If you ask anyone who knows me, they will say that I am the “crazy cat lady.” I’ve had my two cats, Boots and Gizmo, for almost 8 years now and they are my babies. As much as I begged to have a dog growing up — my dad would never budge — I can’t imagine having one now that I have cats. Don’t get me wrong, I still think that dogs are adorable and every time I see one I want to pet it, but I think I will always favor cats over dogs.

The frustrating thing about owning cats is that most people are so quick to assume that my cats are “mean.” The unfortunate stereotype that comes with owning cats is that they are anti-social, they bite, they scratch, and they just don’t like people. So, when my cats come out to try and greet guests, they immediately back away, afraid that my cats will jump on them and scratch them. When I’m finally able to convince the new guests at my house that my cats won’t hurt them, they realize that all my little babies want to do is to meet new people and get some new attention.

If you were to ever meet my cats, you would realize that the normal “cat stereotype” is not always true. My cats love greeting people at the door, playing fetch, and wrestling with each other. They also LOVE attention. They love getting their bellies rubbed, they love cuddling up to people while they sleep, and they are lap cats through and through.

That being said, not every cat is as social as mine are. Every cat is different, and sometimes the way the cat grew up influences the way they act around humans. But, if you do meet a cat, don’t be so quick to judge it and assume that it will hurt you and ignore you. Most cats that I’ve met are pretty social, and even the ones who aren’t, still like getting some attention from time to time.

Although cats don’t like to roughhouse and they’re pretty lazy 99 percent of the time, cats are still great pets to have. They are friendly, lovable, and even a little mischievous from time to time. They will commandeer your boxes so they can play in them, they will intentionally sit on your clothes and get cat fur all over them, and sometimes they will even jump in the kitchen sink to play with the water dripping out from the faucet. Despite their initial "bad reputation," I love my cats with all of my heart. They are the most lovable little creatures I have ever known and I can't imagine what my life would be like without those little trouble-makers.