When is the right time to get new cat?

[DobbyTheHouseElk]

Advice please. My beautiful boy died before Christmas after a battle with diabetes. He was 15yrs and I’d had him from birth. The house is so empty without him, and I’m missing him terribly.

I’ve approached the CPL to see if we are suitable cat owners etc and to start the adoption process.

The DC and DH are keen for kittens as soon as possible. However I’m a bit cautious, still missing my boy, but wouldn’t turn a kitten away if one turned up.

CPL have a young cat ready to adopt, but DC and DH want a pair of kittens/young cats.

I don’t know what to do. Kitten season is spring apparently so it gives me a bit more time. But now I’ve seen a pic of the young cat needing a home (with a sad story) I don’t know what to do.

Get the young cat! It needs you and kittens will trash your home

That’s what I think, but DH really wants two cats. Also there is a chance the young cat won’t like us. It has rejected potential owners already. I’m so torn.

We waited about 9 months after old boy died to get 2 kittens, got them in the summer holidays so we were around the first few weeks.

As much as I miss old boy it’s been great having kittens again, the DC adore them and love all their antics.

I would wait and get kittens in the spring. If the car you saw has already rejected potential owners it doesn’t bode well for you and you might have a lot of problems with it

Cat not car

We had two and a half months between cats. Our old girl was also 15 and diabetic (amongst other things). I do miss her as she was the calmest, lovely natured cat and I spent a lot of time caring for her/vet trips etc in the last two and a half years she was around.
We adopted a young male (around 9 or 10 months old). He helped fill the cat shaped hole and despite causing mayhem for the first few months love him. He is a very different character who needed a home which he now has.
I would go and meet him to see if he feels you suitable humans and take it from there.

Genuine question - how does a cat 'reject' new owners?
I've had cats that have taken a long time to really come round to us (almost a year before one kitten we got from a farm would let me near her) but can't work out what rejection means here.

You will just feel 'ok' about it.

It took me about 6 years to get over my first cat before I felt able to permanently rehome another one; but I worked up to it by temporarily fostering some. I went for an old mog that nobody else wanted - kittens are easy to rehome, so this felt right to me.

A friend told me that the King of Cats will send you the right cat at the right time. It just seems to work out that way.

In fact, from the little you have written, I reckon he is sending you the right one now, with SadCat.

The CPL told me this cat has been ill treated by children so was taken into the care of the CPL. Apparently this cat was very wary of one family with children so they weren’t allowed to adopt. But a different family with children he was keen on. I’m only going on the words of the CPL. I said as I have dc would it be appropriate to adopt, and they said it depends how the cat reacts to children. I think it’s younger children the cat is worried by.

I am wary because of this.

OP - I wouldn't adopt a cat who is scared of children if you have young children.
Wait for the kittens, or even a pair of cats that come in together

The thing is if I go and visit, I know I will get attached. I have never been known to turn away animals in need of love.

This process has made me very tearful about my old cat, and I’m back to crying daily. Which is why I wonder if I’m ready. Or if I will ever be ready.

Dobby go and get the young cat - poor sod has obviously been rejected by a family ( apart from being somewhat aloof and independent cats don’t reject families ) . We got our bengalburmese x when she was two - rejected because she wasn’t a lap cat apparently !
Best tonic in my opinion when you’re pet dies is to get a replacement ASAP - good luck

Your pet boy you’re !

Having typo errors today ignore last post meant to type your pet not you’re pet

Go and get the young cat. It’s meant to be. He/she needs you and you need them too. No point delaying things, fretting away feeling sad when there is a pusskins in need of a home now & you need to fill that empty cat ‘hole’ in your life.

Good luck - do it!

The CPL suggested getting young cat now and a kitten in the spring.

Thank you you all very helpful. Young cat is the one colour I wouldn’t ever choose. Maybe that’s a good thing? But I’ve had bad experiences as a child with this colour.

Anyway CPL said it depends if cat likes us.

It's so hard when your old friend has died.
I think your old pal trained you well on how to offer a loving happy home to another one who needs it. You know what to do.
I really feel for you on this one.

I had the same when my cat died just over a year ago.
Said I wouldn’t get another one too soon. Would give it a few months before getting another.
Then DD2 said, look you can’t keep feeling so sad like this, there’s plenty of cats needing new homes now. Go and get one from the shelter and start its new life now.
So I did & haven’t looked back.

Look at him!

Pesto he is so handsome. Those paws...

Thank you Dobby ❤️

I will show a photo of the cat to the dc after school. See what they say.

I don’t think I can go and view alone as young cat needs to see dc to decide if we are suitable apparently.

The CPL are always looking for fosterers. Why not foster a cat for a while and see how you feel?

(Then inevitably keep it. I’m looking at you cat number 3)