By Magdalena Romanow
I’ve decided to write this for all the people out there who invite guests into their home, and their first words are, “Please excuse the mess … you see, we have a cat/dog/bunny and …”
Why do people feel the need to apologize for their pets or the messes they may make?
If you are coming into my home you just have to deal with whatever is thrown your way.
If it’s too much to handle, you can leave, and to be perfectly honest, if you can’t handle my home, we were probably never meant to be.
Here’s the scenario. I have a 1,200-sq.-foot bungalow that houses four felines, one dog (next week that will be two), a rat, a bunny, and seven fish.
Of the four humans, two are under 10 years of age, and of the four cats, two are kittens. One of the older ones is a diabetic, and the other sheds in clumps of black.
My carpets have stains from all sorts of various mishaps.
They have been disinfected of course, but they are dark and hard to miss. The linoleum floors are usually sticky. I blame this mostly on the human under the age of 10, but in reality it could be anything.
I thought the edges of my couches were just badly scratched up so I covered them in blankets.
Unfortunately, I was not aware that the kittens had actually dug tunnels through the couches and once in a while, go in there to play hide and seek.
I am used to it but an unsuspecting guest may have a bit of a scare when the couch suddenly moves below their bottom. My wood furniture has claw marks.
I tell myself it looks like a type of design.
My husband says it looks like claw marks. Don’t even get me started on my blinds and curtains. I am sure from the outside it looks like my house may be a lab of some sort.
There are various animal hairs on pretty much every surface in my house, and there are toys on any floor space that is not occupied by a badly mangled piece of furniture.
Once in a while, I see brown paw prints in my hallway.
Then I remember my cats don’t go outside so the brown cannot be mud. When I notice that little pile in the corner I automatically assume it’s vomit or the unspeakable. You have no idea how thrilled I am when it’s only a pinecone.
My dog, and my cats sleep on my bed with me. I like it that way.
Sometimes the kids crawl in too. How much space does one need to sleep? By the same token, how many hours of sleep are really necessary?
Our animals loves us unconditionally. They make us laugh even when they are in the middle of destroying another plant. They are always happy to spend the day on the couch with you when you are not feeling well.
When you cry,w they know you just need a cuddle. That is why they are here. That is why my house looks the way it does, and that is why I will never apologize for it.