THE CAT YEARS
I just realized that while children are dogs - loyal and affectionate - teenagers are cats. It's so easy to be a dog owner. You feed it, train it, boss it around. It puts it's head on your knee and gazes at you as if you were a Rembrandt painting. It bounds indoors with enthusiasm when you call it.

Then around age 13, your adoring little puppy turns into a big old cat. When you tell it to come inside, it looks amazed, as if wondering who died and made you emperor. Instead of dogging your doorsteps, it disappears. You won't see it again until it gets hungry -- then it pauses on its sprint through the kitchen long enough to turn its nose up at whatever you're serving. When you reach out to ruffle its head, in that old affectionate gesture, it twists away from you, then gives you a blank stare, as if trying to remember where it has seen you before.

You, not realizing that the dog is now a cat, think something must be desperately wrong with it. It seems so antisocial, so distant, sort of depressed. It won't go on family outings.

Since you're the one who raised it, taught it to fetch and stay and sit on command, you assume that you did something wrong. Flooded with guilt and fear, you redouble your efforts to make your pet behave.

Only now you're dealing with a cat, so everything that worked before now produces the opposite of the desired result. Call it, and it runs away. Tell it to sit, and it jumps on the counter. The more you go toward it, wringing your hands, the more it moves away.

Instead of continuing to act like a dog owner, you can learn to behave like a cat owner. Put a dish of food near the door, and let it come to you. But remember that a cat needs your help and your affection too. Sit still, and it will come, seeking that warm, comforting lap it has not entirely forgotten. Be there to open the door for it.

One day your grown-up child will walk into the kitchen, give you a big kiss and say, "You've been on your feet all day. Let me get those dishes for you."

Then you'll realize your cat is a dog again.

(Author Unknown)

I was in the "cat" phase for nearly 10 years...my mother has the patience of a saint!

my son is there now and hes only 12. And needless to say i am nooooooooooooooooo saint. I have no spoke to him for 3 days now and dont plan to for a lot longer. Take your mom to lunch lol she deserves it and more hehe

speachless about the post.. but very appreciative.. i will print it, an keep it.. and look at it often.. as my daughter grows closer to the cat..

Connie, so when do the pig years occur? I remember those, ya know dirty clothes on the floor, dirty dishes around, etc, etc....

Well I don't have any children and after reading these posts I'm kinda glad of that, I think.

I just wanna know why my cat walks out thru an open door and wants to come back in thru a locked door. Got me stuffed.

Truer words were never said. I have 2 daughters, 15 and 16, and pray that I survuve the next 5 years. I only see them when they and all their friends are hungry. Or they want money. Of course.

big dog i think the cat and pig years are combined. we open his door throw in what ever we ave to and hurry up and shut the door.

Connie, LOL - I remember!...

SHEEESH IT GETS LIKE THAT ????

MINE ARE 10-8-6 ..


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