Looks as though I have a new cat!

[csziggy]

It's been nearly a year since my 17.5 year old tabby point Siamese disappeared while my husband and I were in the UK. WE finally found his remains a month or more after we got back - he was just curled up as though he'd fallen asleep so our worst fear that he'd been taken by a coyote were not true.

I've been looking at cats on the local Humane Society website but since we still have to get the porch roof repaired, and the upstairs deck and downstairs screen porch rebuilt, I'd been delaying.

A friend had a plain dark tabby cat, neutered male about a year old, that her daughter adopted in Pensacola as possible barn cat. He is definitely not a barn cat. He's very gentle, and likes being indoors. The daughter brought him home for the summer - and she can't have a cat where she will be living this fall. The family is a dog family - they have several Labradors that get along with this cat, but the son's blue heeler makes out that she would love to eat a cat. The cat has been living on their screened porch.

Today I stopped by the Humane Society's local cat cafe. They serve coffee and other quick drinks and have a big window into a room full of cats. I'd been watching a pair of cats for months - they showed up months ago as three month old sisters, brown tabbies, but they have not been adopted since they need to go as a pair. We really only want two cats so they would have been great but...

My friend offered to bring over the dark tabby that her daughter had adopted. They really need to find a home for him before winter. He is a sweet cat, not very big but weighs about twice what I expected for his size. Beautiful green eyes. The daughter calls him Rascal but her mom calls him Kittiboi (she probably spells it KittyBoy, BTW). I'm not sure either name will stick if we keep him. ("IF" - HAH!)

He seems to be settling in, which is kind of bad news. I'd planned to introduce our two new cats at the same time so neither would feel as though they 'owned' the space. I may have to go back to the cat cafe tomorrow and adopt the light gray tabby female they have. She is equally relaxed, used to people since she has been in the cafe's cat room for months where they let people come in and meet the cats. Or there a tuxedo male with medium length hair that might work...

If I get another cat right away, Kittiboi will not have time to claim the place completely, I hope.

My husband has not met the new cat yet.

I'll post pics as soon as possible.

[spinbaby]

1. Congrats

It’s always nice to get a new addition. The cat cafe is a good idea—they’re not doing it in our area. Maybe after covid.

[3catwoman3]

2. We have had as many as 5 cats. Now, "only" 3.

3 is the big jump. After that, it’s kind of like, ”What’s one more?” Having had 5, 3 kind of doesn’t feel like enough (my husband would disagree.)

I remember your sad story of finding your cat’s remains. I’m happy to hear you will have cats in your life again.

[csziggy]

5. I've had as many as six or seven (one never quite moved into the house and was a barn cat)

For the last 25 years we've only had one or two - two, one for each of us, until my husband's cat had to be put to sleep years ago. This past year, since my cat disappeared, was the first time in nearly fifty years I have not had a cat in my life.

Kittiboi is really happy here. In just a few hours, he has learned his way around, figured out the cat water fountain, and learned that when I make a "tsch" noise I am looking for him. He is very quite with avery, very subdued, meow. What a difference from my tabby point Siamese who talked all the time! He's only been getting crunchies, but he seems to know that a refrigerator might hold better treats. I'm not sure if I will feed him any canned food. I may just get soft treats and use them to train him.

Next step is to see how he is with letting me handle his paws and if I can brush his teeth. None of my other cats ever allowed either of those, but I want to upgrade my cat care.

ooops - had to take a break. Kittiboi wanted some attention, so he got pets and then introduced to the bed. He approves of a nice bed with floofy blankets. He definitely will want to sleep there with us- at least I hope he will share.

[3catwoman3]

8. It sounds like you both have hit...

...the jackpot with this new relationship. How delightful.

[csziggy]

9. Yep, he is here to stay. He's already gotten used to the place.

Now to get another cat for my husband.

[Faux pas]

3. My

cat's name is KittyBoy! And stinkle toes, smelly pot pie and a few others.

[csziggy]

6. The two kitties I have been watching on the Humane Society site

Are Spicy Noodle and Pot Pie. I'm worried if I adopt both of them, they will cut out Kittiboi and he will be lonely. Maybe I will adopt the light gray two year old female cat that has been there for over a year. She needs a quiet home and is good with other cats, having been in the cat room for most of that time.

[Blue_playwright]

11. Over a year?!?! Wow

I volunteer at our local shelter and the longest I’ve seen an animal there was six weeks. She was a very cranky guinea pig and if she hit two months, I planned to bring her bitey butt home.

[csziggy]

12. This is the Humane Society's no-kill shelter

Animal Control, which stocks the Animal Shelter, is not doing any intakes. They have three cats available for adoption right now, none of which are suitable for us.

While the Humane Society has been around since 1960, they were not very well known the last time I adopted. Now they are really booming and the babies from kitten season are mostly adopted. Since many people want kittens rather than cats, the cats are left behind.

I decided that we will be better off with mature, but not old cats. We're both 68. One or two year old cats we adopt now will probably live to 17-19 given our track record of cats we have owned - by then we will be in our mid-80s and probably not want to keep pets anymore unless we can find a caretaker that would love them, too. Then we will consider older cats.

The Humane Society is very into making sure the cats they place will find their forever homes.

[Faux pas]

16. I'd

go for the lonely girl myself just because. Hope all goes great!

[Laffy Kat]

4. Awwww.

Wonder if it would be easier introducing a female to Kittiboi instead of another male? Either way, congrats!

[csziggy]

7. The other cats are the cat cafe are varied

Two sisters that are tightly bonded - but would probably snub Kittiboi. A two year old light gray female that has been there for over a year. And a four month old medium hair black and white cat with a mustache named Edgar.

Personally I think the light gray female would be a good choice. She's used to a variety of other cats, quite reserved but friendly once she gets to know you - and she needs a home.

Kittiboi is here to stay - he's too sweet to send down the road.

[Laffy Kat]

10. Well, whatever you decide: PHOTOS, please.

[csziggy]

13. My husband got home, met Kittiboi and approves

We're going to go in tomorrow to pick up kitty supplies and to let him meet the light gray female. If he likes her, we will see when we can bring her home.

[LakeArenal]

14. Thanks for adopting.

[csziggy]

15. I've always adopted

Well, there was one kitty I paid $3 but he was part of a litter a pet shop owner had found and they were selling them in their store. We've had kittens dumped at the farm, ones found on the side of a highway and brought to us, but most of our cats were adopted from the local animal shelter or from other people. We even adopted a dog that a friend couldn't keep after a divorce.

While I admire purebred cats and dogs, there are far too many others than need homes. If I were willing to pay thousands for a pet, I would rather donate it all to help more ordinary pets find good homes.