A new pet can bring peace to your household

Late on Saturday afternoon, we took the kids to the park. There was a big Maori family celebration over at the BBQ shelter, and lots of kids playing in the wooden adventure playground. We were there for a while before we spotted a cluster of kids near the see-saw, looking under the wooden structure of the playground. "There's a kitty in there!" they said, pointing to a small hole between the tan bark and the structure. Sure enough there was, and she came home with us. (She's about half grown. And that's not her in the photo.)

I could see DH was in love with the kitty after he put her inside his jacket, and she ended up poking her head out of his sleeve... but we said to the kids, "You guys have to be good if you want to keep the kitty." What cruel parents we are!

When we got her home, the kitty was very friendly - everyone wanted to play with her. She loved being petted, and the house was very peaceful for the first few days. Please can I pet the kitty? Can the kitty sleep in my room? Please? etc. I'd forgotten how much I like cats (our previous cat, Baby, died about 2 years ago). They're small and cuddly (whereas our dogs are enormous), and petting them makes both you and them feel good - see Pet Therapy on Wikipedia for more info and resources.

Having the cat has definitely reduced everyone's stress levels.