- Joined
- Dec 13, 2018
- Messages
- 3
- Purraise
- 16
I don't really know where to begin, because everything I feel seems so overdramatic and ridiculous. But here goes. It's an essay, sorry.
I am a first time cat owner and I adopted two 12 week old rescue kittens on Wednesday (it's been about 30 hours since they came home) and I've been swinging wildly between "this is okay, they are so cute, look at me scooping the litter tray like a pro" and "oh my god, I am just not a cat person, I have to take them back". I have been taking valium but I've still been in tears twice over them. I don't know what the problem is, I am just so overwhelmed and miserable. They are so cute and playful, and one of them in particular has already decided she loves me (purring like mad, jumping in my lap, slow blinking and cuddling). But still the dread remains.
Part of the problem is that we already have two small senior dogs who are my absolute world and their happiness is my first priority in this arrangement. I knew that introductions were going to be a process, but already it's not looking good. We have put the cats in a carrier and let the dogs smell them through the mesh, and one dog is absolutely terrified and growling, the other dog gets low and acts like he's stalking prey. The first dog has been utterly morose since they came home, the other dog is prowling the house frantic to find a way of getting into the bathroom. I don't think this is going to end well, and I can't see things getting better to the point where we could ever leave all four of them alone together.. but I can't keep the cats in the bathroom for the rest of their lives.
Aside from that, the kittens are totally hyper no matter how much I play with them and have trashed the bathroom about five times. Like they literally grab handfuls of litter or water and throw it around for fun. They also love flipping their food and water bowls all over the floor.
My husband was the one driving this adoption, yet managed to be working interstate for this week when they actually came home. It had been raining nonstop too, so I can't even take a break from the kittens by taking my dogs for a walk or anything (which might be contributing to why my dogs are miserable right now too).
I don't know what to do. I feel 50/50 on thinking that things might be okay once the kittens grow up a bit, or wanting to take them back to the shelter right away. I know my husband will be disappointed in me if I can't handle it - we were planning to have a baby next year, and I know he'll take this as an example of why I couldn't possibly handle a baby if I can't even handle some kittens. And part of me would be too humiliated to have to explain to people that I couldn't hack it after I've posted all about my kittens on social media. Another tiny part of me hopes that I suddenly become allergic to the cats overnight so it's not a question of wanting to rehome them but needing to.
But on the other hand, I am falling for one of the kittens. She's so adorable and I think she loves me. She is so excited every time I come into the bathroom and is super affectionate. She grabs my hand and demands that I give her more pats, and she's such a snuggle bunny. I can totally see myself growing to love her, and I feel irrationally protective about her, like I can't rehome her because nobody would be able to take care of her like I could. But the thought of my elderly dogs being depressed for the rest of their lives, or having a household full of disharmony is terrifying me.
Please, if anybody has successfully integrated dogs and kittens, I would love some reassurance. But equally, if the consensus is that I should rehome these little guys, I guess I should hear that too.
I am a first time cat owner and I adopted two 12 week old rescue kittens on Wednesday (it's been about 30 hours since they came home) and I've been swinging wildly between "this is okay, they are so cute, look at me scooping the litter tray like a pro" and "oh my god, I am just not a cat person, I have to take them back". I have been taking valium but I've still been in tears twice over them. I don't know what the problem is, I am just so overwhelmed and miserable. They are so cute and playful, and one of them in particular has already decided she loves me (purring like mad, jumping in my lap, slow blinking and cuddling). But still the dread remains.
Part of the problem is that we already have two small senior dogs who are my absolute world and their happiness is my first priority in this arrangement. I knew that introductions were going to be a process, but already it's not looking good. We have put the cats in a carrier and let the dogs smell them through the mesh, and one dog is absolutely terrified and growling, the other dog gets low and acts like he's stalking prey. The first dog has been utterly morose since they came home, the other dog is prowling the house frantic to find a way of getting into the bathroom. I don't think this is going to end well, and I can't see things getting better to the point where we could ever leave all four of them alone together.. but I can't keep the cats in the bathroom for the rest of their lives.
Aside from that, the kittens are totally hyper no matter how much I play with them and have trashed the bathroom about five times. Like they literally grab handfuls of litter or water and throw it around for fun. They also love flipping their food and water bowls all over the floor.
My husband was the one driving this adoption, yet managed to be working interstate for this week when they actually came home. It had been raining nonstop too, so I can't even take a break from the kittens by taking my dogs for a walk or anything (which might be contributing to why my dogs are miserable right now too).
I don't know what to do. I feel 50/50 on thinking that things might be okay once the kittens grow up a bit, or wanting to take them back to the shelter right away. I know my husband will be disappointed in me if I can't handle it - we were planning to have a baby next year, and I know he'll take this as an example of why I couldn't possibly handle a baby if I can't even handle some kittens. And part of me would be too humiliated to have to explain to people that I couldn't hack it after I've posted all about my kittens on social media. Another tiny part of me hopes that I suddenly become allergic to the cats overnight so it's not a question of wanting to rehome them but needing to.
But on the other hand, I am falling for one of the kittens. She's so adorable and I think she loves me. She is so excited every time I come into the bathroom and is super affectionate. She grabs my hand and demands that I give her more pats, and she's such a snuggle bunny. I can totally see myself growing to love her, and I feel irrationally protective about her, like I can't rehome her because nobody would be able to take care of her like I could. But the thought of my elderly dogs being depressed for the rest of their lives, or having a household full of disharmony is terrifying me.
Please, if anybody has successfully integrated dogs and kittens, I would love some reassurance. But equally, if the consensus is that I should rehome these little guys, I guess I should hear that too.