Pet owner: Jayneil Enriquez
Pet name: Spring
Pet breed: Dollfaced Persian
Tell us an interesting story about your pet?
“Contrary to what most people think, Spring is a male cat. We named him after the season because he has two older sisters named Summer and Autumn... and because of his color, he wouldn’t really pass off as ‘Winter.’
“There are so many funny stories I could tell you about Spring but one thing I could never really forget was the first time he truly scared me. Unlike most cats (and his sisters), Spring is very animated. Although he still sleeps a lot, he’s the most energetic cat I know. He’s also very curious; he climbs the tallest shelves of our house or he somehow ends up in our storage boxes. One time, we spent three hours looking for him, to a point where we thought he had hurried himself out of the house from our back door and jumped off of our terrace. We had our neighbors join us in looking for him within our compound, and I was so close to feeling hopeless and breaking down into tears, thinking that he ran away. Then all of a sudden, we started hearing him ‘meowing’ from one of the storage boxes tucked under my bed. As soon as we opened it, we realized he had gotten himself stuck in some of my old stuff! And to think we were calling his name the entire time, but he never ‘meowed’ to us back. Until now, I still feel like he was hiding from us on purpose, and as soon as he got bored from it, that’s when he tried calling for our help. Haha! Cats are really strange, but I love them.”
What’s the best thing about your pet?
“Spring has the perfect balance of dog qualities and cat qualities. Most dog-lovers dislike cats because they seem to be very standoffish, aloof and unaffectionate; some of my friends even feel like cats are spawns of the demon and will murder them in their sleep. While most cat-lovers dislike dogs because they are the opposite of cats—they’re very affectionate, clingy and highly energetic. And I think Spring is the right mix of both. I’m the type of person who wants my personal space and who may or may not want love and affection (depending on my mood). Haha! And Spring knows exactly when I need the love and affection, and when I do not as well.”
What tip can you give to people who want to be responsible pet owners?
“I think owning a pet is like getting into a relationship with someone—you have to be sure that you love him or her, and when you think you do, you have to be ready to commit to it. Owning a pet is not like owning a new toy that you get to play with whenever you feel like it, then leave it be whenever you don’t. It’s really about learning how to care for another sentient being that also has needs and wants. And those needs and wants may or may not require a lot of work and sacrifice from you (i.e. Never forgetting to change the litter of your cat’s litterbox every single day. And good Lord, there are no days that it doesn’t smell like regret.) It may get to a point when it becomes extra frustrating (like when a cat discovers that your new furniture makes for a good scratcher... or when your dog thinks your new shoe is a new toy he can murder to bits), but like any other relationship, the more you work hard in understanding and compromising to your pets needs, you’ll get that loyalty and that love you deserve back and more.”