Sadly I have to report that Fiona the kitten no longer lives with us.
She came into our house November 4th. I returned her to the ASPCA on November 15th.
I am embarrassed and ashamed that I had to take this drastic action.
I take full responsibility for making the mistake of adopting a cat, especially a kitten, at this time of our lives.
I had to return her because she was exhausting both of us with her activity and destructiveness.
Fiona had two modes, either she was sleeping or she was racing around the house, climbing curtains, jumping on counters, playing with wires, getting behind (and sometimes stuck) tight spots (the refrigerator, I had to pull it out to get her when she couldn't get out).
When she first came I would have a playtime with her which she loves as you can tell by the video I posted on this blog. When she wasn't playing she wanted to lie in my lap, all the time. I did want a lap cat but she wanted to me in my lap every time she saw me sitting. I got to where I was standing up when I ate at our counter she would jump my clawing on my jacket. Of course she was always on our kitchen counter, even though she knew she should be there (she left paw prints on my cooktop).
During her stay I almost lost one of my favorite vases when it toppled over when she jumped on my Mother's doily to get to that table. I just caught the vase as it was falling to the ground. I had to put the vase away.
Then she was jumping up on the plants in the sun room. I had to take the plants out.
Of course she was clawing our living room furniture.
She loved to race around the house. I tried to wear her out with a laser light toy. All that did was wear me out.
Day by day I was wearing out, exhausted. I wasn't having time for Bill or Pat, who calls me frequently on FaceTime. Bill even said "You care more for that cat than you do me." He wouldn't have anything to do with her and I could understand his feelings.
When I was having my daily FaceTime with Pat, he noticed that I was paying more attention to the kitten in my lap than I was to him. Pat was too nice to say anything but I could tell he was, how should I say it, disappointed in the change in our relationship.
Fiona is a sweet, loving kitty but I was slowly coming to the realization that my life was changing, permanently for the rest of my life with these two most important men in my life.
The final straw happened on Sunday,November 13th, when she made a flying leap on one of Bill's antique lamps in our living room and knocked it over. Thank goodness the lamp didn't break but that was it. Bill said "I wish we didn't have that cat!" but he was willing to let me keep her. He said "We have a lot of nice things here" which we do and I realized that we soon wouldn't have a lot of nice things as long as we had a kitten living with us. I told him, "I'm taking her back." He said "Oh God! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! He was so relieved. I was too.
Part of my responsibility in taking care of Bill is to keep his remaining time here on this earth as stress free as possible. And I have to keep my health in order to take care of him. It was very irresponsible of my to think that I could take a kitten in our household at this time. And of course it's not fair to the kitten either, she deserves a home where she can be herself, even though she proved herself to be a "live wire" as my brother (who has had a cat companion for ten years) told me when I told him of my travails. I was naive and foolish to think I could bring a kitten in our house and selfish of course.
I couldn't return her to the ASPCA until Tuesday, at 12 PM, November 15th. The ASPCA is closed on Mondays.
If I had any second thoughts about returning her they were quickly dismissed the night before when she was at my bedroom door at 2:30 AM meowing. She wanted in. I had made the decision when I first brought her home that she wasn't to sleep with me. She was content to sleep in her favorite hiding place behind Bill's recliner until that Monday night or early morning. I tried to go back to sleep but she wasn't having it. She wanted in. So I got up and went into the kitchen to be with her.
Now I had to kill time until 12 PM when I could return her. I went into the kitchen and turned on the TV and played on of my recorded shows. While that was playing in the background I cleaned all my kitchen counters. She was content to be with me. And I did like the little sweet thing. She is adorable but as much as I knew I would miss her I convinced myself that the sooner I parted ways with her and returned to my normal life would be best. I had already bonded with her, and she with me, but the longer she stayed the more bonding would occur and the harder it would be to part ways. Best to cut the cord now.
I called the shelter and told them I was returning her. Of course my $150 adoption fee was not refundable but I have no problem with that. To me that $150 is going to a good cause, an animal shelter. I asked them if they could use all the amenities that I had purchased for Fiona with included two litter trays (one domed and one open), a cat condo (which she rarely used), a cat bed (she she never used, she preferred my lap of the chair with a pillow seat under the dining table), cat food, cat snacks, litter pellets and pads (and I just had brought about several month's worth from Walmart the previous day), and the cat toys (which she loved). All told about $400 for my stupid mistake of thinking two old men could live with a lively kitten. For once I didn't feel bad about "wasted" money because I don't consider this wasted money. It all goes to the shelter.
Another thing I didn't take into consideration was how much having a cat would restrict my travel plans. Just didn't think too much about it until I realized I would have to either get a cat sitter or board her. Very expensive propositions not to mention being stressful for the cat. I had briefly considered bringing the cat with us (me and Pat) but then dismissed that foolish idea because that wouldn't be a vacation, having to be concerned about her welfare and of course the trip would be just a stressful for her.
So where do I stand now? Of course I miss her. Even though she was only her for a very short period of time we did bond and I grew to love her. But as long as I'm caring for Bill and should Bill pass while I'm still alive (and that's no guarantee) I will continue to be cat free as long as I can travel (and that's no guarantee either with my health). But should Bill pass before me I would like to make a cross country trip with Pat to Palm Springs. Once before I die I would like to see the middle of this country instead of just the coasts which is all I have seen. Even when I joined the Army to "see the world" I never got off the East Coast in my whole three year enlistment (New Jersey, Maryland, and Massachusetts).
If there comes a time when I can't travel and I'm here along I may consider getting a cat but definitely not a kitten but an adult cat. Maybe I'll foster a series of cats before I find the one that would fit in my lifestyle at that time my life, assuming of course that I'm still alive and mobile (not guarantee either).
Thus another chapter of my very eventful life has concluded. All these years I wanted a cat (since I was ten years old). I got one and it turned out to be disastrous. I would never have dreamed that outcome but I feel confident that Fiona is now in a hope where she can spend a happy and contented life and will soon forget her brief foray in the House Of Old Men.
Fiona about an hour before I put her in the very nice cat carrier that I just got from Amazon. Yes, I left the cat carrier at the shelter too. I think she knew something was up. It will be a while before I get over this mistake. I'm pretty sure she's forgotten about us already. Have a good life Fiona!
