What do you think? (fair warning, this is long)

othie

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Well a few things have changed for me since I was here last and I would like to ask everyone's thoughts on something, but before I get into that, I'm going to type out a bit of a back-story. If you are short on time, feel free to skip it.

My family has two cats. One is named Oliver and we got him at a pound, he has many problems, including eating books. About two years after we got Oliver another kitten, who was left behind by his owners....we think, followed him in one night. They are both golden tabbies and look alot alike, in face if I wasn't sure that oliver was fixed I might think they were related. Now this kitten, well he's really my baby so to speak. When we took him in to the vet you could see all his ribs and he was just so small. The vet said he was probably 4-6 weeks old. This poor kitten, who we named Yoda, was and is scared of everything. At the time I was on a break in college so I spent a great amount of time with him trying to make him feel more comfortable. While he still jumps and runs at every sound and is scared of new people, he does like to play with Oliver and he will will walk around with his tail up and other "happy cat" signs and sometimes he will even let the otehr members of the family pet him. We think that because of what happened to him as a kitten he will always be a very scared cat, but I'm glad to see how far he has come (I should add in here that we have had him for over a year now). Now my grandmother has had some problems and had to stay with us for awhile, and when doing so, she brought her cat with her. This cat has really enjoyed being the only one since my grandma got her (though she grew up in a house of full of resuced cats) and even tried to attack my cats at first, but now she is doing better. She will hisses and whatnot, but she no longer attacks.

K, so now that you know where I'm coming from, let me tell you the new changes to this little drama story. My grandma is doing better and is planning on going back home in a couple of weeks (and of course taking her cat with her.) However she would do alot better with someone staying with her. As it turns out, there is a college near her house i can transfer to, so that is my plan. While I like her cat, she is very much my grandmother's cat. I have had a cat for as long as I can remember, and I would really want my own. As much as I would like to take Oliver with me, its not a good idea, he has to many bad habits and is rather mean to bring into a new house. Besides that, He never really forgave me for letting the new cat in and is now more my father's cat. However, I am playing with the idea of bring Yoda. However he is so scared I'm not sure if it is the best idea. I would miss him very much, but the truth of the matter is there are alot of kittens that need good homes, and he would be taken care of back home. As I've said, Yoda is my "baby" and I haven't seen him relax around anyone else, but, he _loves_ playing with Oliver. I'm just not sure what to do at this point, I still have a few months until classes end here and I will move, but i would like to get everyone's thoughts on this so I can start planning ahead of time.

Which would be better for Yoda?
 

larke

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I would get a new cat, but then are you planning on returning home at some point and will you have to introduce the new one to the old ones, or will you then have your own place?
 
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othie

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Originally Posted by Larke

I would get a new cat, but then are you planning on returning home at some point and will you have to introduce the new one to the old ones, or will you then have your own place?
I don't _think_ I will, but I hate to say i wont for sure because everytime I say something like that its like I just have to be proved wrong. I don't think that I would have to, but then again, I dont think that would be as much as a problem as it will be to get the new cat and my grandmother's old one (Tesse) to get along, but I now know a few tricks from reading the site that I'm going to try. And if nothing else I will be "renting a room" from her, which means I will have my own space, which means the new cat will have their own space, or yoda, depending on how things go, I just don't want to make the poor kitten any worse then he is...
 

larke

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Oh, I didn't realize you'd actually be living there (somehow got your college mixed up with your living accomms). In that case, I might not actually get a cat at all, considering!
 

ldg

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I think I'd either bring Yoda and most likely just keep him in my room. As a "scaredy cat" is he OK with having a small territory? Will you be able to give him lots of love and attention morning and evening? Any way you can set up a bird feeder outside the window for him to enjoy while you're at class?

The only drawback to this is that cats are usually more attached to their territory than they are to their people. That said, cats survive the trauma of moving all the time and end up doing just fine. I'm in no position to judge how much he'd miss Oliver.


If bringing Yoda isn't practical or realistic, I agree with Larke - better to just do your best to enjoy your grandma's cat and leave the situation well enough alone. If a kitty adopts you along the way, that's a different story. But I wouldn't actively seek one out, I don't think.


In the end, it's just like being a parent. You've got to consider what's going to be best for the kitty.


Laurie
 
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othie

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I think he will be alright with a small area, he's the type that you find hiding under the bed most of the time and trying to get under the covers. (In other words, he seems to like small places, even moreso when he gets scared.)

As far as the bird feeder, I had thought about it, but there are two problems with that. 1) I will be staying in the basement (and that is where my room will be) so there isn't going to be much of a window and its going to be very high up. 2) My grandmother's cat is a big hunter, I have a feeling if we had anything to draw the birds, half of them would end up in her food dish.

I will be able to spend alot of time with him in the mornings (when I don't have to rush to catch the bus) and the evenings, in fact I'm setting up a study area right next to the room, so I will be able to just sit next to him and let me feel like he has someone.

thanks for the comment.
 

hurdyburdy

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Both Oliver and Yoda live with your parents and your father considers Oliver his cat? What I would do is talk to your parents and find out what they had in mind for the cats. Do they consider Yoda "your cat" who would be leaving home whenever you did? He does sound rather attached to you.. I don't think I would get a new kitten at this point.
 
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othie

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Originally Posted by hurdyburdy

Both Oliver and Yoda live with your parents and your father considers Oliver his cat? What I would do is talk to your parents and find out what they had in mind for the cats. Do they consider Yoda "your cat" who would be leaving home whenever you did? He does sound rather attached to you.. I don't think I would get a new kitten at this point.
I guess thats kind of a odd term, I'm sorry. What I mean by that is that I was always the one who feed them, took care of the little box, had more time to spend with them between classes and so on. Both the cats used to very attached to me (as in they would sleep at the foot of my bed, jump on my lap when I sat down, meet me at the door when I got in, ect.) but since my grandmother's cat came, Oliver has all but ignored me or just right out "yell" and bite me, but he does all that he used to do with me with my father. Whereas Yoda still does the above things (when no one else is around of course). As far as their thoughts go, they both told me it was up to me.
 
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