THE SIMPTOMS OF
FELINE AFFLICTIONS

Taking a cuddly cat with you on holiday and hugging it every night... to stop you getting withdrawal symptoms!

Spending more time at the Cat Food section than any other, as you ponder which varieties your feline friend may or may not eat!

You practice saying "Oh, he's never been up there before", as if it were true when your cat leaps onto the table to see what dinner guests have left on their plates.

You clean the bedroom and then ensure that there is a nice comfy spot on the bed for puss!

You keep a straight face, when telling people that that strange aroma they keep sniffing the air for is an extremely expensive French perfume, and not eau de stud cat!

You change into slippers, or go barefoot, in the house, and you develop a certain cautious walk as you move about, eyes downcast to the floor, to avoid stepping on or tripping over a cat.

All visitors are admonished to keep outside doors shut.

You haunt yard sales, bring 'n' buy stalls, thrift shops for pretty china bowls for cats' use.

You stop buying black suits, slacks, dresses, jackets. Furniture upholstery has to be velvet, or other "ragpick" proof fabric.

House plants have to be hung from the ceiling.

(Gracious! Is that how I've lived my life all these years? Don't answer!)