I started living with cats.

Actually, I had wanted one for years. Since my wife had a cat at her family home, she had been saying from the beginning of our marriage, 'I want to have a cat someday.' However, after our kids were born, that 'someday' kept getting postponed. And now, after a lot of time, our two children are both in elementary school, and they require much less attention, so we started thinking maybe it was time to get a cat.

Of course, getting a cat takes money and time.

Initially, we considered adopting a rescue cat, but since our son has a mild cat allergy, we decided to choose from a pet shop for safety. We researched cats that are less likely to trigger allergies, and the one that caught our eye was the Russian Blue.
We immediately searched the website of our local pet shop. It was hard to find one.
It seems Russian Blues are quite rare.

In the midst of that, we discovered an incredibly cute kitten. The next morning, feeling excited that we might actually get to adopt the cat today, our whole family headed to the pet shop.

There it was. The one we were looking for.

We asked the staff if we could hold it.
It was friendly and adorable. Our son's allergy seemed manageable.
According to the staff, it had been a long time since a Russian Blue had come to this store. It was only the third one they've had in total.

We made a quick decision.
This was not the time to hesitate. The kids were thrilled.

We named the cat 'Sora,' inspired by 'Blue.' It's a boy.
He's quite mischievous, jumping around in the cage and climbing (?). I couldn't help but laugh when I first saw him.

From day one, he had no issues with food or the litter box. He's very adaptable.
Since he's still a kitten, we need to soak his cat food in hot water before feeding him.
It reminded me of the baby food for my son and daughter. Both humans and cats are the same.
It's quite a hassle, but at least we don't have to take him out for walks.

We learned that he needs to stay in the cage for a while longer.
I want to let him roam freely inside soon, but there’s just too much clutter in the house, and it’s indeed dangerous.
I’m enjoying a decluttering spree (mainly getting the kids to help).
They are quite eager to clean up 'for Sora.' It's wonderful.

After some research, I found out that he can be free-roaming around 7 months old.
He’s still just 3 months now, so it’s a long wait ahead.

I dream of the day when I can work with Sora sitting on my lap, waiting patiently for that future.