Howard... Again.



HOWARD

 I am being asked to find Howard another home, after less than two months of his adoption, because the other cat in the household hates him.  If I could get rid of at least two of my own cats that stalk and are mean to at least two other cats in my house, life would be grand.  If I could hope that maybe down the road, I'll get another cat to replace that cat that I gave up after two months because my other cat hates him, I would hope that they would get along, but if they don't, I'll just get rid of the new cat.  I am hoping and praying that someone will come along and want to adopt poor little Harold FOR LIFE.  He doesn't deserve to be passed around like this.  When I rescued this little guy, he was about six months old and had been living under a porch on Second Street, in the hood, in the city of Rochester.  He looked forward to my daily arrival to give him food and water and a pat on the head, until the day I said 'you've got to come with me mister, its just too cold and messy out here for a little guy like you."

I just want to SCREAM when someone adopts a cat, and has one or a million reasons why they can't now keep them.  There is never a 'good' reason.  It scares me too, because when I adopt out a cat, I rescue another.  And if they are all coming back to me, then its the cats that suffer in the long run.  The ones that won't be rescued.  On top of that, it would be very hard for the cat to readjust to a new environment again, and then to a new adopter's home after that.

Adopters do not conceptualize adoption as the beginning of a relationship that will take time to stabilize and/or as something that can be improved.  Replacing the expectation of “happily ever after” with an understanding that “marriages take work” could reduce returns by changing adopter expectations.  Such a change also might increase adopters’ willingness to seek out advice during this adjustment period.  Bottom line, when you adopt a cat from anyone, you must be totally willing to do anything to make this animal's life a good one, no matter what.  You are the human, they are the innocent animal who's life depend on you.

Update on Paddy:  Lillian followed my instructions, and Paddy is now hopefully in a more smaller, secure room, so that he can get used to his surroundings and new human in a more secure environment.  She also told me she wouldn't normally keep her bedroom door open, but she did the night before and little Paddy did hop up,looking for the food that she hid to get him up from the basement most likely, but he is coming out of his shell.  She held him, he purred, and all was well, for a short time.  When I talked to her, he was back in hiding, but upstairs, and I had no doubt that he would be back in her arms in no time that day.

We got three females yesterday, two were pregnant and all were spayed.  Its obviously upsetting to take life like that, but if there is no one offering or able to step up to the plate and care for the pregnant cats, please don't judge me or others that do this.

Nearly one year old Daisy went to Petco last night for hopeful adoption, and a couple came by and showed interest.  I might be making mistakes when I tell people that they can 'try her out' because they have a three year old female that hasn't been socialized with another cats since they adopted her out from Lollipop over a year ago, and its only upsetting to the cats, and to me, again, thinking I am one less cat and have room for another, and then go rescue that sweet little one I feed every day, only to just be adding one more when they are returned.  We'll see how things go, if they contact me to give the go ahead (I told them to think about it and let me know), I will bring her over for house inspection and leave her there, with my heart breaking, once again.