Well, I'd say that today has been an interesting day...
I was not in a good place, emotionally, for much of this morning. In fact, I've been struggling with depression and anxiety for the better part of this week. These are issues I always have difficulty with, but it's been more difficult this week than most. But, that's, I suppose neither here nor there.
My roommate and I went out today to do some shopping. You know, the usual -- grocery store, pet store, pharmacy. It was a good enough excuse to get out of the house and, while I was still upset, I was doing some better by the end of the trip. And, when we got home, I was feeling more at peace and ease and was even chatting some as my roommate and I took the bags from the car and put them on the porch. It was then that I heard a meow. First one, then another, and a third. I quickly looked upstairs as my bedroom window was open -- I figured one of my kitties was up there bird (or squirrel) watching and was calling out for attention. But, instead of seeing a cat at my window, my roommate called out to me and said there was a kitty behind me. Apparently, she had seen this cat earlier today, but it had run off as soon as she walked toward the car. But, this time, the kitty just came toward me and began to weave in and out of my legs. It meowed the entire time and I could feel the cat's purr vibrate against my calves. With a cat so friendly and secure around humans, it became obvious this was a stray and not a feral -- most likely a cat someone had dumped. And, my guess is that the kitty was dumped recently.
After a quick look-see, I was certain I was dealing with an intact male. My guess is that he is somewhere between 10 months and a year old, but he may be older or younger by a hair. He's very thin and lanky, but appeared otherwise to be in good condition. No fight wounds, his eyes and nose are clear, his ears look good, and his fur is not dirty or patchy. And, he's incredibly sweet and well-mannered. So, where is this little kitty now? On my front porch -- set up with a litter pan, dry food, wet food, and fresh water. Oh, and he's already been given a dose of Advantage.
My roommate and I will be calling the vet tomorrow to get him in for testing, de-worming, and his initial shots. And, of course, neutering will follow. Money is tight, but what can you do? After all, this kitty clearly chose me. All of our neighbors remarked how skittish he was, but none of them had seen him before either -- no wonder he was scared! I can't keep him, but my roommate has her two cats in the finished basement/den (her part of the house) and she has already expressed interest in keeping him. She has a very elderly cat who has cancer and is on borrowed time and another cat who is about 2 years old who will, in time, need a companion. And, so I think our foster kitty may become a permanent resident (her kitties stay downstairs in my roommate's part of the house and do not interact with my cats). But, this was all a surprise and a whirlwind and...let's just say I'm not in as bad a mood as I was earlier...
For now, the kitty is on the porch where he'll stay until his vet appointment (hopefully) tomorrow. The other cats have no access to the area and we've set up a fan and a safe area for him to spend the night. He'll be quarantined following that in one of the master baths, but, for now, he's safe and secure where he is. I've already taken pictures and will post them in just a bit, but I wanted to post his story here first.
I was not in the market for another cat. And, my roommate is usually against doing anything of this sort. But, he's here and I suppose this is where he's meant to be.
So, yeah, I have a foster
. And, it seems like he's already helped me far more than I have helped him...
I was not in a good place, emotionally, for much of this morning. In fact, I've been struggling with depression and anxiety for the better part of this week. These are issues I always have difficulty with, but it's been more difficult this week than most. But, that's, I suppose neither here nor there.
My roommate and I went out today to do some shopping. You know, the usual -- grocery store, pet store, pharmacy. It was a good enough excuse to get out of the house and, while I was still upset, I was doing some better by the end of the trip. And, when we got home, I was feeling more at peace and ease and was even chatting some as my roommate and I took the bags from the car and put them on the porch. It was then that I heard a meow. First one, then another, and a third. I quickly looked upstairs as my bedroom window was open -- I figured one of my kitties was up there bird (or squirrel) watching and was calling out for attention. But, instead of seeing a cat at my window, my roommate called out to me and said there was a kitty behind me. Apparently, she had seen this cat earlier today, but it had run off as soon as she walked toward the car. But, this time, the kitty just came toward me and began to weave in and out of my legs. It meowed the entire time and I could feel the cat's purr vibrate against my calves. With a cat so friendly and secure around humans, it became obvious this was a stray and not a feral -- most likely a cat someone had dumped. And, my guess is that the kitty was dumped recently.
After a quick look-see, I was certain I was dealing with an intact male. My guess is that he is somewhere between 10 months and a year old, but he may be older or younger by a hair. He's very thin and lanky, but appeared otherwise to be in good condition. No fight wounds, his eyes and nose are clear, his ears look good, and his fur is not dirty or patchy. And, he's incredibly sweet and well-mannered. So, where is this little kitty now? On my front porch -- set up with a litter pan, dry food, wet food, and fresh water. Oh, and he's already been given a dose of Advantage.
My roommate and I will be calling the vet tomorrow to get him in for testing, de-worming, and his initial shots. And, of course, neutering will follow. Money is tight, but what can you do? After all, this kitty clearly chose me. All of our neighbors remarked how skittish he was, but none of them had seen him before either -- no wonder he was scared! I can't keep him, but my roommate has her two cats in the finished basement/den (her part of the house) and she has already expressed interest in keeping him. She has a very elderly cat who has cancer and is on borrowed time and another cat who is about 2 years old who will, in time, need a companion. And, so I think our foster kitty may become a permanent resident (her kitties stay downstairs in my roommate's part of the house and do not interact with my cats). But, this was all a surprise and a whirlwind and...let's just say I'm not in as bad a mood as I was earlier...
For now, the kitty is on the porch where he'll stay until his vet appointment (hopefully) tomorrow. The other cats have no access to the area and we've set up a fan and a safe area for him to spend the night. He'll be quarantined following that in one of the master baths, but, for now, he's safe and secure where he is. I've already taken pictures and will post them in just a bit, but I wanted to post his story here first.
I was not in the market for another cat. And, my roommate is usually against doing anything of this sort. But, he's here and I suppose this is where he's meant to be.
So, yeah, I have a foster
