OK, so I am contemplating getting a new kitty. Not only do I desperately miss Lexy, but I miss the place a kitty has in my life. I am looking at adult cats age 2-5 with no issues. My favorite thing about Lexy was her bunny soft fur, so that is a requirement, but other than that, it's all about personality.
So is this a dumb thing to do right before I have a baby? I don't know. I have a few months left that I can spend bonding with the cat before the baby comes, and then I will be home for at least 4 months. I'm specifically not taking on a kitten, and I am looking for an "easy" cat. I get varying degrees of "are you insane?" to "hey, you know what you can handle." Everyone asks me if I am afraid of toxoplasmosis or the cat suffocating the baby. Actually, no, I'm not. Toxoplasmosis is very rare, and I won't be diving into the litter box while still pregnant. And seriously, I can't imagine I won't be paying attention to where the cat is in relation to the baby to the point where the cat could suffocate her.
I went and looked at a *gorgeous* cat this weekend, and she had a nice personality, but we just didn't "click" the right way.
This is the profile I found on a cat I am going to visit Wednesday night. She sounds perfect. I actually found the profile first, and didn't see any pics of her until after I had already put in an application on her, but turns out - she is also totally neat looking.
Nutmeg is a precious little 2 year old Calico kitty. She loves people and anything to do with them. She is super curious of all the activities that go on around inside the house and outside the house as well. She has carved out a bunch of different cute little nooks where she snuggles up and sleeps or just hangs out and soaks in the atmosphere. One of her favorite places is a perch around a window where she can look out at the world and watch nature. Nutmeg will come and eat while other people are eating, and she loves being in the kitchen when they're making food. She also just loves to be petted and cuddled up with you all the time. She will stretch her little paws out when you come up to her like she's saying hi and hoping you will rub her little ears and soft fur. She has really cool looking paws with pure bright white patches with gold and black fur mixed around which truly makes her a beautiful and majestic being. She is very smart and responds surprising well and accurately to human emotions. She will roll over on her back when someone is about to pet her and she'll uniquely purr as if to say thanks. She also understands commands and often repeats phrases almost like a dog would, such as come, sit, and lay down. I find myself often staring into her crazy neon green eyes and wondering what she's thinking when she steadily gazes back at me. Most likely she's thinking how she wants to rub you with her cheeks and slide her soft little body against you, and then she usually does. Nutmeg needs a home with people that will let her love them and then love her right back. They must have plush little cat play toys, like balls or tiny stuffed animals, which she loves to play and pounce on like a cute little tiger. They also must love snuggles, because Nutmeg is like a little spoon.
Her owner is making the heartbreaking decision between her cat and her horribly allergic fiance. I feel for her, and if we go through with it, will offer visitation and updates. (For the record, when I met Mr PM, he alerted me to possible cat allergies, and as we walked into my apartment for the first time, I said "um - if it comes down to you or the cat, you know who's gonna win right?" But we had only known each other a couple of days, to be fair.) Luckily - Lexy never gave Mr PM a moment's trouble. So part of this visit Wed will be to make that determination as well.
So am I being unrealistic? Unfair to the cat? If there is no "click" here, should I give it up? Am I just "nesting" as everyone insists? I kind of feel like that is an unfair judgment just bc I am pregnant. But it's impossible for me to really tell.
nesting? prolly to some degree. but lets be realistic.
ReplyDeleteyou are a animal person. you have been your entire life. there was a point that i thought for sure if asked you would rather live alone with animals then with a person. until u met mr pm.
as you are very good with dogs and love them dearly, you my dear are a cat person. right down to your persona. you act like a cat even to a cartain extent.
so your desire and urge for another one is not suprising. and i dont think it is solely placed on the idea of nesting.
fair? thats a whole other question. animals are ritualistic and habituary. especially domestic animals. and what you plan to do is bring a new animal into your household. you will disrupt your current dogs routine and comfort zone for one. and you will ask your new found cat to adjust to a set of rules only to change them within a few months. not to mention you will change the rules again on swiffer. is it possible? abosolutly. can you handle it? of course. fair? maybe, maybe not. all depends on your definition of the word. and what your willing to do to even the playing field for all those involved. lets not forget mr pms opinion here. and his lifestyle that will change as well. altho im guessing it wont change all that much. and with you wanting to be so kind to this particular kittys old family, adding another responsibility to allow for strangers to enter your life on a somewhat regualr basis to visit a cat. and your responsibility to update them periodicly. which all in all isnt exactly fair to yourself.
all in all i think a new cat in your fold is a good idea overall. i just think your timing is off. i wouldnt be terribly worried about suffocation or disease etc. because when you started your journey on the baby train lexy was still around. and im sure you accounted for these measures then. and ultimatly there are provisions you can take to make sure such things are less likly to occur.
i think you will ultimatly do what you want regardless of others opinions.( which proves my point about your cat persona)but i do think that it might be a better plan to put it off for a yr or at least until you see what parenthood is like for a few monthes and you know for sure what u can handle and what you want out of your life.
just my 2 cents.
Anon, all good points! My first thought was, How will Swiffer react to this new member into his family? Then I thought, hmmm, will the cat like dogs? and of course I thought, Wow, a new cat and a new baby! (yes, I pretty much thought all that in that order! lol)
ReplyDeleteAn older cat wont be as much of a problem with "training" as a kitten would be, especially with the baby and (did I read right? she?)S/he will be quite demanding on everyone's time! Swiffer is going to be going through twice the trauma of added family members. Granted Swiffer is older, but he needs that special time too. Where is all this energy going to come from?
I concur with Anon, wait til after the baby is born and reconsider the need for another furbaby. You're going to be a great mom, I just don't want to see you as an exhausted one feeling guilty cuz the furbabies aren't getting enough of your time too.
HUGS!!
E