Here at the Cat Gazette, we already have a few great series that our readers know and love. So it’s only right that with the new decade, we start a new series. This time we’ll be highlighting the CatGenie team’s cute critters in a brand new series called Office Pets.
The last piece highlighted Anna’s adorable orange Maine Coon named Goob (formerly known as Hades), and it was a great way to kick off this series. This time, we’re highlighting Cat Genie’s Marketing Manager Courtney’s furry friends.
Courtney has two Black Cats named Mario (13) and Luigi (14), a Shiba Inu named Bowser (12), and a Golden Retriever named Layla (10). If you noticed the abundance of Mario-related names here, it wasn’t an accident. In fact, early on in Courtney’s marriage, her and her husband played a ton of Mario Kart so it’s only right that her first three pets were named after the characters.
Having a handful of pets means a handful of “gotcha” stories. When I asked Courtney about her pet journey, I was not disappointed!
“We adopted our cats within a few months of moving to Philadelphia! We had moved here right after college and had nothing and nobody here but each other. I was volunteering at a local PetSmart and there was little Mario and it was love at first snuggle! We didn’t want him to be lonely so Luigi came home with us that day too. At a time that we were rebuilding our lives in a new place, the cats brought such warmth and comfort to a strange place for us. They’ve been with us through a lot over the last almost 13 years, 5 homes, 2 Master’s Degrees, 2 puppies, 2 kids… I cannot imagine taking our journey as young married folk without them.”
Then came the aforementioned puppies:
“Bowser came along not long after we got married. We just happened upon little baby Bowser and his little four pounds of fluff was absolutely irresistible! Bringing him home really felt like we were becoming a family after our wedding and he was such a blast to raise from so tiny.”
“Layla joining our family was super random. A colleague’s older golden’s got pregnant by surprise, and they were looking for good homes. Her floppy little self was just a big ball of love and our little family of six was simply meant to be. It was another 6 years until our first child was born and I truly treasure those years with just us and the pets. I’ll never forget the Brophy’s 1.0 and how wonderful it has been to have them all fall in love with both of our children.”
Is anyone else trying not to get emotional while reading this? If you’re a loyal reader of these series you’d know that this backstory is a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately, in stories like this one, or my Special Cats series, we usually talk about the rough backstories of adopted critters, but this is a nice change of scenery, and we’re so glad these animals are living their best lives.
So what’s the best part about being a pet owner for Courtney?
“For us, having pets in our home just fills it with life. No matter your mood, there is always an animal nearby to match your energy. To be silly or sad or snuggly. To love you with their 100% no matter what your 100% was that day. I know it has been hard for them to share us with our kids, but it has also been beautiful watching them all fall in love with each other. Having pets is good for kids– it teaches them unconditional love, patience and selflessly caring for another. Our house is crowded and constantly covered in hair, but I wouldn’t trade it!”
I completely second this! Being covered in hair is a teeny price to pay for the endless enjoyment and love we get from our furry pals. But as we all know, being a pet owner is not always rainbows and butterflies. So what are some of the less glamorous parts of being a pet owner to Courtney?
“We have dealt with ALOT of health issues, specifically with Bowser. Making those choices, medical and financial is never easy. And once the kids come along and you are sharing resources– time, energy, money– those choices get even harder. You want to love them with everything you can, but also have to be sure you are being fair to everyone involved. It has also admittedly been a little heartbreaking to know the animals don’t get quite as much of us since the kids were born. They are still happy and well cared for but in the little moments where there isn’t room on my lap anymore or the dog bed has to get moved from their favorite spot to make room for the playpen– we know how dramatically our choices have impacted their lives and that’s hard to be at peace with sometimes. When you love your animals so much and what that love looks like keeps evolving, it can be strange to get used to the new picture without feeling guilty.”
This is a really good reminder for people who don’t consider their pets as part of the family. When you’re adopting or purchasing (please choose adoption) an animal it is integral to understand that you are adding a furry family member to your home, not just a toy for amusement. When you’re getting a pet for the right reasons, they can have a truly profound impact on you, and even your little ones that you add to the family later on.
Of course, Courtney’s experience being raised around animals, and having her own led her to find the most purrrrfect position working for the Catgenie, which is something that will definitely be a recurring theme here in the Office Pets series.
But I was also very curious to know about whether or not her animals get a ‘lil jealous of Carlos’ scent after she gets home from the office.
“Ha no! Although both Carlos and Luigi LOVED laying on top of my baby bump belly last year and I don’t think Lu liked his scent there too much.”
As usual we’ll wrap this one up with some advice from Courtney to people who are seeking a pet of their own:
“Be patient looking for your love connection and consider the lifetime investment of time, energy, lifestyle and money. Make sure your lifestyle can accommodate a considerate life for an animal. Just because you want one in your home doesn’t mean the life you can give it will be a dream for them.”
