At the age of 21 I was a confirmed cat lover, caretaker to twin cats who took long walks with me in the woods of central Maine. Four years later, while working as a reporter for the Miami Herald newspaper in West Palm Beach Florida, I gladly agreed to take care of a friend's cats for the weekend. After three hours with the cats, I had a terrible sneezing fit. My roommate asked, "Why did you agree to take care of cats when you're allergic?"

Whoa! Was it possible I'd suddenly become allergic? The writing job was as stressful as it was interesting. Long hours, lots of coffee and little sleep. I still have a reaction to cats, though not as severe, and not enough to keep me from playing with the cats of friends.

Denis C