Cat shopping ...

I'm not anti-cat. But I am a cat realist. I've lived with many, many cats - not all at once, except on the farm, where we had about 15 - in many living situations. I've known people who were perhaps too attached to their cats. I've seen a wide range of temperaments in cats. I've known hunting cats (all female: Bobo, Tiptoe, and Maybelle Carter) and buddy-up-with-the-mice cats. I know how much it costs to have a cat as a pet.

Of course, they're across-the-board easier than dogs ...

Oh no! I let my guard down! Comparing them with dogs may turn out to be my downfall! Because yes, all four of us went to the shelter today, drawn by a picture on the web of one "Edna", a gray domestic shorthair who's about 5 months old. Turned out Edna has some personality problems, but we were looking seriously at "Muffin" and "Sweetie". (Names are in quotes because cats don't care what you call them and we probably wouldn't be keeping those names.)

Both those cats are younger than 5 months, though possibly not by much. The shelter has a special right now: two cats for one adoption fee (curses!). They're both in the picture of Nora, both on the bottom level; Sweetie is on the left, and Muffin is on the right. And yes, they're playing with each other. Yes, yes, they're very cute. Sigh.

Both Fiona and Nora were old pros at this, having gone with Jen a couple of months ago. There were no incidents except the small orange kitten who pounced on my back and tried to climb up from there. Well ... at least I know what I'm getting into. IF we get any cats at all.