There’s a lot of talk in the online infertility community about “fur babies,” or pets. Growing up, my I’d always had pets in my house, but I never understood how much a pet can mean to someone until we adopted a cat in the middle of our infertility struggle.
We met Hemingway a little over two years ago, on the very first day we visited the house we now own. He strolled up to us as we walked towards the house. I remember telling my husband, “Aw, I always wanted an orange tabby.” My husband, a lifelong cat-hater, muttered something about how we needed a dog instead.
After we moved in, Hemingway became a consistent presence in our front yard. He was skittish and shy at first, but he eventually trusted me enough that he allowed me to pet his head briefly. Over time, those quick head rubs evolved into him climbing into my lap as I set on my front step. One day I came home from work and discovered him in my husband’s lap on the front step. It seems he won everyone over.
We found out he belonged to the lady who lived across the street and had three dogs. Hemingway gradually began spending more time in our yard. He started trying to sneak in our house, too. I resisted at first, and was constantly shooing him out. I didn’t want our neighbor to think we were trying to steal her pet. One day she saw him exit our house and she yelled, “I hope he’s not bothering you!” Then I realized she didn’t mind if he came over.
To make a long story short, we eventually adopted Hemingway from our neighbor. She told us he hadn’t been in her house in over a year because he was afraid of her dogs. He wouldn’t even eat the food she set out for him, and she had been considering taking him to the local shelter to see if someone would adopt him.
So this past New Year’s Eve, she gave him to us and he’s quickly made himself at home. He has brought my husband and I so much joy, and we’re convinced that He’s a gift from God during this tough time.
I know that he’d probably love anyone who gave him food and a head rub, but this cat is so affectionate and so loving it’s impossible not to believe that he loves us as much as we love him.
Of course, some people might say that we’re transferring our pent-up love for our unconceived children on to our cat. Perhaps that’s true, but I don’t care. He’s become a member of our family and we’re so glad he’s ours.
Update 4/13/2020: Hemingway passed away from kidney disease in April 2017 at the age of 9. He lived long enough to see the birth of our daughter after our successful IVF cycle.
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