Just a quick story to let y'all know it can be done, even if a lot of the experience feels like hell.
I met Eleven last winter. Everyone in my apartment building was feeding her and providing water and shelter. After a few months of effort, it finally got to the point that Eleven would come running whenever I came outside, and she had become super affectionate.
Which is how I figured out she was pregnant.
I managed to catch her (longest car ride of my life T.T) and a friend of a friend, who fosters cats, took her in so she could have her kittens, kittens could be adopted, and Eleven could be spayed and checked out by a vet. Then I planned to bring Eleven home and see how she liked living indoors.
Eleven came home in May (earlier than planned, because of some drama at the animal rescue organization), and I'm not gonna lie--those first few weeks were hell on earth. Eleven was understandably terrified, and on top of that I found out she had roundworms AND tapeworms. I spent three weeks sleeping on my couch with Eleven claiming the bedroom.
There was a lot of second-guessing, sleepless nights, hissing and spitting, crying (me), but every day was a new lesson. Friends and the internet offered much advice, but as far as Eleven went, it was mostly trial and error and hard work.
But now Eleven is absolutely loving her new home. After very little time, she became BFF's with my other 2 cats, Harley and Ivy. Here she is playing catch with Harleyquinn:
She loves playing with her toys. She loves running back and forth like a loony and skidding across the hard floors. And the biggest hurdle so far, now she lets me pet her.
Only when she knows she gets food, but it's still a big step.
And she's so stinking cute!
So even when it feels like you're ready to have a full blown nervous meltdown, remember that it's just a period of adjustment, and it is most definitely worth it.
I met Eleven last winter. Everyone in my apartment building was feeding her and providing water and shelter. After a few months of effort, it finally got to the point that Eleven would come running whenever I came outside, and she had become super affectionate.
Which is how I figured out she was pregnant.
I managed to catch her (longest car ride of my life T.T) and a friend of a friend, who fosters cats, took her in so she could have her kittens, kittens could be adopted, and Eleven could be spayed and checked out by a vet. Then I planned to bring Eleven home and see how she liked living indoors.
Eleven came home in May (earlier than planned, because of some drama at the animal rescue organization), and I'm not gonna lie--those first few weeks were hell on earth. Eleven was understandably terrified, and on top of that I found out she had roundworms AND tapeworms. I spent three weeks sleeping on my couch with Eleven claiming the bedroom.
There was a lot of second-guessing, sleepless nights, hissing and spitting, crying (me), but every day was a new lesson. Friends and the internet offered much advice, but as far as Eleven went, it was mostly trial and error and hard work.
But now Eleven is absolutely loving her new home. After very little time, she became BFF's with my other 2 cats, Harley and Ivy. Here she is playing catch with Harleyquinn:
She loves playing with her toys. She loves running back and forth like a loony and skidding across the hard floors. And the biggest hurdle so far, now she lets me pet her.
Only when she knows she gets food, but it's still a big step.
And she's so stinking cute!
So even when it feels like you're ready to have a full blown nervous meltdown, remember that it's just a period of adjustment, and it is most definitely worth it.
