Hi all,
I'm a 26 year old PhD student living in a 1 bedroom apartment on my own.
10 days ago I 'adopted' a 16 week old kitten from a family of 6 (4 young kids) who had a dog that was bullying her - she had been with them since 10 weeks old. I had tried for 3 months to get a cat through the local shelter but because of the pandemic their usual procedures are not in place and also they just don't get many indoor only cats.
At the moment because of corona I do home office in the mornings and go into work for 5 hours in the afternoon, I plan to continue this untill she is 6 months old and eating 2 meals a day when I will go to work for a full day. At weekends I sometimes have to pop to the office for a couple hours but otherwise I'm at home. I shut her out of my bedroom at night because I need to be able to sleep.
She seems to have settled in well so far. Eating like a champ, no accidents outside the litter. I think I'm taking more time to adjust than her.
My problem is I'm so anxious. I had 2 panic attacks yesterday about her, I worry that she's not getting enough interaction from me and that she'd be better off somewhere with someone who can be home more.
We have 2 hours one on one together in the morning when we play and snuggle. I feed her at 8:30am then I start work. I play with her and feed her again at 12 right before I leave for the office. And as soon as I return home (sometime between 5 and 6) we play and snuggle. She get a good couple of play sessions (probably totaling 45/60 mins) before being fed at 8pm. We chill/play untill 10:30pm when I start getting ready for bed.
My apartment is about 350sq ft with the bedroom door shut (I keep it shut all the time so she doesn't get confused about being allowed in there sometimes and not others) and she has the run of the place, she has 2 multi teird cat trees, a radiator bed and two big windows to watch the people and cars going by on the street, a cave bed and plenty of toys. Also 4 water bowls at various places around the space. Her litter box is in the bathroom and she uses it very well. Shes relatively well behaved,a little mischievous but that's to be expected from a 4 month old
I know a lot of poeple say two kittens are better than one but in the space I have it is not possible. My landlord gave me permission for one cat only.
Is my stress and anxiety irrational? Did I do the right thing by bringing her home? Will she grow up lonely and poorly adjusted if after 6 months we're only spending 7 or so hours together? Will she adapt if/when I have to move apartments in a couple of years?
I'm barely eating, I feel on edge around her the whole time. I just want to do what's best for her and worry that I'm not.
Any advice you can give me on overcoming these guilt and shame feelings would be much appreciated!
J
I'm a 26 year old PhD student living in a 1 bedroom apartment on my own.
10 days ago I 'adopted' a 16 week old kitten from a family of 6 (4 young kids) who had a dog that was bullying her - she had been with them since 10 weeks old. I had tried for 3 months to get a cat through the local shelter but because of the pandemic their usual procedures are not in place and also they just don't get many indoor only cats.
At the moment because of corona I do home office in the mornings and go into work for 5 hours in the afternoon, I plan to continue this untill she is 6 months old and eating 2 meals a day when I will go to work for a full day. At weekends I sometimes have to pop to the office for a couple hours but otherwise I'm at home. I shut her out of my bedroom at night because I need to be able to sleep.
She seems to have settled in well so far. Eating like a champ, no accidents outside the litter. I think I'm taking more time to adjust than her.
My problem is I'm so anxious. I had 2 panic attacks yesterday about her, I worry that she's not getting enough interaction from me and that she'd be better off somewhere with someone who can be home more.
We have 2 hours one on one together in the morning when we play and snuggle. I feed her at 8:30am then I start work. I play with her and feed her again at 12 right before I leave for the office. And as soon as I return home (sometime between 5 and 6) we play and snuggle. She get a good couple of play sessions (probably totaling 45/60 mins) before being fed at 8pm. We chill/play untill 10:30pm when I start getting ready for bed.
My apartment is about 350sq ft with the bedroom door shut (I keep it shut all the time so she doesn't get confused about being allowed in there sometimes and not others) and she has the run of the place, she has 2 multi teird cat trees, a radiator bed and two big windows to watch the people and cars going by on the street, a cave bed and plenty of toys. Also 4 water bowls at various places around the space. Her litter box is in the bathroom and she uses it very well. Shes relatively well behaved,a little mischievous but that's to be expected from a 4 month old
I know a lot of poeple say two kittens are better than one but in the space I have it is not possible. My landlord gave me permission for one cat only.
Is my stress and anxiety irrational? Did I do the right thing by bringing her home? Will she grow up lonely and poorly adjusted if after 6 months we're only spending 7 or so hours together? Will she adapt if/when I have to move apartments in a couple of years?
I'm barely eating, I feel on edge around her the whole time. I just want to do what's best for her and worry that I'm not.
Any advice you can give me on overcoming these guilt and shame feelings would be much appreciated!
J
be sure to save alot of what your working on with your pc 
You should post a picture of your new kitty, we love seeing people's cats here! What's her name?
. 
