Akron Life April 2022

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[ Assistant Editor | Alexandra Sobczak | asobczak@bakermediagroup.com ]

Partners in Crime

My cats team up for cuteness and chaos.

Her habit has resulted in several vet visits, and no one can figure out why she’s so inclined to eat those things. Each time, she has thankfully been okay, seem ing unbothered by it all. No damage done — except giv ing her moms lots of anxi ety and some hefty vet bills. Now that the closets and cabinets are locked, Rosa and Apollo have found new ways to make life interesting. I mostly work remotely, so I often spend my mornings with my earbuds in, dodg ing the cats as they sprint around the apartment, chas ing each other and getting their energy out before their afternoon naps. It’s chaos, and it makes me smile every single day. They also want to be a part of everything I’m doing. They’ve walked back and forth on my desk during meetings, have sat on my lap during interviews and have even clawed the bun on top of my head during a phone call. My younger brother, Bob, sounds exasperated every time he tells me that we need to discipline the cats more, perhaps by spray ing them with water. But the problem is that Rosa

loves water — she hops right into the bathtub as it fills when given the chance — and Apollo is so terrified of water that spraying him would break my lovesick heart. Instead, we use other strategies, though nothing is foolproof against their mischief. Still, adopting them was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. To me, they’re perfect angels. If you’re looking for your own fill of cute animal content, check out our pets feature on pg.24. We talked with local pet owners who show case their furry babies on Instagram, and they told us some of the adorable behind-the-scenes details. I often get emotional over how lucky Cara and I were to find such unique, charming, loving cats. As they approach their second birthdays, they aren’t show ing any signs of slowing down. We would do any thing for them, so I guess we’ll keep shopping in the baby section for more child safety locks to keep the little troublemakers safe.

My entire apartment is childproofed, top to bottom — which may not seem unusual, except that I don’t have any kids. The pantry, all the closets and the cabinets under the bathroom and kitchen sinks have child safety locks on them. Many things are kept in latched trunks or hung far off the ground. My girlfriend, Cara, and I adopted them from One of a Kind Pet Rescue in the summer of 2020, falling in love with them immediately. Upon bringing them home, we were quickly introduced to their kitten mischief. They’re partners in crime. Apollo has never met a drawer he couldn’t open, and whenever the mood strikes, he insists on pulling all our drawers and cabi nets open. Rosa stands by until he does, and then she makes quick work of eat ing any string-like objects she can find, like hair ties, It’s all because of my cats, Rosa and Apollo.

Rosa

Apollo

rubber bands, shoelaces and hoodie strings. She even enjoys dining on certain kinds of fabric.

[ Assistant Editor Alexandra Sobczak is passionate about inclusivity, correct grammar and pop music. ]

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