Zsa Zsa has to be rehomed

jcat

Mo(w)gli's can opener
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Feb 13, 2003
Messages
73,213
Purraise
9,851
Location
Mo(w)gli Monster's Lair
We've been trying to move Zsa Zsa (a dying neighbor's cat) into our home for months now, but it's not working. For the past few weeks, Jamie has been okay about her occupying the spare bedroom, and using the staircase/hallways to reach the laundry room, which he has no access to (we put a cat flap in the door that he can't fit through - he's over twice her size). My husband worked the late shift today. I got a frantic call from him at work this morning. He was playing piano in the spare room, and Zsa Zsa got up in his lap. Jamie came in, saw her in his lap, and attacked. I had to leave work to take her to the vet's (hubby is hopeless when it comes to cats and vets). Fifteen stitches on her neck, and antibiotics for two weeks! Robert had to have 8 stitches, a tetanus shot, and his blood pressure is now sky high. Both vets think Jamie will never accept her (he has a history of being extremely nasty, i.e., homicidal, with other cats). I've talked to the woman who lives two doors down (widowed, both kids have families of their own). She has a cat that originally showed up on our doorstep in a snowstorm, and who wouldn't accept our then-dog, but got along with our then-cat. Putzi is almost/about 20 now, and sleeps roughly 20 hours a day. She has always been good with other cats. The plan now is to gradually move Zsa Zsa into her house; she'll be in her "old neighborhood", and will still have access to our laundry room via a cat flap in the window, and we'll take care of the food, litter and vet bills. I feel horrible about this, since Zsa Zsa has been trying to move in with us for years. My question is: Should I persevere for a few more months, and hope that Jamie will accept her, or move her right away, since I have the next two weeks off, and can spend time with her at our neighbor's house? Zsa Zsa makes no attempt to defend herself (though I know she's tough - she killed a martyn twice her size this year). She originally belonged to tenants of her current owner. They moved, and took her with them, but she kept showing up in our neighborhood. Jamie isn't allowed outside by himself, and since Zsa Zsa is his double, though much smaller, all our neighbors kept delivering her to our door. Therefore she thinks she's "supposed" to live with us. Right now I have three options: keep trying to get Jamie to accept her, move her into our neighbor's house, or give her to a colleague, who is moving to Austria at the end of January, and would be perfectly willing to take her. I tend towards the "neighbor solution". What do you think?
 

rang_27

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 28, 2002
Messages
4,304
Purraise
5
Location
Milwaukee, WI
I've never had experience with an intorduction that didn't go well, but my instinct is to take her to the neighbor, or the co-worker. I think considering the severity of the attack it's not safe for her at your house. As far as the other 2 choices as long as both are safe & permenant then it's up to your judgment what would be best for her. Good luck & I'm sorry it's been so hard for you.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

jcat

Mo(w)gli's can opener
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Feb 13, 2003
Messages
73,213
Purraise
9,851
Location
Mo(w)gli Monster's Lair
She's going to the neighbor.
At least she'll be on her own territory that way, and we can see her all the time. My husband is understandably not willing to be scratched and bitten again while trying to break up a cat fight (though it was his own fault that it was so bad - he should have picked up a blanket and used that, not his bare hands), and isn't willing to try any longer. He's also convinced me that it isn't fair to either cat.
I have a feeling that she's still going to be hanging around our house all the time, but maybe she'll like having full run of Mrs. R.'s house, which has the same plan as ours. I'll be moving her stuff over there on Sunday; right now she's locked in the spare bedroom. I really thought we were making some progress.
 
Top