Housecat By Linda Stowe
I came across a word the other day that I have not heard for a long time. The word was housecat. When I was growing up, a housecat was a specific kind of cat and few people that I knew had them. The people in my parent’s circle of friends had barn cats or outside cats. Cats didn’t live inside the house. Neither did dogs for that matter. The only pets that were permitted in the house were birds and goldfish, and they weren’t usually in residence all that long because someone would leave the cage door open or forget to feed them. For the most part, animals who depended solely upon humans did not fare well.
Today if someone says they have a cat it is assumed that it is a housecat or at least a cat that spends most of its time in the house. Yet, even if you have a cat living in your house, in that cat’s mind you are the visitor, not him. Dogs come across as loyal and maybe they are. Regardless, they are easy to trick. You don’t have to lasso a dog to get it to go into a cage. Just set a bowl of food in there. It is also possible to get a cat in a cage but by the time you do, you’re exhausted and covered in scratches.
So if you’re thinking about getting a housecat, keep in mind that you will be the one losing your freedom.
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Polly here.
This was great. I laughed out loud. And perfectly stated. So many people have housecats these days. I’d have one, but it must be a household consensus to have a cat in the house. I’ve been outvoted two to one.
Nonetheless, we have had cats for years. Barn cats that have it pretty good by living in our barn. Currently, we have two. Martha Mae lives in the garage. Pepper Jack lives in the barn.
And. I love them both.
