We Are Four

The email took me by surprise. Then again, if you ask me when I moved to NYC I’d say 9-10 years ago. In actuality it’s been much longer – longer than I’d like to admit (or can even fathom!). Obviously I have a problem with the passage of time.

Some people have poor spatial-relations. I have time-relation issues. Is that even a “thing”? Does anyone else experience what I’m describing, or am I merely putting a spin on “selective memory” or good old-fashioned “memory loss”?

Call it what you will, I could not comprehend what the email was telling me:

I HAVE CAT had turned four years old

Where had the time gone? Is it possible this is my 488th post? How much had I changed (or not) in those for years let alone the blog? I HAVE CAT has seen me through unemployment, employment and unemployment again. Sometimes getting a ton of my attention, and sometimes not so much.

It all started with my giving – or more accurately attempting to give – Kip a vet-prescribed blue Epsom salt foot paw soak. The end of my 30s was night; I was single (and topless) in my apartment on a Saturday night with one very unhappy cat and not a two-legged male in sight. Is this what my life had become? Years of hooking up, climbing the corporate ladder, doing everything I thought I was “supposed” to be doing. Here I was. Cat. Epsom salt. 10pm on a Saturday night.

It was on that night four years ago, unbeknownst to me, a blog was birthed. A blog intended to defy the stereotype that a cat loving woman must be dowdy, anti-social and unworthy of a man – or good furniture (though the latter may in fact be true after all). A blog that was counting on the fact that other stylish women (and men) existed who wanted options besides a beige or purple five foot tall carpeted cat tower in the middle of their living room. Those who believed feline and human could live together in aesthetic harmony.

What I HAVE CAT looked like in the very beginning.

I recall my burning desire to reach 100 Facebook fans (as they were called back then) by my birthday in January^. And we did accomplish it just in the nick of time! I couldn’t have been prouder or more excited by what at the time, was apparently my infant blog. I couldn’t believe people I didn’t know, those other than friends and family I’d forced, coerced or guilted into to read it, were coming to I HAVE CAT and commenting. It blew me away.

Growing up I played the violin, acted, drew and danced. But writing was never my cup of tea. I didn’t, and still don’t, consider myself a writer. Armenian was actually my first language. I learned English in Kindergarten and tried – to no avail – to take the TOFL instead of the SATs.

The blog became a way to bring some level of creativity back into my life as all those other activities had fallen to the way-side as I moved to New York and dedicated myself to succeeding in Madison Avenue advertising (my first advertising job was at Young & Rubicam, legitimately on Madison Avenue, one of the few left there at the time).

Sometimes a little out-sourcing is in order. Everyone has to carry their weight!

To think that we’re now creeping up on 32k fans without doing any advertising is quite mind-boggling. Of course being the overachiever I am, I’d love twice the audience! But if I stop and let myself think about it, 32k is quite a lot of I HAVE CAT loving fans, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart when I say I appreciate your support and interaction. Without you I’d be talking to myself! And it’s comforting to know there are so many like-minded cat lovers out there.

I HAVE CAT has enriched my life in ways I could have never imagined. It’s given me access to people around the country – the world – I never would have met in the “real” world. Not only because of our geographic differences but because of varying political views, religions, lifestyles, familial commitments, disabilities, hobbies and so forth. But what matters in the virtual world of I HAVE CAT is first and foremost what we have in common. Our love of felines, the belief they add to our lives versus detract, and a general compassion for animals.

From left to right clockwise: Me at Blind Cat Sanctuary, Alex Ohanian founder of reddit and his cat, Carrie Ann Inaba who has her own rescue group, TJ, me, Will Braden and Paul Klugsman

It’s opened up an entirely new world full of other pet bloggers who have become my friends. I’ve met and become friendly with pet brands, some who have sent me to some pretty cool places I’d never have the opportunity to go to otherwise (e.g., SXSW and The Blind Cat Sanctuary). And meet people like ’ve met Lil Bub (and his “dude” Mike), TJ and Paul Klusman (of The Engineers Guide to Cats), Will Braden (of Henri Le Chat Noir), Carrie Ann Inaba, and lets not forget Grumpy Cat (four times!).

Someone who recognized the photos I was posting on IHC’s FB page realized we lived only blocks away. We’ve become close friends. Now that’s pretty darn cool. I’ve even had the fortune to meet a few IHC fans in person who’ve come to visit New York City from different states and countries. And there are many many more I’d love the chance to meet, and hope I do.

The CDC publishes developmental milestones for each age leading to adulthood. I thought it would be neat to see how I HAVE CAT was measuring up against what’s considered “normal” for a four-year-old since the blog is, in a way, my child? This should be interesting, here we go!

Important Milestones: Your ~~Child~~ Blog at Four Years

Social and Emotional

Enjoys doing new things: Yes!
Is more and more creative with make-believe play: Needs to work on that as often gets sidetracked by practical matters.
Would rather play with other children than by himself: I can’t speak for the blog but I sure do (I have a feeling the blog is competitive and prefers to spend time alone)
Cooperates with other children: Most of the time (…I think we’re talking about me here!).
Talks about what she likes and what she is interested in: Well, writes about it, yes!

Language/Communication

Asks the questions – “What, Where, Who?”: Yes thankfully, or else the blog would not last very long!
Speaks clearly ad is understood by non-family members: I hope so. No one has told me otherwise.
Knows some basic rules of grammar, such as correctly using “he” and “she”: Most of the time but I’m the blog is prone to grammatical and typographical errors because I the blog often types faster than it thinks.
Sings a song or says a poem from memory such as the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or the “Wheels on the Bus”: Sadly no. Will have to work on this. Not sure how cats will feel about it.
Tells stories: Sometimes, needs to do it more often.

Okay, so I’m my blog might not be the sharpest 4 year old in the shed but I’m it’s doing okay. I think. Just keep reading so we make it 5 years okay?

Oh, and one little Birthday request (the blog is asking, not me of course). See that little “subscribe by email” box in the middle of the right hand column. If you sign up there you’ll get an email each time there’s a new blog post. And I’m SURE you wouldn’t want to miss any right? Especially not any awesome giveaways or pictures of my cats or me.

Thanks guys. I think I need to find some cake.