I'm a busy college student— I work two jobs, I take a full course load and I am very involved in my sorority. So while my life can be crazy and all over the place, the one constant thing that remains is my love for my little buddy, Punkin.
Having a cat in college is honestly the best thing ever. Cats are more independent than dogs, so I don't have to come home and take him to the bathroom or feed him at any certain time— he does all of that himself, but still waits for me by the door because he's missed me all day.
Not only is having a cat great, but having this cat in particular has been the biggest blessing. Punkin is a very rare breed— he's a Turkish Van.
If you know anything about Turkish Vans (which you probably don't) you know that they are the only breed of cats who enjoy swimming. Yeah, thats right, my little dude can hop in a pool and start swimming. It's quite amazing and I recommend googling it.
He also has the softest fur of all breeds, lives the longest, and has the biggest personality of all. Not to mention his rugged good looks. I basically hit the jackpot.
The thing I love the most about my guy is that he is so much more than the stereotypical cat. He doesn't just lie around all day and sit like a log, he actually has a personality.
Sometimes he's very sleepy so we cuddle for hours and hours, sometimes he's hyper so we play and chase each other and sometimes he gets sassy and decides he doesn't want anything to do with me. I never know which mood I'm going to get, but I love every one of them because it keeps life interesting.
These are all reasons why my cat and I are bffs, but the main thing that keeps my heart full is knowing that every night I get to come home to that fluffy little guy rubbing against my feet purring, as if saying "Hi mom, I missed you."
If you are thinking about getting a cat in college I say go for it. They aren't too much to handle, they don't require as much attention as dogs and they still provide a cuddle buddy for you on those long and lonely nights.
My best advice is to make sure you get a breed that fits you— it sounds silly, but the personality of your cat depends on its breed. So if you get say a Ragdoll, your cat will literally just sit there all day. But if you get a Turkish Van, you'll get a cat with many personalities. Just do some research, nothing too time-consuming, and make sure you know what you want.
Whatever you do, don't de-claw your little buddy. Cats have sharp nails and can mess things up, but take precautions ahead of time to help with this.
Put clear tape over door frames so they don't scratch paint off, buy a scratching post so they can get their energy out there and put tinfoil on areas they seem to be destroying to make them un-intersested. If none of those things work, they make clear nail caps to go over cats claws so they don't scratch. Take care of your friend and your stuff will be fine.
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