Josh and the Cats

So Josh didn't grow up with animals.  At all.  I grew up with A LOT of animals of all shapes and sizes.  I have a special love for them and I'd like to think that its mutual ;)  Anyway,  when we met, I had two cats.  He has never loved animals or even liked them much (except for fish...which aren't even pets in my book, haha)  Anyway, he proved that he could love me through thick and thin because guess who came to live with us in our new home once we got married?  Yes the cats.  (Not that I would have had it any other way.. ;) So sadly one was hit by a car and was killed and I was really really sad, so Josh said we could get another cat.  I fell in love with two twin brother kittens who were abandoned in a box with their sibling on the side of a highway in SLC.  We went to meet them and their sweet foster mommies Ellen and Kay.  Not only did we love them, but I instantly fell in love with the kittens, whom I referred to as "the boys".  We named them Luther and Liger.  Josh was neither here nor there about the boys... So he said.  Sure when you haven't grown up with animals, you don't know what to expect.  They butted heads a bit, but as the cats and Josh have grown, I have watched him become more tender and caring about them and their needs.  Last November while we were at my parent's house for Thanksgiving, sweet Liger got out during the night and was hit by a car and killed immediately. We were devastated.  Me in particular.  Luther walked around the house calling for him for a few weeks after.  I wonder if he even remembers him now.  We just moved to a new home in Provo and there are two boy cats who frequent the yard and have made friends with Luther.  They are so fun to watch together, because at our old place, there was an evil black cat the prowled the neighborhood and would attack our cats.  Luther would just run and come inside all shook up, but Freshy...?  She is a boss.  She would screech and puff herself up so much that I think the black cat got scared that she was going to draw humans to the scene and would usually leave without too much trouble.  Although he did get her in the back once and gave her an abscess.  Jerk cat.

So now that you have background on our kitties Luther and Freshy, here is some solid proof that Josh has a lil something for them.  The picture of Freshy for instance is a perfect example.  Notice the blanket wrapped snugly around her?  That is all Josh.  If he finds a cat asleep and there is a blanket around, he will make sure that blanket is softly burrito'd around them.  Freshy is now a "daddy's girl" and prefers to go to him for loving rather than me!  He has also built and installed an awesome kitty door, complete with a carpeted balcony and a ramp going up to it for easy access (Freshy has jumping issues).  He ALSO is going to put a burlap-like material around the first 3 feet of the kitty ramp as a scratching post, AND above the ramp, he will be installing homemade carpeted kitty homes for each of them.  Emily called it Catopia.  I know Josh likes to have a project going and all, but I have a very hard time believing that he doesn't REALLY love these cats.  Though he may never admit that he really loves them, as the Savior said during his Sermon on the Mount "By their fruits, ye shall know them".  Even though Josh is already AWESOME with little kids, I feel like these past 3 years have been great for him to learn to discipline and love them, just like he will with our children that will come into our lives.  Some may say that is a silly way to look at it (they are just cats after all), but say what you will :)  I have definitely seen an awesome change in the way they interact with each other.