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SEEING YOUR CAT’S PERSONALITY BLOSSOM

When I adopted Bunny the sweet old ladies at the shelter cried because they were afraid nobody would want her; she was shy and generally pretty odd because she had grown up in quarantine as a kitten for panleukopenia, a deadly disease that’s the feline equivalent to parvovirus. It has a low survival rate and requires aggressive supportive care but it’s easily transmitted, even from human to cat, so the only contact she got was during medical treatments. Bunny stayed timid because she was afraid of my husband but she had started showing a little more personality after we moved from our small one bedroom apartment into a large house and he got a job. She would come out of her shell when he was not nearby and then retreat and hide when he was around. Now that we’re far away from him, the change in her demeanor and confidence in just a little over a week has been astonishing. The woman at the shelter who helped with the adoption told me that I was meant to find Bunny and that we would heal each other. She didn’t know how right she was.

@taterhole

Mar 29, 2025

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I love my cat

I adopted my cat almost 3 years ago after going my whole life thinking I wasn’t a cat person. After watching my dear friends take care of their dorm cat (Beef!) I fell in love. I never quite understood cats- I always saw them through my child eyes as being elusive and standoffish. After solidifying my friendship with Beef I realized how strong the bond between cat and (wo)man can be- because it’s earned. My precious Duchess was the crustiest cat at the shelter but when she opened her big sapphire eyes I knew we were a destined pair. Duchess has sat with me through two heartbreaks, the hardest year of my life, multiple moves, long car rides, and many, many, sleepless nights. To say she’s my best friend isn’t totally correct- I feel she is truly a part of the fabric of my being. She has helped me trust myself to care for another living being, loved me on my most rotten days, and cuddled me when I’m sad (even though she pretends she hates it). I never knew such a small creature could change my entire world. On the loneliest days she licks my hand with her scratchy tongue and lays her head on my legs and I suddenly the darkness isn’t so dark. Thank you Duchess, my sweet girl, my forever love.

@annalyn

Feb 6, 2025

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Kittens

I have (and have had) many pets since I was a wee girl- newts, bunnies, terriers, gerbils, frogs, iguanas, fish, hedgehogs, and I’ve loved each of them with all I’ve got. But over the last few years, I’ve found my truest passion is raising kittens (don’t tell my dogs, who seem 100% sure the cats are just disruptive indignities I must suffer to get back to them.) Kittens are nature’s anti-depressant, the best reality show you’re not watching and a totally inspiring example of the mindfuck that is evolution. I mean, these little creeps have been designed by a Higher Power to look adorably lost, impossibly needy… and then BAM they’re opening all your doors and eating all your salad and looking down at you from the bookshelf like you’re the help in a Downton Abbey sequel. Plus, on a soppy note, a teensy rescue kitten is the example of tenacity we all need- they don’t give up as they go from fetal bird confusion to diabolical emperor. Any opportunity to foster, raise and/or unleash kittens on their next willing fin-dom arrangement is one of my higher callings. At the moment, two young ‘ens are staring at me from a cactus shaped condo in the corner of our bedroom. Another eight year old adoptee/Garfield doppelganger is on a reduced calorie diet upstairs so that he can maintain his heart health and travel in something smaller than the laundry hamper. Look at us! We’re a chic literary salon but I’m the only one who can read (I think. I have one cat who can probably read, she just does it at night when I’m not looking.)

@lena-dunham

Jan 3, 2023

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Starting over

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.” — Anaïs Nin This is uncharacteristically raw and personal, even for me, and pretty heavy! I know many of you have seen me posting through it and I feel safe to talk about it openly now that I’ve safely landed at the start of my new life. It’s honestly even a little bit embarrassing but I think it’s important to share. I’ve never publicly mentioned it on here, but I have a husband; as of Friday, we’d have been together for 11 years, and we’ve been married for 3 years as of 2/22. I realize now that I wanted to explore what I looked like outside of my relationship with him because I had lost that. This is why PI.FYI has been so meaningful to me as a space to express myself and connect with people—to rediscover my voice. I had been living a lie this entire time, to others but worst of all to myself. He’s been verbally and emotionally abusive, physically but without touching me, to the point that every day I spent with him I was in danger. I’ve been shrinking myself and walking on eggshells to avoid making him insecure and provoking his casual put-downs and fits of rage, while hanging on for dear life to the threads of good I could see. I’ve wanted so badly to leave, more than anything, but I felt like there was no way out and that this was just something I would need to endure indefinitely—but someone who is so very dear to me helped me see that I have wings to fly, not by acting as my savior but by reminding me of my own power. The emotional safety they built and the gentle care they showed me made me feel like I could open up to them. With their encouragement I was brave enough to tell the truth to my friends, my family, my boss, and they have received me with warm, loving and open arms and rallied to support and protect me. The financial and  logistical aspects were the most intimidating to me and it’s going to be tough for a while but I’m going to be better than okay! Now I’m opening up to you. This isn’t the only abuse I’ve suffered in my life, and my old therapist told me she believed it was my mission to share my strength and light with others to inspire them and show them that change is possible. I hope that by sharing this, I can reach even just one person who is going through something similar and show that they are not alone, and they are not weak. People with certain backgrounds may be more vulnerable to abuse, but it can happen to anyone. It thrives in darkness, shame, and isolation—and breaking that silence is the first step toward freedom. Leaving is the scariest thing I have ever done but I have so many angels around me, and I am endlessly grateful. Thank you for being here with me 💌

@taterhole

Mar 16, 2025

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Never changing

My dad teases me about how when I was a little kid, my favorite thing to do when I was on the landline phone with somebody—be it a relative or one of my best friends—was to breathlessly describe the things that were in my bedroom so that they could have a mental picture of everything I loved and chose to surround myself with, and where I sat at that moment in time. Perfectly Imperfect reminds me of that so thanks for always listening and for sharing with me too 💌

@taterhole

Feb 23, 2025

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Finally Quitting the job that you hate

Schedule sent my resignation email for the morning, effective immediately ✅💅

@taterhole

Feb 27, 2025