- Joined
- May 5, 2023
- Messages
- 4
- Purraise
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We adopted our first cat 2 1/2 months ago. She was 12 weeks old when we first got her, and from the beginning you could see the issues she had. She ended up bonding very tightly with me though, so I feel horrible for re homing her. (even though we found her a good home)
When we first got her, she was hissing, biting, and trying to attack anything in sight. She calmed down a bit after the first few days, but down the line it eventually turned to attacking other things, like furniture or our dog. (She never got used to our pup- to the very end she was still attacking her and would hiss with her ears back anytime she saw her) She would run around attacking and biting whatever she could find. Not a big deal, we could work through it.
It started getting worse, though, and eventually she started attacking our 4-year-old son. (Just random attacks, like suddenly swatting at his face or biting his head unprovoked) I also was having to watch her all day, (when I wasn’t working- whenever I came home from work at least several things in our home would be destroyed) as much as I could because if left unsupervised she would destroy everything.
She is a very energetic breed, so it makes more sense- at least, the destructive behaviors. I was playing with her for an hour everyday though, and more when I had the time. I would also take her outside (on her harness) at least once a day/every other day and letting her chase whatever she wanted.
One day we left her at home for 5 hours unsupervised (went out with family for the day) and came home to the curtains completely destroyed. They were clawed all over, and a chunk of the couch had been completely torn off. I believe she ate it.
We ended up staying in an Airbnb for a week going on vacation, around two weeks after the couch incident, and we brought her with us. I think this was where it all ended because she was so stressed staying in the Airbnb, and her routine was all messed up. She also didn’t have as much of an appetite, and wasn’t so excited for toys. The change was hard.
The last straw was when she attacked my husband full-on. He went over to pet her and before he could even touch her, (he just sat next to her) she jumped at his face, clawing up his cheek, and trying to do more damage by biting, but thankfully she couldn’t reach far enough to bite.
We decided it would be best to re home her, and we found her a place with no children and just one other cat of the same breed, which sounds like the perfect home for her. The woman taking her was very nice and understanding, and she seemed excited to have her. (She volunteers at a cat rescue)
We also told her about all of our sweet cats behavioral issues. She deals with stuff like that daily, so she didn’t seem phased. She even told me she has a catio for her so that she can be outside.
I feel so bad re homing her though, and when I woke up this morning (gave her up yesterday) I couldn’t stop thinking about her (ex. If I had her right now, she would be doing -this-) and missing her so much. Usually she would sleep in bed right next to me and purr, and I really miss that. It was hard for me to sleep last night. When she wasn’t being naughty, she was so sweet.
I miss holding her in her arms and her rubbing her face against me. We had a great bond, and I am going to miss her so much.
Even when I would go to the bathroom, she would paw underneath the door and sit at the door waiting for me.
When I got home from work she would come up to me and purr so loudly, kneading her paws and rubbing her face on me. Knowing I will never see her do that again has made me so sad, but I also don’t want anyone getting hurt because of her. Especially my 4-year-old, she would attack even when he would just be sitting watching a show.
All I can keep thinking about are her sad wide eyes when she got in the carrier and they took her away. I sent her favorite things with her (blanket, favorite toy, ect) but I wish I had kept some things to remember her by. All I have left is her litter box and her scratcher, and I feel so sad anytime I look at them. I’m planning on donating those and a couple of my other cats things to the shelter that the lady works for.
I’m going to text her to ask how how she is doing tomorrow.
I know we wouldn’t have been able to keep her, but I keep feeling like it’s my fault for not playing with her more, or correcting her attacking furniture, or introducing her more slowly to our dog. Maybe she would have mellowed out as she got older? I just couldn’t deal with the attacks almost daily. Especially with my young child.
Does the guilt go away? I just need some help and advice. I feel so guilty and upset. I wish we didn’t re home her, but I also feel sort of relieved and happy for her, I feel like she won’t be so stressed in her new home since it will be more quiet without a little kid and dog around.
When we first got her, she was hissing, biting, and trying to attack anything in sight. She calmed down a bit after the first few days, but down the line it eventually turned to attacking other things, like furniture or our dog. (She never got used to our pup- to the very end she was still attacking her and would hiss with her ears back anytime she saw her) She would run around attacking and biting whatever she could find. Not a big deal, we could work through it.
It started getting worse, though, and eventually she started attacking our 4-year-old son. (Just random attacks, like suddenly swatting at his face or biting his head unprovoked) I also was having to watch her all day, (when I wasn’t working- whenever I came home from work at least several things in our home would be destroyed) as much as I could because if left unsupervised she would destroy everything.
She is a very energetic breed, so it makes more sense- at least, the destructive behaviors. I was playing with her for an hour everyday though, and more when I had the time. I would also take her outside (on her harness) at least once a day/every other day and letting her chase whatever she wanted.
One day we left her at home for 5 hours unsupervised (went out with family for the day) and came home to the curtains completely destroyed. They were clawed all over, and a chunk of the couch had been completely torn off. I believe she ate it.
We ended up staying in an Airbnb for a week going on vacation, around two weeks after the couch incident, and we brought her with us. I think this was where it all ended because she was so stressed staying in the Airbnb, and her routine was all messed up. She also didn’t have as much of an appetite, and wasn’t so excited for toys. The change was hard.
The last straw was when she attacked my husband full-on. He went over to pet her and before he could even touch her, (he just sat next to her) she jumped at his face, clawing up his cheek, and trying to do more damage by biting, but thankfully she couldn’t reach far enough to bite.
We decided it would be best to re home her, and we found her a place with no children and just one other cat of the same breed, which sounds like the perfect home for her. The woman taking her was very nice and understanding, and she seemed excited to have her. (She volunteers at a cat rescue)
We also told her about all of our sweet cats behavioral issues. She deals with stuff like that daily, so she didn’t seem phased. She even told me she has a catio for her so that she can be outside.
I feel so bad re homing her though, and when I woke up this morning (gave her up yesterday) I couldn’t stop thinking about her (ex. If I had her right now, she would be doing -this-) and missing her so much. Usually she would sleep in bed right next to me and purr, and I really miss that. It was hard for me to sleep last night. When she wasn’t being naughty, she was so sweet.
I miss holding her in her arms and her rubbing her face against me. We had a great bond, and I am going to miss her so much.
Even when I would go to the bathroom, she would paw underneath the door and sit at the door waiting for me.
When I got home from work she would come up to me and purr so loudly, kneading her paws and rubbing her face on me. Knowing I will never see her do that again has made me so sad, but I also don’t want anyone getting hurt because of her. Especially my 4-year-old, she would attack even when he would just be sitting watching a show.
All I can keep thinking about are her sad wide eyes when she got in the carrier and they took her away. I sent her favorite things with her (blanket, favorite toy, ect) but I wish I had kept some things to remember her by. All I have left is her litter box and her scratcher, and I feel so sad anytime I look at them. I’m planning on donating those and a couple of my other cats things to the shelter that the lady works for.
I’m going to text her to ask how how she is doing tomorrow.
I know we wouldn’t have been able to keep her, but I keep feeling like it’s my fault for not playing with her more, or correcting her attacking furniture, or introducing her more slowly to our dog. Maybe she would have mellowed out as she got older? I just couldn’t deal with the attacks almost daily. Especially with my young child.
Does the guilt go away? I just need some help and advice. I feel so guilty and upset. I wish we didn’t re home her, but I also feel sort of relieved and happy for her, I feel like she won’t be so stressed in her new home since it will be more quiet without a little kid and dog around.
