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- May 2, 2013
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Greetings all ~ Since last December, I had been fostering a wayward, semi-feral cat which had been coming around my job for nearly three years. I took to feeding him (which was a definite "no-no" at my job), and over the previous summer, I would sit with him after work, bonding with him and winning his trust. The following winter was particularly harsh, and when he would come around, I would manage to get him onto my lap and try to give him a little temporary warmth and comfort. When the winter weather was at its worst, the temps had dipped into the single digits. One evening, he came around and his face was swollen and he had a laceration on his cheek. So I took him in, got him to the vet, who gave us antibiotics, and I quarantined him at my house, away from my other kitties and nursed him back to health with antibiotics, hot compresses and love. Upon the follow up vet visit, it was determined that he had previously been neutered, so, at some point, he had been someone's pet.
I gave him residence at my house with my three other cats (all girls), and sadly, lost my second oldest over last summer to thyroid disease. "Bubba" repaid my kindness to him by helping me through the grief of losing my Mama-cat. But I never figured on him being a permanent member of my household, mainly cause he made Lucy, my oldest, somewhat nervous. He is a playful 3-4 year old and Lucy was then approaching 16 years of age, although you'd never tell it by looking at her. Nevertheless, she was not up for being pounced at whenever she entered a room. As time went on, Bubba became increasingly acclimated to being a housecat, and a lap cat and even shared the bed with Miss Lucy-cat and myself.
Now I am preparing to move back to my home state, which is 1500 miles away, and every place I've looked into to live has a two pet limit. Finally, I was able to find a loving, forever home for Bubba. I know he will eventually be happy in his new digs; his new parents really, really wanted him. And although I am sad that he is no longer with me, I know it is all for the best, as my Lucy-cat is much happier and once again at ease in her domain.
Here's my point: Bubba has only been in his new home for a week, and his new family has scarcely seen him, cause he's so skittish that he remains in hiding and only comes out at night to eat and use the littler box. I know that they will be patient with him for as long as it takes, but I am wondering if it would be helpful if I paid them a visit, to try to talk Bubba out of hiding and offer him a little comfort (I am basically the only human he has been in constant contact with since he began coming around my job), or would it just distress him further, to see me again, only for me to leave again? As I said, I am certain that he will come around to his new parents, and will eventually love them as he has loved me...So, does he just need to adjust without seeing me again, and am I just being selfish by wanting to "help"? I don't want to further distress our boy and give him false hope that I am coming back for him.
I gave him residence at my house with my three other cats (all girls), and sadly, lost my second oldest over last summer to thyroid disease. "Bubba" repaid my kindness to him by helping me through the grief of losing my Mama-cat. But I never figured on him being a permanent member of my household, mainly cause he made Lucy, my oldest, somewhat nervous. He is a playful 3-4 year old and Lucy was then approaching 16 years of age, although you'd never tell it by looking at her. Nevertheless, she was not up for being pounced at whenever she entered a room. As time went on, Bubba became increasingly acclimated to being a housecat, and a lap cat and even shared the bed with Miss Lucy-cat and myself.
Now I am preparing to move back to my home state, which is 1500 miles away, and every place I've looked into to live has a two pet limit. Finally, I was able to find a loving, forever home for Bubba. I know he will eventually be happy in his new digs; his new parents really, really wanted him. And although I am sad that he is no longer with me, I know it is all for the best, as my Lucy-cat is much happier and once again at ease in her domain.
Here's my point: Bubba has only been in his new home for a week, and his new family has scarcely seen him, cause he's so skittish that he remains in hiding and only comes out at night to eat and use the littler box. I know that they will be patient with him for as long as it takes, but I am wondering if it would be helpful if I paid them a visit, to try to talk Bubba out of hiding and offer him a little comfort (I am basically the only human he has been in constant contact with since he began coming around my job), or would it just distress him further, to see me again, only for me to leave again? As I said, I am certain that he will come around to his new parents, and will eventually love them as he has loved me...So, does he just need to adjust without seeing me again, and am I just being selfish by wanting to "help"? I don't want to further distress our boy and give him false hope that I am coming back for him.
