The urge to become the cat lady

Katie Dolac / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: May 9, 2007

I think it happened on my five-hour drive home from my brother's college graduation - the exact moment I had the desire for the very fury companion I absolutely loathe.

I'm not going to lie; I am not a cat person. I don't like cats, and cats don't like me.

Case in point: My last close encounter with a feline was about four years ago. As a guest in my friend's apartment, I was trying my best to cohabitate with her new roommate, a kitty named Jeter (for Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees). I petted it frequently and tried to make nice, but every night Jeter would crawl under my covers, sink his claws deep into my skin and wake me up by hissing wildly at my face.

For those of you who've not had the pleasure of hearing this sound in the middle of the night, it is quite a frightening experience - one I'm not sure I'd ever like to repeat.

So when my brother's best friend (who was present at his graduation) teases me about becoming some sort of spinster cat lady, I always quip that I'll be the dog lady or the rabbit lady … anything but the cat lady.

(Sorry, but the idea of being locked in my secluded apartment with 20 cats, producing enough dander and kitty litter odor to render an elephant unconscious, is so not appealing.)
And yet, the idea of actually owning a cat actually flashed across my consciousness.

Then, I continued to humor the thought and pondered what my kitty would look like and what I would name it. How would I get it past my roommate- Would I get a full-grown cat, or a kitten- Where would I put its litter box- What would I feed it-
Why am I even thinking about this-
Snap out of it!

When I came to, I was still driving.
I decided it was nothing more than a subconscious cry for companionship. A cat, after all, is the perfect blend of animal companionship and the fast-paced, low-maintenance lifestyle of a reporter.

I mean that's just absurd. A feline companion and I wouldn't even get along, like a divorce waiting to happen. And here I was, actually contemplating taking the first step into spinsterhood.

I really don't know where that came from. I must have blacked out for a moment. Phew, talk about a close call.

Katie Dolac can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 138 or .