Si, Si, Kitty

Senora Dog Lady,

I am a college student and am currently studying in Madrid for the year. I live with two cats, Pirracas y Panzer, and, as each day goes by, I fall more in love with them. I discovered your Web site when I was homesick and surfing. In your columns, you describe the many ways that the love and friendship from dogs can be the best of therapies. My question: Can you feel this kind of love for two cats as well? They play so much and are just like two little boys. I had a number of lonely months during my school year in Madrid and these days I cannot seem to stop smiling with these cats. Does cat love exist as well?

Nathan, Madrid

Nathan, si, si senor. El amor por un perro es el amor por un gato (and please forgive Dog Lady’s muy rusty Spanish). Dog love is cat love is human love – and so goes the circle of life.

Animals of any species provide distraction, comfort, warmth, and companionship. What you are feeling when you see Pirracas and Panzer tumbling around must be genuine affection for the two marvelous critters you compare to “boys.” They probably remind you of your own carefree childhood before you grew up and left the nest. The cats are your dependable playmates in a place far away from home. They anchor you in innocent memories. They are friends without asking for anything in return. They make your boarding house a home. It’s wonderful you can meow at them in their native tongue – although issuing orders to Generalissimo Gato is often a vain exercise, as you have probably learned.

Dog Lady calls herself Dog Lady, but, truly, she is an equal opportunity pet person. Whatever warm-fuzzy gets you through the night: Cats, dogs, iguanas, ferrets, or fill in the beastie blank. Nathan, I am happy you have two cats to keep you smiling during your year abroad studying. Is it any wonder the words “drat” and “cat” are part of catedratico (the Spanish word for “professor.” And Dog Lady apologizes for the absent accent over the “a”). Sounds as if two kitties in Madrid have taught you mucho life lessons.

Posted by Dog Lady at March 30, 2005 05:03 PM