I’ve made a few posts before about my new cat. Like I’ve said, she was a neighbor’s cat who adopted me and while her owners are nice people, she was neglected. I remember the first time I bought her a toy and tried playing with her, she freaked out, ran up and tree then flew down the street. I didn’t know too much about cats so I didn’t think that’s was too strange. Fast forward two months, she’s a playing fanatic. She could play for hours. I guess because she wasn’t played with as a kitten, she’s making up for it as a 6 year old. She was outside 80% of the time before we converted our heated garage into a bedroom/playroom for her and now she’s not too interested in going out. I’m assuming that it’s not just because of the cold, but because I play with her a few times a day. First it was 2-3 times a day 15-20 minutes each of isn’t playing together, but everyday she wants to play more and more! And I absolutely enjoy it as much as she does, but last night she decided it was playtime around 12:30! I got up and played with her for about 20 minutes but she wanted more. She only wants to play with me (or my sister or mom sometimes) and she won’t play alone.
The other thing is when she wakes up in the morning, she’s goes over to the door leading into the house and will stand there waiting for hours!! She’ll sit in one of her toys and wait for me. It is the cutest, sweetest, most adorable thing ever but it breaks my heart at the same time!!! She just came inside 3 weeks ago and we’re slowly getting her used to different rooms and the dogs scent and have them get used to hers so she doesn’t yet have free roam of the house. Most of the time she’s in the garage (with a window that I put the tv stand under so she’s has a spot to stand and look out the window) and then we have a second staircase that leads up to a sitting room and she loves the stairs to play on and then hide her toys in the sitting room. My parents’ room is off the sitting room so they’ve been starting to open the door to their room and she’ll hang out in there and watch my dad shave and get ready in the am.
My problem is, my family and friends said I’m the reason she’s becoming soooo attached and codependent. I love our bond but I don’t want her to struggle if I’m not able to be in her part of the house. I spend 95% of my free time with her but I have two jobs and school, so sometimes I’ll beg my sister to “babysit” but she has her own codependent dog. Is this okay? Should I try to cut down on our time together to get her used to being alone more? Am I spoiling her? And if I am, is this bad or good? Her being in this part of the house alone is only temporary but I just feel so bad when she waits hours for me!! She’ll even wait by the door for me if my sister is in here with her!!
The other thing is when she wakes up in the morning, she’s goes over to the door leading into the house and will stand there waiting for hours!! She’ll sit in one of her toys and wait for me. It is the cutest, sweetest, most adorable thing ever but it breaks my heart at the same time!!! She just came inside 3 weeks ago and we’re slowly getting her used to different rooms and the dogs scent and have them get used to hers so she doesn’t yet have free roam of the house. Most of the time she’s in the garage (with a window that I put the tv stand under so she’s has a spot to stand and look out the window) and then we have a second staircase that leads up to a sitting room and she loves the stairs to play on and then hide her toys in the sitting room. My parents’ room is off the sitting room so they’ve been starting to open the door to their room and she’ll hang out in there and watch my dad shave and get ready in the am.
My problem is, my family and friends said I’m the reason she’s becoming soooo attached and codependent. I love our bond but I don’t want her to struggle if I’m not able to be in her part of the house. I spend 95% of my free time with her but I have two jobs and school, so sometimes I’ll beg my sister to “babysit” but she has her own codependent dog. Is this okay? Should I try to cut down on our time together to get her used to being alone more? Am I spoiling her? And if I am, is this bad or good? Her being in this part of the house alone is only temporary but I just feel so bad when she waits hours for me!! She’ll even wait by the door for me if my sister is in here with her!!