What do you do when you have no children to celebrate the passing of the years?
Kristi and her husband, Dave, have no human babies together but two kids, errrr fur babies. Their cats, Claire a sassy 17-year-old grey and black tabby, and Pete an 11-year-old mischievous orange and white tabby named after their friend with red hair, Peter.
The fun couple take their “kids’” photos on the first and last day of the school season and post them on Facebook along with all their friends “real” kids’ photos. Anyone with or without children can tell you that their pets are family and often describe them as their “fur kids” Kristi is no exception.
The couple annually send out birthday announcements with their cats’ photographs on them along with text informing their friends of the upcoming party. In lieu of gifts they request donations for the Humane Society.
When asked why they hold CAT-cela-BRAT-ions Kristi responded, “Are you kidding me!? I’m in love with my cats! They’re our babies! When Claire turned 15, we had a quinceanera for her. It is a Latin coming out party for young ladies. She wore a bright red dress and a sparkle crown, of course, for her invitation card’s photo. For the party, I wore my prom dress from 1993. (I have NO idea why I still have it!).
Last year, we held Claire’s Sweet 16th birthday party and her invitation was her driver’s license with her photo. Her height and weight read 1' 1" and 10 pounds. This year will be Peter’s 12th party. We started the special events as a joke because of all of the money we’ve spent on friend’s baby showers, births and birthdays. Over the years the party planning has expanded. We serve a cookie-cake with our cats’ photo on it now!”
The parties must be a riot! Fifty caring friends show up carrying donations and pet food for the animal shelter and some even gift Kristi’s kitties with a new catnip: toy/mouse/cigar/rainbow.
Both party animals are rescues.
“I was in a shelter looking for a little orange cat when I spotted five-month-old Claire,” said Kristi. “She locked eyes with me and I couldn't leave without her. Years later, an orange four-month kitten, Peter, appeared on our porch and nobody claimed him! He won our hearts over in four-and-a-half minutes!”
Yes! This cat family has as many crazy quirks as the rest of us. Pete won’t eat from the same food can twice in a row. So, at any given time, they always have two opened cans for his gourmet tastes in the fridge. And no one can use the “loo” without Pete joining them in the bathroom, and jumping on their lap while they are on the throne as he demands their full attention.
Claire has a gentle healing heart. Her fur-avorite pasttime is cat napping with Kristi, a massage therapist, and intuitively sending her energy when she is not feeling well.
“Claire always knows where I need energy healing work,” said Kristi. “She lays on whatever part of my body needing the work! You can see the healing pouring from her heart and through her eyes as she purrs and infuses me with her love.”
Peter enjoys the family’s nightly happy hour and coffee on the weekends with his people outside on their patio. He entertains them by laying on his back in the grass cat-chatting to them nonstop!
“Pete has an amazing number of different purring tones and inflections as he answers our purr-sistant questions,” laughs Kristi. “Our ‘kids’ add laughter and love to our home.”
