The Story of Cat Shopping

Thank you for all the good wishes! I am scheduled to pick up the little miss* Friday after work, and I'm rather excited.

*Her name is currently Lindsay. I don't know if that will stick. After all, I don't call Harold "Sir Thomas of Toomey", which was the name the Humane Society gave him. And "Harold and Lindsay"? I don't know. I doubt I will change her name to Maude, but I think only time will tell what name she ends up not answering to.

Here's the story so far. Last Saturday, I psyched myself up to go to the adoption event at a local pet store, only to get there and find it had been canceled. Such a let-down! I had such mixed feelings about going cat shopping anyway, and I made myself do it, and all for naught. I know things happen, and I had to buy cat food anyway so it wasn't a completely wasted trip, but still.

However, when I got home I went ahead and sent in the application that I had filled out ahead of time, figuring that with Mr. Lonelypants here, there really wasn't a lot of time to do my usual round of procrastinating and waffling. A while later, I got a phone call from one of the foster moms (this organization doesn't have a shelter, they foster all the animals, and when you want one, they match you up as best they can and you can see the animal in a home, and hear from the person involved exactly how they react to people, other animals, and so on). She told me about one of the cats she had, and we agreed that I would go there on Sunday for a visit. I talked to another woman later, and planned to go to her house after the first.

The first cat I saw was very uninterested in me (or, probably, anyone who came by). She was pretty and not vicious, but so eager to get away from me, it was a little hard to see. She didn't want food, she didn't want to play, she just wanted to hide. In fact, her sister and one brother were the same, and never came out; the other brother was lured out by a toy, but still watchful (not that I don't understand that). She seemed sweet, but it didn't really click with me.

While I was there, the woman called another woman who lived nearby and had a cat available, and I ended up going there next. The cat, small and sweet and colored like cookie dough ice cream, let me pet her but after a few minutes, turned away and gave signs of being rather overwhelmed. The foster mom said that she thinks the cat needs a quiet household, as she seems particularly scared of the resident dogs. One of the other cats would hang out with this one sometimes, and she seems fine with that, but not seeking out any attention, mostly staying in her (large, open) cage all day. She was a cutie, and I didn't feel it was absolutely no, but it didn't feel quite right*, either.

*I can get too focused on things "feeling right", I know, but sometimes there is no One Right Answer, and you just have to decide. And how do you do that? Based on what "feels right".

Next, I went over to the house of the other woman I spoke to on Saturday. The cat was wary, but didn't run and hide, looked cute, and was reported to really love another cat there, and be warming up to her foster mom, too. Again, it felt like maybe, but nothing stronger.

So, when I got a message later Sunday from another foster mom, I was still open. She said that when she heard what I was looking for, she thought her foster might be a good match, because this cat had been very skittish at first but fell In Love with the resident cat, simply adored him, and really came out of her shell quickly after spending time with him. In fact, the foster mom said, they thought about keeping her for themselves, except she seems a bit nervous still around their 4-year-old daughter, and they thought she might be happier elsewhere.

She is very soft, and quite lovely. She went under a chair when I came in the room, but came out at once for food from her foster mom, and later when I was alone in the room and offered treats, she still came right out to me. She ate the treats, then condescended to let me tempt her with a toy, a simple and obviously much-loved item with a fuzzy ball at one end of the stretchy string, and a ring at the other. It turned out that she preferred to catch the ring end, thank you, and she was quite intent on it, and not on the stranger at the other end.

So, she was cautious, but friendly, liked treats and playing, and it just Felt Right. And I pick her up in two days, so I have to get going, and make the office a cat room in case she and Harold decide to deny me the fairy-tale meeting, wherein they fall instantly in love with nary a hiss and don't need to be kept apart while they get used to the idea.

I sure hope Harold likes her. Cross your fingers, would you?