Thursday, May 13, 2021

Sweet Caroline Our New Kitty


Hi, Friends, 
How are you? 
I'm refreshed after a good night's sleep. 
I picked up Caroline after five on Tuesday. She'd been fixed at around eight that morning. Which I understand but I didn't love the idea that we would be bonding with her when she was uncomfortable. 
I expected her to be very sleepy. She was not. 
Bill wasn't home from work when I got home with her. I probably should have done my research on an introduction of a new pet into the family but I didn't. 


Bill got home and we introduced Dixie to Caroline. There is a mutual interest and distrust at the same time. Our animal shelter isn't great about providing a lot of context for their animals. You can release a pet if there are too many animals in the home and that is the reason they listed for Caroline's release. Dixie's too, for that matter. It would be good to know if there were other dogs in the home as well as cats. I know that she was in a home with other cats. They were all released together. She doesn't seem unfamiliar with dogs. Dixie is well acquainted with cats. She and Ringo tolerated each other but secretly, I hope that they were closer when we weren't around. 
I kept the carrier on the sofa with me during the evening. Caroline could escape to her carrier if she felt uneasy around Dixie. It was a good plan except that about the time that I was ready for bed, Sweet C was ready to play. Then she began to bother her incision. I was tempted to run out and get a cone collar of shame but those have never worked for us. They are an epic waste of money, in my opinion. Every animal we have ever had wriggled right out of it. I sat with my hand between her face and her incision until she fell asleep. I tried to leave her and go up to bed but she got up and wanted to play. I tried moving to the bigger sofa in the living room but Dixie wanted to sleep right below us and I didn't feel comfortable with that just yet. She began to fuss with her incision again. I decided that she must be hungry since she was trying to nurse on my finger. It was technically the next day after surgery so I gave her a small bite to eat which settled her down.  
We were about to fall back to sleep out in the garden room when she started staring at the wall. 
I said, "There is nothing there. Go to sleep." Oh wait. There was something there. There was a giant water bug hanging out on the brick. The garden room is an enclosed porch so it can have its share of wildlife from time to time.  
"We're out."
This is Texas, we have those giant water bugs. It doesn't matter how many times an exterminator is here, they seem impervious to pesticides 
I packed her up and took her up to one of the guest rooms. At this point it was after two in the morning. 
I let her explore for a bit and she fell asleep in my shoulder. She moved when I fell asleep and she ended up under the covers at my feet. 


Bill came hunting for us when he got up. He is an early riser. He let me sleep a little longer. 
Bill is more relaxed than I am when it comes to Caroline and Dixie time. He is in the 'they will work it out camp.' I'm in the 'I don't want them to kill each other camp.'
Caroline has spent a lot of time exploring the house yesterday morning. Then she took some good long naps. She hasn't bothered her incision at all. 
I ordered groceries and napped yesterday afternoon. 
I'm too old for almost all nighters. 


Last evening, I needed a break from Cat Watch 2021. 
Bill snuggled with kitty and I watched some YouTube in another room. I feel asleep almost immediately. 
When Bill went to bed, she came and slept on my shoulder. I get the feeling that she slept with her humans at her other home. I don't mind that for now since she just had surgery but I'm not sure that will work for us long term. 
I am perfectly okay with a cat sleeping on my feet, however. That is what Ringo did in the evenings.  
Midnight, the cat that I got for my 13th birthday, slept with me too. 
Bill wasn't wild about that when we got married but Midnight was already 12 at that point. 
Our other cats may have been in the kid's rooms. I really can't remember. 


It's been a long time sine we've introduced a new pet into the family and it takes some work. The reward is worth it, however. I'm very grateful that Bill pushed the issue and wanted to get us a cat for my birthday. He is wise because I love having a kitty. I wanted to mull over all the options and potential problems. He said, "We'll work it out." He is so sweet and so smart. 
She doesn't seem to have bad habits like climbing on the kitchen table. She doesn't seem to be a climber at all, even though I've shared that Dixie is too chubby to climb and that she'd be safe up high. She hasn't tried to scratch anything either. Oops, spoke too soon. She is litter box trained. I don't think she has ever been outside. We have always let our animals be inside and outside but I'm not sure what we will do with Sweet C.


She is very photogenic. Bill told her to prepare for her life online. I said that she didn't come with a "Do not publish" directive. 
It surprises me how much we have missed Ringo. It may just have been the exhaustion and emotional turmoil from the last year but I teared up a lot thinking about him. Now I'm tearing up because I'm grateful for Bill and for her. I think she is going to be a great addition to the family.  
Caroline wore a collar that was too tight so I hope that there isn't permanent damage from that. 
She'll see our vet for shots and a check up next week. She is a year old and I'm not sure what she has had except rabies. 
That is all for now, 
I hope you are having a wonderful day. 
Katie 

6 comments :

  1. Sweet Caroline seems to be living up to her name. I have Basil, my pandemic cat. She is a rescue as well, but is NOT a cuddler. However, she does sleep with me part of the night. Sometimes at the foot of the bed, sometimes by my chest. She's usually there when she's waiting for me to get up and feed her. I love cats.

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  2. She's so sweet and pretty, Katie. I've had a cat on my head for most of my life. Combination of devotion and domination I guess. I've kept my kitties indoors for the last 30 years. I've had them run off when they were newbies or get hurt from being outside on their own. I'm a worry wart when it comes to pets, though. Looks like she's part of the family, for sure.

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  3. Caroline is beautiful and she is going to bring so much joy to your lives.

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  4. Awww! Your sweet Caroline is a doll baby. I have had cats (and dogs) all my life and can't imagine our home without at least 1. Right now I have 3. The first few weeks are always a little challenging with everyone getting to know each other and the routines, but she will adjust and so will Dixie. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  5. She is just darling, Katie! I love how you are tag teaming your Caroline time -- despite slightly different methods! It's a little harder having one pet already but you'll pull through it -- all of you. And she is terribly photogenic. She'll find her space on the bed. Possibly being gently put by your feet will tell her that the bed is OK -- but a little lower, please!

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  6. Now for the black cloud: Before you put her outside, think how you would feel if she were eaten by a coyote. They are everywhere now. "Someone's" cat was caught by them in my carport. Not good. I cried. Love her - indoors. She's really adorable!

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