Well, I couldn't take it any more. I adopted another cat on Friday

[csziggy]

Before my current group (Lucas (brown tabby), Sabra (black), and Maya (gray), I'd had a Siamese of some sort for most of my life. My husband's long haired Siamese was put to sleep in 2006. My little lynx point died in the fall of 2019. At the time last fall when I couldn't live any longer without cats, there were no Siamese available for adoption anywhere near here.

But I kept seeing pictures of Siamese on the Reddit cat subs, and an amazing number of lynx points. Those always broke my heart because they reminded me of my little striped kitty. Every so often I'd check the local Humane Society pages of adoptable cats but the only Siamese they've had for ages is Mildred, an older FIV positive cat that does not get along with other cats. And Mildred has a permanent home at the Humane Society office so was not available for adoption.

But week before last, a new kitty showed up as available. Tofu, a lynx point kitten (now five months old), was a hard adoption. Like the two ladies we adopted last year, he is very shy so cannot go to the cat cafe where most of their adoptions take place. He was at a foster home and was very well settled there - he'd learned to play fetch!

He's younger than I really wanted - our others were adopted at one and two years of age so they are now two and three years old. I waited a week, thinking someone would adopt him and the temptation would be gone. But last Wednesday when he was still available I submitted an application for him. The nice lady at the Humane Society was ecstatic - she remembered us and remembered the two unsociable cats we had adopted. And she remembered how I had reported back on how well they settled in.

So Friday, the foster mom brought Tofu to our house. I think she wanted to make sure we had an appropriate house and would make good parents for Tofu. I think we met her standards since she left Tofu here. We had the master bedroom set up for Tofu with a new kitty bed, food, water, and a litter box.

Tofu is settling in but has not met the other cats yet. He's still adjusting to us and only just getting so he is comfortable with us. The other cats know there is a new cat in the house and are somewhat jealous. We go into the bedroom every day for a while to play with Tofu and they are locked out at night when they have been used to coming in early in the morning to demand food.

The only problem we're having is that Tofu loved to come up onto the bed at 3AM to demand pets.

So we're now a four cat household. Pictures in a few days when I remember to take the camera into the bedroom with me.

[brer cat]

1. Good luck socializing all the kitties.

Tofu sounds adorable.

[csziggy]

2. Tofu is a sweetie - if I'd met him first, I might not have adopted the others.

None of the rest of the kitties are as affectionate as he is.

I'm most worried about introducing Lucas and Tofu. Lucas is the largest adult cat and tends to bully the other cats. I doubt Tofu will every get very large. he weighs about four pounds now and from what I am reading at five months, cats tend to be about half their adult weight.

Lucas is twelve pounds, Sabra a very overweight twelve, and Maya as the oldest is only seven. Lucas is dominant, Sabra the most submissive, and Maya the most independent - and the one Lucas picks on the most.

I'm tempted to lock Lucas up for a few days while Maya and Sabra reach an accommodation with Tofu, and Tofu learns his way around the house. Then I could let Lucas out. That way Tofu could find hiding places to get away from the larger cat. I've got Feliway dispensers in several of the rooms, so the cats are all as mellow as they are going to be.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. Ohhh.

I adopted a lynx point Siamese about a year and a half ago. She was a stray, so the shelter didn't know much about her. I quickly became convinced that her first human family was mostly men and included large dogs, because of her behavior. For several months I thought I should re-home her, but I couldn't bring myself to do that. So I kept her, and over time we've adapted to each other.

It's been a journey. What I'm most astonished by is that in the past when I adopted cats, they seemed to fit into my household readily. Perhaps I didn't pay close attention. This cat has been much more of an adjustment, both on her part and mine. Because I seriously thought about re-homing her, it took me far longer than it should have to accept her into my life. But I'm glad I did. She is still not the lap cat I wish I had (darn!) but she is sweet and affectionate in her own way. Most nights she sleeps up against the pillow on the bed next to me, and I pretty much have my hand up against her all night long.

I am currently looking at adopting another cat, because I do think this one would eventually adjust. There is an older cat at my shelter who I think would be perfect, but since I'm planning to visit relatives over Thanksgiving and will be gone a week, possibly a bit more, it doesn't seem fair to bring a new cat home, have him here for a week or so, and then go out of town. Sigh. I console myself with the thought that there are always cats who need a new home.

[csziggy]

4. Siamese tend to have very unique personalities

And lynx points tend to be even more distinct!

I hesitated to adopt right now because my operation is scheduled for the 19th. I'll be home the next day but the incision will be painful for a while so I can't let Tofu crawl all over me the way he does now.

But the opportunity to adopt a cat that will fit into your household sometimes cannot be passed up. As you say, there are always cats that need new homes. I'm sure you will find the right one at the right time.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. My cat, Tatiana, what they named her at the shelter,

is very talkative. We constantly discuss many things.

When I first moved here, in 2008, I had three cats, but they moved on to (as I call it) that Great Litterbox in the Sky. Once they were all gone I was freed up to do things I wanted to do without being constrained by cat care.

At the beginning of the Pandemic I knew I wouldn't be going anywhere for a while, and so decided I'd adopt a cat. My first one was 17 years old, had health issues, and the vet at the shelter was brutally honest. This cat might last two months, or she might last two years. I was okay with that, as I'd had elderly cats in the past. Alas, this cat was with me only three and a half weeks, but I'm extremely glad we had that time together.

My current cat is a lot younger. The shelter thought she might be four years old, although I'm beginning to think she was even younger. In any case she's a great cat, and I'm glad she's in my life. I do think about what's needed for her when I go out of town, as I'm beginning to resume various trips that I used to take.

It will work out. I have friends, and if need be I can hire a cat-sitting service.

[MFM008]

6. we got 3

running around here...

[fierywoman]

7. My Siamese, Kilroy, loved cantaloupe. Just sayin'!