I currently have 3 females, all from the neighborhood. They all have found me. I am also allergic to cats so to the earlier poster who mentioned the issues with visiting cats, that used to happen to me as well so I thought I could never have a cat. Sometimes I think it just depends on the cat since I used to get puffy after visiting with certain cats that my vet had as permanent residents.

Here's my theory. You adopt a kitten when your other allergies aren't acting up. Since kittens have less fur and accumulated dander, you gradually build up a tolerance to the cat. At least thats what happened to me. I still have low grade allergies but nothing that needs medication.

I miss having a male cat around. My favorite was a huge male that was a talker but he died prematurely of cancer. He was my only shelter cat. I didn't know much about cats when I happened upon my kitten in the street on the way to work (who was looking up at me with a meow, meow, meow. What was I supposed to do? Leave her there?) so a month later I just asked to see the biggest male they had at the Humane League and I took him right then without even looking at the others. He was the coolest, badass cat around, all 18 lbs of him. He even had a special meow for "good morning" with a little nod. Too cute, poor guy. My original kittie who started this mess is lying next to me right now. How can that not lower stress, all furry and sweet?

People that hate cats have just never known a cool cat.

"I go home with puffed up eyes, and hair and dander all over my clothes, vowing to get a cat but realizing that I never could, and and anyway, who wants a box of shit in the house"

Awww, come on now. You could buy a hairless Sphynx and spend your spare time knitting it sweaters and teaching it to use the toilet like the cat in the Flocker movies. Now that's love.

Our cat Sting does tricks. He will roll over and sit on command and I really think we could teach him to jump through hoops if we wanted to. In a way it's a shame Sting doesn't live with a Russian Cat Circus because he is very talented albeit emotionally needy but it's the need to please, I think, that inspires his tricks.

Our best cat ever, Kilgore Trout, died of sudden kidney failure at the age of four. I know it is terrible to say but I miss him more than I miss my mother who died of lung cancer at the age of 58.

When our cat Freak (short for Freakacat) died of FIV the whole neighborhood came to the funeral because my husband broke a gas main digging Freak's grave.

We currently have two other cats besides Sting. Marley who is 16 and has been our sturdiest cat. We got her when she was 18 months old from a woman who had six other cats who all got their jollies by beating up Marley. About six months after getting Marley her old owner's psycho ex-boyfriend broke in and slaughtered the other six cats, a dog and a miniature goat. When we first got her she would hide all day and only come out at two a.m. to yowl her head off. After a couple of weeks of this I wanted to get rid of her but my husband resused, saying he didn't get rid of me for similar behaviors so we weren't going to get rid of Marley and she's turned into a very sweet, affectionate, old lady.

Nipper who is about 4 years old. Nipper sleeps with my husband and if he stays up too late she comes out and stares at him until he's ready to retire for the night. I would like a new kitten or cat but my husband is resistant because he says we can only really afford two cats and we have three. He does say, however, that we could foster kittens but I think I would get too emotionally attached to them and it would end in some kind of armed standoff when the Humane Society tried to get them back (That is if feather toys can be considered arms).

I love my two kitties. And they love me.

Of COURSE that's good for the heart.

Hmpf. I used to work at a bird store, and the parrots that were boarded there not only would ask for everything from an "apple" to a "cannoli," some of them would say "Thank you" after they got their treat. Sorry--I still think avian-types have it all over feline-kind when it comes to manipulation/communication. :)

But at the end of the day, I'm more of a dog person.

Why? Because cats are just like my girlfriends - they demand affection and pampering when they want it, and when they're not in the mood they ignore my existence...

But dogs?? Like my guy friends, they're always there for me - and all they ask for in return is an affectionate pat on the back (or, ummm...scratch of the belly.)

[[***Tongue firmly in cheek****=]]

Contrary to popular belief, cats do not say "Meow!" They say, "Now!," usually when they want to be fed. It's a one word vocabulary, but it works for them. :)

>Cats rule; dogs drool.<

Funny--I'm not hearing about too many cats or dogs who use human language in its proper context and can communicate their wants rather effectively...:)

The DurianJoe household is full of cats, both our own, and those we foster and place. Once thing the missus and I have noticed is that our reflexes have gotten really fast. Years of making sure you don't step on a cat who has decided that stairs make the best sleeping spots, or pulling your hand back from a cat who would rather stay curled up in the sink and swats you for daring to want to be able to brush your teeth, actually seem to have sharpened our response time.

Cats are the best, and for all the grief these insane balls of fur can cause, they more than pay it back by being the absolute best stress buster around. There is nothing like lying in bed with a cat purring on your chest to make you feel that all is right with the world.

And Sarah, you just need to try harder. Our cats meet us at the door, come when called (most of them, anyway) and love to play and be with us.

Cats rule; dogs drool.