- Joined
- Feb 18, 2021
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Hi folks. I don't write this post lightly, and I'm really reaching out for some advice and guidance.
I got a 4 month old kitten around 2 weeks ago, and I'm finding my mental health has gone down the drain since getting her. For the longest time, I've wanted a cat - I love all of my friends' cats, have taken care of them, did all the necessary preparations, read a Jackson Galaxy book/watched tons of his videos, the works. I felt very ready to welcome a kitten into my life. However despite the preparations, actually owning a kitten in the moment has been incredibly challenging for my mental health. I find myself wondering at all times what she is up to, if she's safe or getting into mischief, if she's happy, etc. I feel like a helicopter parent in this respect. She meows all the time when she can't get what she wants, such as going onto a counter that's still too tall for her to reach, trying to reach blinds that she's too short to reach, or going into the bedroom which I have, to this point, kept off-limits due to allergy/insomnia reasons. It is sometimes extremely difficult to listen to because it almost sounds like yowls.
Especially with the pandemic I've been basically around my kitten 24/7. I am able to leave my apartment for a good amount of time, but I often times feel a little suffocated or trapped. I constantly find myself getting into rabbit holes of thinking, constantly Googling this and that to make sure I'm doing the right thing, to make sure she's not unhappy for any reason, and isn't stressed, especially with the yowling. I also have been living by myself for a while now, so welcoming a new being into my life has also been challenging, much more so than I expected. I have been struggling to focus at work because I'm so often helicoptering my kitten wondering if she's destroyed anything. I also struggle sometimes focusing and being in the moment with my pod of friends whenever I see them because I'm off in another world wondering if my kitten is OK when I'm not around. My sleep has also suffered, wherein I wake up at times stressed out, not able to fall back asleep.
Needless to say, I've felt more discomfort/anxiety/stress from getting my kitten than enjoyment so far.
That's not to say though that I haven't enjoyed my time with my kitten. She is the cutest when she's snuggled up next to me and sleeping or when I'm playing with her during our multiple sessions every day.
I've been thinking over and over whether or not I want to return my kitten for my sanity, but also for my kitten's most positive growth as I don't want to transfer my negative feelings onto her. I don't want to be that awful person that looks irresponsible for returning a kitten because I wasn't "ready". But at the same time, my headspace has taken a turn for the worse. I plan on chatting with my therapist about this.
Should I just wait it out a bit more and then decide? How do I know if I simply am not ready to raise a kitten? I never thought I would be experiencing this anxiety, sadness, and remorse, yet here I am Thank you all.
I got a 4 month old kitten around 2 weeks ago, and I'm finding my mental health has gone down the drain since getting her. For the longest time, I've wanted a cat - I love all of my friends' cats, have taken care of them, did all the necessary preparations, read a Jackson Galaxy book/watched tons of his videos, the works. I felt very ready to welcome a kitten into my life. However despite the preparations, actually owning a kitten in the moment has been incredibly challenging for my mental health. I find myself wondering at all times what she is up to, if she's safe or getting into mischief, if she's happy, etc. I feel like a helicopter parent in this respect. She meows all the time when she can't get what she wants, such as going onto a counter that's still too tall for her to reach, trying to reach blinds that she's too short to reach, or going into the bedroom which I have, to this point, kept off-limits due to allergy/insomnia reasons. It is sometimes extremely difficult to listen to because it almost sounds like yowls.
Especially with the pandemic I've been basically around my kitten 24/7. I am able to leave my apartment for a good amount of time, but I often times feel a little suffocated or trapped. I constantly find myself getting into rabbit holes of thinking, constantly Googling this and that to make sure I'm doing the right thing, to make sure she's not unhappy for any reason, and isn't stressed, especially with the yowling. I also have been living by myself for a while now, so welcoming a new being into my life has also been challenging, much more so than I expected. I have been struggling to focus at work because I'm so often helicoptering my kitten wondering if she's destroyed anything. I also struggle sometimes focusing and being in the moment with my pod of friends whenever I see them because I'm off in another world wondering if my kitten is OK when I'm not around. My sleep has also suffered, wherein I wake up at times stressed out, not able to fall back asleep.
Needless to say, I've felt more discomfort/anxiety/stress from getting my kitten than enjoyment so far.
That's not to say though that I haven't enjoyed my time with my kitten. She is the cutest when she's snuggled up next to me and sleeping or when I'm playing with her during our multiple sessions every day.
I've been thinking over and over whether or not I want to return my kitten for my sanity, but also for my kitten's most positive growth as I don't want to transfer my negative feelings onto her. I don't want to be that awful person that looks irresponsible for returning a kitten because I wasn't "ready". But at the same time, my headspace has taken a turn for the worse. I plan on chatting with my therapist about this.
Should I just wait it out a bit more and then decide? How do I know if I simply am not ready to raise a kitten? I never thought I would be experiencing this anxiety, sadness, and remorse, yet here I am Thank you all.