Chalk up another cat-pair-bonder here. Men can be sweet, but they need SO much, far more than I'm in a position to offer in good faith. And cats don't possess that all-too-human trait of crippling themselves physically, mentally, or emotionally so as to reduce their responsibility in a household. They need what they need, respond to clear signals, and we're not socially trained to turn to them for the "missing pieces" of ourselves. It's just much easier for a woman in my cultural context to have a healthy relationship with a cat than with another human. And, of course, it helps that my little ("little?" Well, he's littler than me) Smudge is the sweetest cat of them all!

Love, Columbine