This is totally mundane and pointless. But as much time as I spend thinking about food, women, sex, music, my career and its related problems, personal stuff, trouble in the world, and so on, I also spend a huge amount of time thinking about cats, and how much I love them. I haven’t owned a cat since 2001, and I still miss him like crazy. I think about him every day, and I fall in love with every cat I meet. I want to befriend them all, play with them, pick them up, hug them, sleep with them under my arms. I think if I had a cat, I wouldn’t be nearly so depressed all the damn time. A cat would provide so much amusement and joy and fun to my life, and we’d be great pals. Hell, I’m allergic, but I’d deal with it. But as long as I’m living where I live and my job is not 100% secured, I can’t take on a pet. If you’re lucky enough to have some cats, you should give them big hugs for me tonight.
Consider the kitties hugged, and have one for yourself, Lou. I hope you can get a demon beast of your own soon.
Ya know, Opal is trying to give away a cat, right?
Ohhhh! 
That made me miss my cats–and I saw them not eight hours ago. And I was even mad at them when I left the house because they’d managed to cover the kitchen floor in dry food. sigh
Yeah, but I’m in Florida, and I can’t have a cat where I’m currently living. It’s a shame, because I really like the black ones… although gray (blue?) cats are probably my absolute favorites.
I’ll love on my Mojo and Norman a little more just for you, Lou. I’m allergic too, but I just accept the watery eyes and sneezing along with the purrs and happy paws.
Mojo gave me a message for you-- “Mowr-rowr.” Translated: “Hey, dude.”
I am allergic to mine too, but am happy to pop the antihistamines if it means I can keep them.
Consider my cats hugged on your behalf. Except the one who I haven’t seen yet today…dirty stop out!
When I get home I’ll hug my roommate’s cat for you. She’s not mine, but she’s very fat and huggable.
I will cuddle Katya when I get home, and give her a piece of ice to bat around on the kitchen floor, for you.
She is a Russian Blue mix. She looks quite a bit like the mother cat in the second picture from the top. She’s spayed, though, so no kittens for her.
Oh, and I’ll cuddle Luna, the other Neville kitty, for you too.
I shant hug any cats because if I touch a cat my lungs stop working properly for three or four days, but I’ll wave if I see one.
–Cliffy
I do that when I’m driving through my neighborhood, I always wave at these two orange cats who hang around in front of the same house. I usually call out to them too: “Hey, what’s up, you orange cats?”
The people who live in the first apartment I pass on my way to my own every day have four cats, all of which are usually in the windows. In my head, they’re Orangey, Blackie, Calico, and Fat Bastard. I say hello to them every day. 
I’ll give Rasputin big cuddles tonight when I get home. His response will probably be to run away and pretend like he doesnt care, but come back at 2 a.m. wanting more. Yep, they always want more
He is also of the Russian Blue variety, although I don’t have papers on him.
I will hug my 18-year-old mutt-cat when I get home, just for you.
Maybe I’ll stab him with needles afterward!
… since he’s due for another subcutaneous electrolyte infusion. 
I wanted to name my cat Rasputin. He’s not a Russian Blue, but he just looks like a Rasputin. My roommate agreed … then reneged the next morning and adamantly maintained that we should name him “Dogfood.”
We compromised on “Khan.”
I’m having trouble reading this thread because my gray tabby, Rex, climbed up on the desk in front of the monitor. I’m having trouble typing my reply because he is intent on kneading my thigh. I keep telling him he’s not getting any milk out of there, but he doesn’t listen.
OK, it’s been fifteen minutes since I typed the last. Rex decided he needed special snuggle time. If you want, I can send you the giant hairball he left on my shirt. He’s got really soft fur.
Seriously, though, move and get a sweet kitty! I got both of mine when I was really depressed. It helps immensely, as I’m sure you know. It’s worth going through the effort, if it’s at all do-able.
I shall surely fawn all over my fuzzybutts on your behalf, Lou.
Tallullah is the only one of my three cats that I have a postable picture for.
I’m assuming you’re familiar with the site where the picture is being hosted. If not, it may at least partially scratch your feline itch sans any allergic itching.
ok, I hugged my kitty for you. Perhaps I sould have warned you that she doesn’t like being hugged so there was squeeking and squirming and general panic. She really prefers rubs on the head and scratches on the spine right above the tail. So, I took it upon myself to give her some of those for you. She says ‘mrrrf?’ She always says ‘mrrrf?’ And it is always a question. Now she is curled up next to your thigh with a paw and a chin on your leg and another paw on your arm. She really looks quite goofy, but that’s what she is good for. Oh, and you have some soft fluffy kitty fur in your nose, 'cause that’s also what she is good for. If you wanna get a dose of fluffy cute pets, check here and see the cutie pie in action. Also, I might suggest a pocket pet, cute, furry, and easier to keep in ‘pet-free’ zones.
And now there is purring and squirming, cause she is getting hot.
Lou, maybe you could get you some kitty hugs if you volunteered at a shelter. I did that back in college, grooming the doggies and kitties so they had a better chance of adoption. It feels really good and it’s free. The last time I was sans cat it was a bleak six months before I could get my hands on a couple of new kitties. Life is better with fur monsters, yep.
Hey, they could almost be my downstairs neighbor, except that your Fat Bastard and Blackie are the same cat in my version of the universe. His name is Expresso, not Fat Bastard, but he doesn’t mind. He loves you anyway, he’s just that kind of cat.
Hugs to you from Mr. Spock, Lt. Dax, Cricket, Yogi, Sugar Magnolia, Gwen & Bill. I don’t know what I would do without my furbabies. Hope things get settled so you can get one soon.