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- Jul 26, 2018
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So... I'm not 100% on this but I've been observing my cat and the stray I'm looking after that I have in her safe room... and I'm considering keeping her.
This is a difficult thing for me to decide since my funds are low, but I don't wanna do something that won't benefit them too.
My original goal was to give her to Kitty Village--something I'm still highly considering--but my male, Saru, has bonded to her and she to him. I have 'play dates' between them on certain days where I let him go in and play with her. Both are very respectful of one another and shes gradually teaching him self-control during play, but also will actually play with him. She even tried to bathe him at one point.
Its obvious to me she deems him as part of her 'colony' as well as myself, as she greets me excitedly and lovingly and has pretty much since day one. Shes been curious of my girl, Atsuko, but I've not let them properly 'meet' yet as Atsuko is more fine simply watching her through the door than she is at the idea of getting too close.
Atsuko has a habit of being standoffish with Saru, refusing to properly play with him since he has a habit of being too rough about his method of play, causing her to growl and hiss to get him to leave her alone, but as long as hes not trying to demand play, or trying to mount her--shes fixed, as if he as of about a month ago--shes fine with him being around.
Atsuko used to be very sociable as a kitten but my former cat, Lilly--RIP--used to smack her if she got too touchy-feely toward her or tried to play. So part of me thinks that if I keep her and finally get her out of the safe room if Atsuko watches she might gradually improve and learn better cat social skills through observing. This also could help give Saru a play buddy/mate so he can stop annoying Atsuko 24-7.
I'm also concerned that giving her away will cause him to mourn over her since hes become so attached to her that when I used him to help me leash and harness train her--and backpack train her--, while she was still in the backpack watching him, he'd come over every so often to check up on her and make sure she was okay. He also gets protective of her safe room, gently but firmly, bapping my hands if I try to entice Yukiko on the other side of the door with gently scratching at it like he does. He'll even adorably jump around in front of the door, like hes telling me, 'No! My Yuki! You can't play too!'
Hes never aggressive, its just play style but its still his manner of 'guarding'. He even will herd Atsuko away from the door if shes passing by when I'm feeding Yukiko and passing her food into the room.
When they were walking around on leash together, he would keep coming back over, checking on her, then would try to encourage her to follow him.
Hes pretty much just accepted that shes part of the family already, which means its Atsuko and myself thats the only ones who haven't, as I never planned to keep her.
In fact, the only reason I'm passively teaching her to walk on a harness and be in a pet backpack if for transport reasons so I can get her to a vet as needed. Its just easier for me since I use a bike for transportation and also only own pet backpacks as I find them both easier on myself and the cats than normal crates.
I know this means I have to put in the effort to pay for more food and litter for three cats instead of two, plus she'll need shots. I already have plans to get her examined anyway for any serious issues--I don't let him share food with her or use her litter box, don't worry. She also never draws any blood when they play, nor does he, so I'm not worried about her passing him anything as the vet assured me it wouldn't be an issue unless that happens.--as well as get her fixed once I'm able... but whether shes gonna be getting all these extra shots is gonna be determined on if I keep her or not.
I don't wanna pay for all this extra stuff and shes not even staying here permanently. It would just be a serious waste of money that I don't have...
So I have some serious decisions to make here that I really need to mull over... because I don't want to only do whats best for myself, but for them too. Yeah, if I only worked on whats best for me, passing her over would be that since it keeps me from spending all this extra money. But... I'm thinking about what would be best for Atsuko and Saru too in the long run, as well as Yukiko. What would help them become better, live better, be better...
I want to be a good pet parent, not just a decent human that let some cat stay with them for a while till they could be passed off.
My cats are my world... and I want my world in balance.
Atsuko;
Age: 8 years
Saru;
Age: 9 Months
Yukiko;
Age: Unkown? Seems younger than Saru. Definitely smaller.
This is a difficult thing for me to decide since my funds are low, but I don't wanna do something that won't benefit them too.
My original goal was to give her to Kitty Village--something I'm still highly considering--but my male, Saru, has bonded to her and she to him. I have 'play dates' between them on certain days where I let him go in and play with her. Both are very respectful of one another and shes gradually teaching him self-control during play, but also will actually play with him. She even tried to bathe him at one point.
Its obvious to me she deems him as part of her 'colony' as well as myself, as she greets me excitedly and lovingly and has pretty much since day one. Shes been curious of my girl, Atsuko, but I've not let them properly 'meet' yet as Atsuko is more fine simply watching her through the door than she is at the idea of getting too close.
Atsuko has a habit of being standoffish with Saru, refusing to properly play with him since he has a habit of being too rough about his method of play, causing her to growl and hiss to get him to leave her alone, but as long as hes not trying to demand play, or trying to mount her--shes fixed, as if he as of about a month ago--shes fine with him being around.
Atsuko used to be very sociable as a kitten but my former cat, Lilly--RIP--used to smack her if she got too touchy-feely toward her or tried to play. So part of me thinks that if I keep her and finally get her out of the safe room if Atsuko watches she might gradually improve and learn better cat social skills through observing. This also could help give Saru a play buddy/mate so he can stop annoying Atsuko 24-7.
I'm also concerned that giving her away will cause him to mourn over her since hes become so attached to her that when I used him to help me leash and harness train her--and backpack train her--, while she was still in the backpack watching him, he'd come over every so often to check up on her and make sure she was okay. He also gets protective of her safe room, gently but firmly, bapping my hands if I try to entice Yukiko on the other side of the door with gently scratching at it like he does. He'll even adorably jump around in front of the door, like hes telling me, 'No! My Yuki! You can't play too!'
Hes never aggressive, its just play style but its still his manner of 'guarding'. He even will herd Atsuko away from the door if shes passing by when I'm feeding Yukiko and passing her food into the room.
When they were walking around on leash together, he would keep coming back over, checking on her, then would try to encourage her to follow him.
Hes pretty much just accepted that shes part of the family already, which means its Atsuko and myself thats the only ones who haven't, as I never planned to keep her.
In fact, the only reason I'm passively teaching her to walk on a harness and be in a pet backpack if for transport reasons so I can get her to a vet as needed. Its just easier for me since I use a bike for transportation and also only own pet backpacks as I find them both easier on myself and the cats than normal crates.
I know this means I have to put in the effort to pay for more food and litter for three cats instead of two, plus she'll need shots. I already have plans to get her examined anyway for any serious issues--I don't let him share food with her or use her litter box, don't worry. She also never draws any blood when they play, nor does he, so I'm not worried about her passing him anything as the vet assured me it wouldn't be an issue unless that happens.--as well as get her fixed once I'm able... but whether shes gonna be getting all these extra shots is gonna be determined on if I keep her or not.
I don't wanna pay for all this extra stuff and shes not even staying here permanently. It would just be a serious waste of money that I don't have...
So I have some serious decisions to make here that I really need to mull over... because I don't want to only do whats best for myself, but for them too. Yeah, if I only worked on whats best for me, passing her over would be that since it keeps me from spending all this extra money. But... I'm thinking about what would be best for Atsuko and Saru too in the long run, as well as Yukiko. What would help them become better, live better, be better...
I want to be a good pet parent, not just a decent human that let some cat stay with them for a while till they could be passed off.
My cats are my world... and I want my world in balance.
Atsuko;
Age: 8 years
Saru;
Age: 9 Months
Yukiko;
Age: Unkown? Seems younger than Saru. Definitely smaller.