animals at all.  But I love them and my kids love them.  It isn't always pretty but it is our life and it is furry and it is good.