Amanda Greever

A friend of mine had a scare this week with her dog. The poor pooch went through a lot of tests and some rough patches. We weren’t completely sure if she was going to need emergency surgery or even pull through the illness at all. Luckily she showed improvement after a few tough days

It didn’t matter how many tests the vets suggested or how expensive the surgery might be, my friend was determined to do whatever she could for her pooch. The dog was more than just a pet; she was like her baby. She’d helped her through the aftermath of a tough break-up and more.

It made me look at my relationship with Mia, my calico cat. We’ve had some rough patches of our own but of a very different nature. It started out bumpy when I discovered she had an AlphaMale complex.

Mia showed up at a then-coworker’s door back in 2005 when she was only a couple of months old. He asked if I’d be interested in taking her and I replied with a no. I lived in an apartment and really couldn’t have a cat. However, her little pink nose and playful nature won me over when he had his girlfriend bring the kitten by the office, and I took her home that night.

It didn’t take long for me to discover that with Mia playful translated quickly to aggressive. My cat was a bit of a dominatrix. She reveled in causing pain. If she had thumbs and could crack a whip, she probably would.

There were moments early on where I honestly wasn’t certain that I could keep her. I was covered in scratches, and she honestly seemed to delight in my misery. She’d claw me if I moved while trying to sleep. She’d jump on my back as I stooped to put a DVD in to watch. And forget her being a lap cat. She demolished my Christmas tree within a couple of weeks. She wasn’t loving as I’d hoped. She wasn’t even friendly half the time. I tried to get her a friend, thinking that perhaps my long hours left her lonely too long. He only lasted a night after I discovered that her attempts at killing him disturbed me too much. She would jump on his back, go for his throat, etc. To this day, I’m not sure if she was trying to harm him due to her territorial ways or if she just didn’t know how to play nicely. I kept him one night and found another home for him the next day.

It was almost Mia that found another home. I’m not sure what led me to keep her rather than the other cat. Maybe it was the fact that I would have felt bad putting her off on someone else.

As time went on, Mia started calming down. She would still jump on me and pounce on me but she learned to keep her claws in. She still bites but she doesn’t break the skin anymore. These days if I end up scratched, it’s usually an accident.

And as time went on, I realized that there was more to her personality than just being the spawn of Satan. In fact, I began to recognize the similarities between the two of us. She’s clumsy, which goes against the idea I always had that cats are graceful creatures. Mia manages to fall off things repeatedly, whether it be the bed or a counter. And she’s definitely moody and fickle. There are times she wants nothing more than to curl up next to me (or on me) but will still try to bite my hand off if she doesn’t want to be touched. Apparently I’m comfy but annoying. Hmm, I’ve known men who thought the same thing. She’s really very intelligent, too. I can actually see the wheels turning in her head sometimes when she’s plotting something. You add in the fact that sometimes she purposely tries to push buttons, and we’re two peas in a pod.

So yeah, Mia is a spoiled brat. I know she’s mean, moody and spoiled. Some might say the same about me. Despite all the problems we’ve had with each other, she’s still been there with me through some tough times. In fact, there were times when she was the closest friend I had down here. She’s seen me with a broken heart, mad as hell and bouncing off the walls with joy. She’s been my sounding board, good (and bad) company and just a warm body when I’m feeling alone. I know that most wouldn’t put up with a cat like her, but for me, she’s not just a cat or a pet. She’s one of my best friends, albeit a four-legged one. Still a demon spawn at times, but still one of my best friends. Close companions come in all shapes and sizes, I suppose.