dropping

growing up with cats, i had always had a very clear idea of the role of pets. they are entertaining, detached, and somewhat aloof about their presence in our lives. handling cats is easy. because of their "aloofness", they are able to maintain a separation between them and their owners. this in no way removes from the loving nature of cats, or the incredible companionship that they provide. the cat is there, it needs to be fed, and usually, that's all.
the first time that i handled dogs, puppies, that is, was disastrous. a friend was a corgi breeder and brought several puppies to a gathering i was at. you see, when you hold cats and then stop holding them, the verb that best describes that action is dropping. i drop cats. i think most people drop cats. i'm pretty sure that most people drop cats. and the fabulous part is, that it's what you do. they always land on their feet. it's the best thing about having cats. you don't need to worry about the end result. they always. always. land on their feet. now puppies, you see, are a completely different matter. when i held my first corgi, then when i stopped holding it, i did what i had done with animals the rest of my life. i dropped that puppy. unfortunately, the dog did not land on it's feet. it did what any imperfect species would do, it fell. i dropped it right on its belly. i got yelled at, then a lesson in placing dogs on the ground. i thought it was ridiculous. animals should not need that kind of attention. i shall remain, forever and ever, both a dropper and a cat lover.