Got Quads?

I’ll never forget the day I brought two of my daughters home from the hospital. My husband and I each walked in the house with a baby carrier and were promptly greeted by our four cats (yes, four cats, four babies, but that my dear readers is a whole other post). The look of terror in those cats’ eyes was unforgettable. To this day I am convinced they thought we were bringing home yet more pets to join our family.  Some days I think they would have been happier if that had been the case.

That first night the cats kept cautiously approaching the babies, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever it was we had brought home. Any sudden movement sent the cats running. Our oldest cat was so mad he spent the rest of the night sulking under our bed. When the girls woke up crying in the middle of the night one of the cats yowled right along with them. It wasn’t the best start to our new family. Let’s just say when my two other girls were released from the NICU and arrived home I thought my cats might stage a mutiny.

Many people will tell you to bring something with the baby’s scent home a few days before your baby comes home. We tried that, but clearly it didn’t work. The cats played with the blankets we brought home but still weren’t prepared for the “invasion of the quadruplets.” I would say it took a good week and plenty of cat treats to help them adjust.

Our daughters’ first year of life had to be a hard one for our cats. They were used to be the kings of the castle and were suddenly dethroned by four princesses. They always had a clean cat box and plenty of food and water, but I’ll be the first to admit that they didn’t get nearly all the attention they should have.

Now that my daughters are older the cats are quickly coming around. They now have four more people to give them attention and treats. One of them has “claimed” one of my daughters as his own and always seeks her out for hugs and to play. This winter I fully expect to find him keeping her feet warm at night, rather than fulfilling those duties for me.

Some people think we’re nuts for having four cats to go along with our four daughters. Some days I would have to agree with them. But for the most part, I can’t imagine our family any other way.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS