National Hug Your Cat Day

I found out under the wire that today is National Hug Your Cat Day-- thanks, Facebook!


The truth is, I make it a point of hugging Zoe every day just to make sure she knows I care. This has been my instruction to each of her caretakers over the years, too. She acts like she is fine being unnoticed, but when you meet her where she is (or snatch her up as she stalks by), she often purrs and from time to time ends up sitting for long periods of time in a lap. She just doesn't always like to initiate things. That's her way. She's aloof like that. It's part of her charm.

Zoe and I, years ago - life is basically the same today.

Pure aloof charm.

I give Bogey (the dog) quite a bit of attention on the blog. He's kind of an attention whore. He's also a charmer and hilariously laid back. Zoe is less keen on the media exposure.. and the attention, frankly. (See the Blogess' post on the dangers of National Hug Your Cat Day. Though Zoe is not a claw-er, other cat owners are to be warned.)

I feel like parenting a cat like Zoe and a dog like Bogey (who happens to be one of the cuddliest creatures known to man) is a lot like the parenting my mom conducted in mothering a kid like me amidst the outgoing, sociable, talkative siblings I grew up with.

Me, the introverted, introspective, pensive, middle child surrounded by extroverts. Sometimes, the extroverts are just more visible by their nature. They certainly are better at voicing their needs, especially those pesky emotional ones. Sometimes they just get more attention. And honestly, the introverts don't want it that much.

It must have been tough to balance that attention giving amongst the four of us, for my mom. And yet she, like me, hugged her introvert against her will. And every once in a while, I appreciated it.

Happy Hug Your Cat Day! (It's special because it's rare.)