Can I be good mom and still work!?

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-27-2003
Can I be good mom and still work!?
19
Thu, 11-11-2004 - 11:19am
Last Friday I adopted a cat from a foster mom. According to the foster mom he was very scared of strangers (which was evident when he met me, because he did not seemed pleased to see me.) Anyway, I adopted him because he looked like the kitty I grew up with and he was a big beautiful boy. After about 2 days in hiding he came out to cuddle on the couch and now he’s the most affectionate thing I’ve ever seen. The problem is that I feel terrible leaving him alone all day. I really don’t have room for another cat (and the foster mom had 6 cats and said that he really should be taken in to a one cat family.) I’m wondering what I can do to make sure he’s happy while I’m away?! Right now I leave the radio on when I go to work and give him a few minutes of cuddling before I leave. But he’s still all over me when I get home from work. (He won’t even eat until I’ve pet him for a few minutes). Part of me thinks that he just needs to get used to my routine since I’ve only had him for a week. Other parts of me worry that he needs someone who’s home more than I am. (Right now I’m terrified of what will happen when I go home for Thanksgiving—I’ll be away all day!)

He also just recently had a bout of FLUTD. While I will certainly keep him on the prescription food until the vet tells me not to, I’m also used to being able to leave out some dry food if I’m not back in time for his next feeding. I know I should talk to the vet about this possibility, but would also like to hear about anyone else’s experience with this.

He’s a very sweet cat, but all of this worrying prevents me from enjoying him as much as I could. I just want to make sure that I can be the best mommy he needs.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-06-2004
Thu, 11-11-2004 - 7:58pm
You can always get him a cat tree or a small aquar. of fish to watch. He sounds like he loves being with you. I'm so glad your home was what he needed. donna
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-27-2003
Fri, 11-12-2004 - 12:06am
Thanks guys I really needed that! Bruce will probably be quite the intelligent cat since I leave the radio on NPR. (I don't even listen to NPR!) but I figure the different voices will help him acclimate to people. He can see out the window, where there are lots of friendly outside animals who like to stop by and peer in. I also made him a cat bed out of an old sweatshirt and some old clothes I had packed away. He hasn't really used it yet, but I'm trying to wean him off my lap! (He refuses to sit anywhere else when he wants to be petted.) It's gotten to the point that I don't have the heart to move him even if I have to go to the bathroom!... man, he's got me trained... I also don't want to startle him yet, because we're still adjusting to each other.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2010
Fri, 11-12-2004 - 8:48am
My Daisy is a talker, but she doesn''t necessarily talk back to me. She just talks a lot, like every minute that I'm not petting her. She's the first talkative cat I've had.

On days when I'm late getting home, & haven't told them that I would be late, I apologize when I gat home, b/c of course, they're waiting for their dinner. Poor things! ;-)

Katz

 

 Katz

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2010
Fri, 11-12-2004 - 8:51am
Uh oh! Look out! Your cat might end up smarter than you! LOL.

That lap thing. You never really get over it. LOL. I hate to get up to go to the BR when Daisy is on my lap. :) It was even worse in the bad old days, when you had to get up to change the channel. LOL

Katz

 

 Katz

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2010
Fri, 11-12-2004 - 8:55am
So you have house bunnies, huh? I never knew anybody who had house bunnies. They have the run of the house, & use the litter box? What is it like having them around?

And they watch TV??!! ROFL. I've heard people say their cats watch TV. I've never had a cat that paid the least attention to the TV.

Katz

 

 Katz

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-16-2004
Fri, 11-12-2004 - 12:21pm

Yep! I've got house bunnies as with the rest of the people over on the house rabbits board. : ) My two, Bonsai and Daffodil are naeutered and spayed, litter trained just like a cat and get the run of the kitchen and stay in a very large bunny condo at night. They adore the TV. My cat, Mischief liked watching TV with me, especially when there were fish in a commercial he would jump down, run over and swat at the TV! Such a little stinker, gosh I miss him.


Bunnies

 
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2010
Fri, 11-12-2004 - 12:33pm
Omigosh, they're so cute! And some of them even go outside, huh? They aren't too fast to catch?
Katz

 

 Katz

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-16-2004
Fri, 11-12-2004 - 1:44pm
Well you don't let them loose otherwise they will run away. = : ) I have a play pen for my bunnies as well as harnesses. They don't go out if there is more than 20 degrees farenheit difference between indoor and outdoor temperature. Otherwise my little mooches would get too cold and die or too hot and die from heat stroke. The shock to their system is too much.



 
Avatar for cl_lcni
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Fri, 11-12-2004 - 1:55pm

Hi Pongo26. *Welcome* to Cats.


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