Is it Christmas yet?

Yep, last weekend we drove over to Washington, D.C., to see our pregnant daughter and her husband, take them some baby gifts and bring their cats on sabbatical to our house.

While our son-in-law and daughter, who will have twin boys in November, are preparing their home to be sold so they can move into a larger home they are having built, the real estate agent suggested removing their cats because some potential buyers might be allergic to cat hair, etc.

Considering over the years our daughter and her husband have fostered more than 100 cats and kittens for the SPCA until they could be adopted, I would imagine their house has tons of cat-related "stuff" inside that could affect one who is allergic, which is why carpeting is being replaced, walls are being painted and all traces of cats are being eliminated. Even the wild cats that "visit" their back yard for a free meal are being encouraged to dine elsewhere.

So, we took a carload of baby stuff to Washington and returned with a carload of cats and cat stuff. I'm questioning if it was a fair trade.

Fortunately for us, we have been cat people, having been the pets of two long-lived cats, the most recent of which became seriously ill and died a couple of years ago at the age of 16. On a couple of occasions we have looked at the pet ads in the Saturday News and Sentinel and were tempted to be adopted by another cat, but have resisted the urge.

Now, we have three cats and probably will have them until Christmas when we will return them to a new house in Washington, filled with two new occupants, of whom the cats undoubtedly will be jealous.

In the meantime, let's hope Riley, a senior citizen, learns not to hiss and show his teeth every time we're within three feet of him, Zoe doesn't runaway except at feeding time and Penny, the hider, can be found once in awhile.

Is it Christmas yet?