"...In the end, people either have excuses or experiences; reasons or results; buts or
brilliance. They either have what they wanted or they have a detailed list of all the rational reasons why not."

~ Anonymous
(taken from Matt Erbele's, It Takes Time to Get Good)

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Horton: the cat who loved too much

This is Horton.
He is stunningly beautiful, isn't he?

My husband got a call one night from another contractor about a feral kitten that had been left by its mother. The mom cat had moved the rest of the litter that morning and he figured she would come get the little guy, but when he got back home that evening there sat the kitten alone, cold, and hungry. The call went something like this:

Contractor: "Doesn't your wife rescue cats?"

Husband: "Yes, but we need another cat like a hole in the head, so forget it"


Contractor: "If you don't tell her, I'll call her when you're at work. Then you will have another cat AND she will be mad at you."


Husband: "Asshole"

He was the cutest kitten I have ever seen.

Now 12 years later, as I sit on the couch entering my ride miles and time from tonight, Horton (yes, from Horton Hears a Who. Long before the lame remake) lays next to me intermittently reaching out with his paw to show me love and YET AGAIN snag my bike jersey. Every flippin' exercise shirt I have has snags in the waist from loverboy here.

But when he looks up at me with the same sweet, greens eyes I fell in love with 12 years ago, when he was a 10 day old, abandoned baby, covered in fleas, that had to be fed from a bottle all through the night, I smile and give him a chin scratch and say "Mama loves you too."


There are worse things in life than to have a cat that loves you too much.

I can buy new spandex.

There is only one Horton.

15 comments:

Stef0115 said...

He is gorgeous!

RoadBunner said...

Very handsome! What a sweet post.

Aka Alice said...

We *heart* the wicked-smart contractor.

Horton looks just like a feral kitten my daughter "adopted" about 9 months ago. Her name is Zucchini. I'm terribly allergic to cats, but DramaGirl found, fed, and hid this kitten in our garage (detached so it took me awhile to discover it) just the same. Then she convinced our neighbor to keep the cat when it started raining this winter. But Zucchini really still is DramaGirl's first cat.

Aka Alice said...

The cat's name is Zucchini, not my daughter (I'm just laughing at my dangling modifier).

Calyx Meredith said...

What a doll! Those are some wonderful pictures. Hooray for Horton. (And I had to laugh at aka alice's daughter who for a moment was named Zucchini. :D)

Unknown said...

What a cutie.

Patricio said...

Hi, found ur blog browsing through triathlons' blogs.
Great posts and cool pics... love the blog name too!
Good luck training!
PC

E said...

So cute!

ShirleyPerly said...

Yeah, I wish there were tech shirts that were not so easily snagged by velcro, cat claws, chipped fingernails, unsmooth table/counter edges, you name it.

But some things are worth it. Lovable kitty!

Anonymous said...

I love Horton!! What a cutie!!!

I miss my cats =(

My little dogs are very supportive of my training, too...always there to greet me after a run or ride, and sit by me as I log my training. Animals are cool.

S. Baboo said...

Horton rules!

Runner Susan said...

ohhh, i loves him.

Erin Leigh said...

Awww he is beautiful. I wish I could get a cat. My Stussy is with my parents still but I am allergic (didn't know) so no cats for us :(

Southbaygirl said...

Oh my god I cried! That's about all i can say!!! I haven't met you yet Stacy but I can already tell you and I will get along famously!!!! You are a true animal lover!!! You rock!!

Kelly said...

Hi, it's Formulaic's wife. You're kitty is beautiful! I enjoy your posts and hopefully someday we will get the chance to meet.