We did not want any more pets around the house, but one day I looked outside, and a tabby cat had chosen to stay with us.

During the years, stray dogs wandered into our yard where we would play with them.  We never had cats, so I was only familiar with the ways of dogs.

Even as an adult, we mostly always had one or more dogs. Some were indoor pets and others that preferred the outdoors.

Cats? I was a stranger to their ways and behaviors.

It was about this time last year when the little teen-aged kitten appeared at our patio door. Jimmy and I had already agreed we wanted no more pets since the last two dogs had passed away at ages of 14 and 15.  Since we had grown older and weren’t very  stable on our feet, we decided it just was not safe for pets to be around, so we ignored this pitiful little creature with her meowing.

About the third day, Jimmy with such a tender-heart, picked up the kitten and cuddled her.

We had not chosen the Tabby, but she had chosen us.

Seems it may have been only a few weeks later when the neighborhood Tom cat was seen in the back yard.  Soon, kittens were scampering about.

The boys preferred staying on the back patio. The girls wanted to choose their spots in the house.

Recently, I returned home from a week’s stay in the hospital.  I think they really missed me.

As soon as I went to bed, Momma cat and little Blackie both jumped on the bed and found their places either at my feet or close beside me.  Seems they both wanted to be my protector and guardian.  I could barely move away from one of them when I tried to change positions.

Jim and I each have electric type beds that we keep shoved together.  I keep a pillow lying between us to hold the remote controls in an effort to keep from sliding into the space between the beds.

These include the television remote control, the cell phone, the home phone, and the bed remote controls.

Seems about the time I got in a comfortable position, I would be disturbed by the movements of the head and feet of the bed moving up and down. The channels were changing channels from one television stations to another. The phones kept  calling the last person whose number I had dialed.  Both cats would be walking across the tops of the remotes as if they were leisurely strutting across the long key board of a piano.

Trying to move the cats while grabbing the remotes to stop the movements of the beds, apologizing to the persons on the phone, and desperately trying not to injure myself or tear loose from my stitches, I was quite rattled.  Now, I make sure all remotes are turned upside down.

I try to be patient with Momma cat and Blackie because I feel they are just trying to protect and comfort me.  Even when I move to my chair in the den, there they both are, marking their spots either on or beside me, wanting to be cuddled and petted….as I was just thinking.