I am writing this blog as part of an assignment in one of my university classes. I have never written one before, and when deciding on a topic I looked around my house to see what in my limited life I had to share with anybody. I soon realized that with four dogs, six chickens, and two bunnies I could easily begin by talking about my pets. I also live in a rural mountain area, and so have come into contact with a lot of people who have large and unusual animals. Hopefully, all of this will give me something to talk about.
When we were growing up, we tended to have one pet at a time, always a cat, and my sister had a fish tank. I don't recall actively seeking any cat we ever had. When one cat disappeared, another one would meander into our yard within a matter of weeks, looking confident and insistent. We had already been chosen, it seemed. I used to believe there was a kind of kitty network, a feline posting system which advertised houses open to taking in strays--and even after all these years I still wonder if this might be true. Each cat had her own personality (one never let us touch her, but would suddenly, startlingly, jump on our laps when we least expected her to--another refused the cat box but sat on the toilet instead) but they all shared that confidence in their place in the world that I suspect is a universal feline trait. Do cats in China or New Zealand all act this way? I imagine so.
My sister's fish tank created a completely different pet experience. Mammals are all about warmth and connection (or at least that's how I believe it should be), but fish are more about the visual. I know people, especially children, who differentiate their fish, giving them names and defining character trait, but by the sheer fact of their delicacy and underwater environment, the relationship is less about a reciprocal interaction and more about observation. I remember her being sad when a fish died, but it was soon replaced by another of the same variety. When one of the cats died or did not come back, the loss was deeper felt by all of us. I am still pondering the reasons why--perhaps at some later time I will address this fact.
Well, I think that will be enough for today. writing a blog is not as scary as I imagined, but I still find the idea of pressing a button and having these words read by other people a little intimidating. I imagine it gets easier the more I do it, so I'll try again soon.
