We did it, we've adopted our third cat

lisajane8482

DH and I have been talking about getting a new addition to the family. We had decided that we would wait until June and that our new addition was going to be approx 18-24 months old, male and a different colour to black… or at least that was the original plan.

Whilst waiting for DH to send me some photos of the stuff we were going to advertise on Gumtree I happened across a 7 month old female kitten who was for sale. I know a lot, if not most, of you like myself have read about the horrible things that can happen to pets advertised on Gumtree and the like and seeing her picture and knowing what may happen really pulled on my heart strings. So much so that I told DH about her and he told me it was my decision as essentially it is me that pays for our furry family.

I decided to contact the owner to ask a few questions about her before I made my mind up. I found out that they had found her on the street 4 weeks earlier and think that before they took her in she had been living on the streets for most if not all of her life. They had taken her to the vets the first week they had her as she had a puffy eye that was weeping a lot and was very skinny. The vet said that she had no infections and apart from a lack of food and a broken k9 she was in great health considering. She hadn’t been spayed or vaccinated but they had flea’d and wormed her. They had planned on keeping her but felt it was unfair as she was scared of their toddler who liked to grab her for cuddles. I spent the next 24 hours umming and ahhing, speaking to our vet for advice about brining an unspayed/unvaccinated female cat into the home and considering the things that could go wrong and finally decided that although, to quote DH, “ you can’t save them all”, I could at least save another one. There was just something about Misty that made me think she is the one. I rang her owners who brought Misty to our house for us to meet her, turns out the lady that had her I used to go to junior school with. She settled in right away and was off around the house for a look. Our eldest cat Salem was taken with her straight away and was constantly following her around, Gizmo was a little more cautious and if she got too close he would growl before running away but he soon warmed to her.

The plan was to take her for to see the vet to get her registered and then get booked in for vaccinations in May and then spayed in June. However, once we got to the vets the plan changed. The vet gave her the once over and then asked how many cats we actually wanted, me being a little dizzy at times thought she was talking about how we came to get her and after my “well we were talking about getting another in June but I’m a firm believer in things happen for a reason” to be met with “her stomach is a little bloated and I suspect she may be in the early stages of pregnancy”. I was a little shocked to say the least. After discussing the options we decided to book her in on the Tuesday to get spayed which would abort the pregnancy. The vet also looked at her eye and told me to clean it with cool boiled water and we’d see how it was on the Tuesday.

I dropped her off on my way to work on the Tuesday morning, asked if they could also microchip her and give her claws a clip whilst she was asleep and then waited anxiously for 2pm to come so I could call to see what time she could be picked up. When I rang I was told everything went fine and I could pick her up after 3. When I went to collect her the vet said that the bloating had seemed to gone down slightly and that she wasn’t pregnant. She had swollen lymph nodes and the swollen stomach was probably down to a poor diet, her weepy eye was probably a blocked tear duct and if it didn’t seem to get any better over the next couple of days I could ring up for some eye drops or tablets and she was also in heat. We go back on Friday to have her stitches removed and whilst she’s there she will get her first set of vaccinations. We got some drops for her eye on Thursday and it has nearly cleared up now.

I was a little worried at first that I’d maybe made the wrong decision but in all honesty it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made. All 3 cats get on amazingly well and considering her start in life she is so affectionate and a right fuss pot.

Anyway, enough rambling on, I’d like you all to meet our newest addition Misty.

tea_lover

Oh look at those big eyes! She is beautiful

ETA: I keep coming back for another look!

codemonkey

I just looked at those photos and said Awww. Very loudly. In the middle of an office quiet period.

She is beautiful.

lisajane8482

Thank you both, she has to be the most gorgeous kitten I have ever seen (I'm biased though lol), we are all absolutely smitten with her.

tea_lover

Her colouring is just the same as our cat (a chubby 8yr old male ) I'm a real sucker for those little white socks.

Aldeney

What a Sweetheart she is, so glad you rescued her and that she has settled in so well. I would love to get more cats, I just have the one, but our landlord won't agree to more.

Mrs_Z

Congrats on your new addition! She is irresistable!

Pippin12

She is just gorgeous - thankyou so much for your story and pics - they have really brightened my day!

ERICS_MUM

Aahh what a beauty ! I know what you mean about not being able to rescue them all. I spend two hours a week at our local cats re-homing centre as a volunteer "cat cuddler", playing and talking to the abandoned cats to get/keep them socialised. This helps them settle down more quickly when they go to their adoptive homes.

Well, every week I could quite easily smuggle one (or more !!) of the cats out under my jacket. Some have been there for months and I feel so sorry for them.

geri1965_2

Wow, she is beautiful. Congratulations on your new addition to the family!

gettingready

wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww - what a princess

congratulations to you and a belly rub to Misty xxx