Oh help me, I looked at the "cats needing homes" page!

[SureJanOK]

Hello all

My 18 yr old cat died peacefully 3 weeks ago following kidney disease and hyperthyroidism. I have been surprised how "ok" I've been. I think I did all my grieving these last 7 months since she was diagnosed.

I've been away twice already since, just for a couple of days. And I'm booked to go on a city break 26-28 July. I had had in my mind also to go to the USA end of Sep which is my next annual leave. The only major thing still on my bucket list tbh (I'm 41). And then to look into adopting another cat when I came back. I've not had any holidays for years, they've never been that high on my list of priorities, esp when the cat was older.

But I STUPIDLY looked at the "Cats Needing Homes" page on my local rescue. And there's a 12 year old there who's been at the rescue for nearly 2 months already. She looks ideal for me. (Wants to be a single cat in a quiet adult home with garden).

What to do?!!!!!!!

Assuming I went, met her and fell in love...I wouldn't want to immediately go away for the weekend.

And SHOULD I get the US trip out my system? Or save up for a few years more (it would clear out my savings).

I'd feel SO AWFUL if I came back from the US and she was still there and I ended up adopting her then. She would have had to wait MONTHS for me.

I live alone and have never used catteries or pet sitters. I have SOME family but not sure I'd trust anyone enough with my baby!

Should I phone the rescue and see what they say?!

Also am I crazy to adopt a 12 year old and set myself up for another load of heartache and expense in just another few years?

Thanks

This thread has made me smile, especially seeing some familiar names all being a good (or bad!) influence. Izzy is beautiful, I do love torties. Watch out for the torti-tude. All cats think that they are the boss, but torties KNOW that they are.

That's lovely news 😻

I might say I told you so, but of course I'm far too polite to do that! 😏

She's gorgeous, and seems to be settling really well so far

Thanks! My last cat was a tabby-tortie mix. Taking a wee moment to remember her too tonight. This was HER advert from the same rescue in 2015:

She was very beautiful 😻

She was a stunner.

lovely you have a new boss in your house 🍻😻

Thanks!

It does feel quite strange having "someone else's" cat in my house.

But in the last half an hour, she's jumped up on the sofa beside me for the first time. And now lolling about on the rug looking happy.

Hopefully we can get up and running with eating, drinking and toileting.

I can't believe how quick you say you want the cat and then you brought them home. That's not how my local rescue place does things.

Yay!

@SureJanOK

Fabulous!!

sounds like she's settling in well 😽

have you got any photos of her at your house???

I'd go and see the cat OP. You can always get a sitter and the States is very over rated IMO 😁

Omg, I see I've missed quite a lot !!!!

Kismet!

I think it was easier because I'd adopted from them before. And I have visited regularly with food etc that previous cat had gone off. Plus my parents started adopting cats from them in the 1980s. So we are definitely a known family to them.

I'd expected her to have a final check with the vet or something but she apparently saw the vet recently and was given the good to go.

It's a very, very well-respected rescue in our neck of the woods.

Here is a pic of her at home this afternoon.

She's come and sat on my already so we're doing pretty well.

I’m so glad you’ve given this golden girl a new forever home. Do you have a name for her or will you use her original name?

I'm just going to keep "Izzy" as her name. It's a nice name and she might recognise it. Albeit I usually just call cats "babe" and then a whole proliferation of ridic names eg "Grumpasaurus" "Tickle-icious" etc etc so her real name is probably irrelevant!

I did the same with my last cat. Just kept the name she came with. I think I'd only change it if it was something truly awful.

Yes, Izzy suits her and it will be a link with her previous owner (slave). She looks lovely and has clearly landed on her 🐾 Wishing you both a happy and harmonious life together.

Aw thanks for the updates and pictures! Welcome home Izzylicious!🥰

Izzy is lovely! We kept our new boy’s name, but our previous girl we did change - it was the name of an Indian restaurant and we hated it! We picked something that had similar sounds though, like Harley to Charley or Bella to Stella type thing. I am so glad we did because she really suited her new name.

She has drunk some water and used the litter tray. And slept on my bed overnight. She's LOVING the scratch post, especially when I spray it with cat nip. And is coming over for cuddles/attention albeit hisses still if I pat her "wrong"!

No interest in food yet though. At least, not the high quality wet food that I am going to get her onto. (She seems to have been fed too much dry food which has made her get overweight, esp with the lack of movement in the pen at the shelter).

The consequence of this thread is to have spent an hour last night checking out local rescues. 😳

For anyone who would love a cat but can’t afford one, I strongly recommend looking at fostering. I’ve done it for my local rescue for 3 years now & love it. Yes, you have to say goodbye to the cats, but there’s always another one ready to move in, you’re making a huge difference in their lives & the rescue will cover costs.

Anyone who wants to know more is welcome to PM me.

That's fantastic if she's used her tray and been drinking. Sounds like she's settling in really well. She'll take a while to adjust to the new food, all part of the process. X

Loving all the love for rescue cats on this thread!

She is still refusing wet food but has eaten some ham.

It still feels strange emotionally but that would always have been the case, no matter how long since my cat died.

No sense in me sitting here alone at night, there are cats out there needing homes! Just got to power through and figure it out as I go along.