Saturday, July 25, 2015

The "Talk". . . It's coming

In the last month, we have adopted two of the most beautiful kittens.  Olaf, a snow colored cat with Mickey Mouse markings is our little man and Chita, a Hindi word for "spotted" is our little girl. Ironically, she is not spotted, but brown with black stripes bedecking her head and body.  A white vest adorns her chest and like her larger cat cousin, the Cheetah, she is very quick on her feet.

Nevertheless, our two human beans are thoroughly enamored with their feline friends.  In fact, Ladybug, our eldest has declared that she is going to have 1000 cats in her house some day.  None of which are going to be spayed or neutered. 

Which of course lead to the most interesting discussion late one night as she, Honeypie and I were all cuddled in my bed for a slumber party. 

LB: Mom, why do cats have to get spayed and neutered?
Me: Well, it's so they don't have babies.
LB: Why?
Me: Well, if there are too many cats, then there is a chance that they won't get taken care of well.
LB: But why do they get spayed and neutered?
Me: So they don't have babies.
LB: But how does this make them not have babies?
Me: (How is it that I get these discussions?)  Well, the vets do a little surgery that makes them not have babies.
LB: Well, the boy cats are lucky.
Me: Why is that?
LB: Well, they can still have babies.
Me: Actually, LB boys do not have babies.
LB: Then why do they have to be neutered?
Me: Well, (whether I am ready or not for this, this discussion indeed is happening), boys have a special cell that meets with the egg and then these two cells make a baby?
LB: Well, how does the cell get there?
Me: The boy cat puts it there.
LB: (I can hear a smile on her face in the dark) Oh, I get it. Like you and Daddy!
Me: Me and Daddy?
LB: You know, you huggle wuggle.
Me: I guess that is like Daddy and I.

Pan to our other daughter, who is now fast asleep in my bed, eyes lightly fluttering, hand clutching her pink flowered birth blanket, looking as cute  and innocent as ever.  In this moment, I realize this innocence is not long lived and like my old white tattered blankee, I am wishing to hold onto this for a very long time.