Love is the temple, love the higher law

[lizblackdog]

It's really way too soon to post this. I'm scared I might jinx it for myself. But I told cottonmanifesto and now I wanna tell everyone because it'll be so great if it happens...

We may be about to have our own cat!

Was talking to Downstairs Neighbour Couple with the miniature Dingo this afternoon and I happened to mention how much Spike wanted a cat and how I was looking out for one that needed rehoming. And they told me they knew someone at the Conservative Club who's moving into sheltered accomodation who needed a new home for an eight month old cat. Not only that, she's a BLACK AND WHITE TUXEDO CAT. And she's used to being an indoor-only cat, and she's apparently been introduced to dogs before and got on all right.

I can't imagine anything more perfect. I've been wanting a cat for the longest time; only I felt it needed to be a youngster. I didn't think it would be very fair to take a cat used to a dogless household and free access to outdoors (whether one approves or not, it's the norm for cats round here) and force her to adapt to being indoor-only and coping with Spike in her face to boot. A young one that's never been an outdoor cat will cope much better, don't you think?

I've lived with my Mum's cat Maisie before, which is how I know how badly Spike wanted one of his own, but I've never been responsible for a cat myself before. At least half my f-list has cats so PLEASE tell me anything you think I might need to know, which are good books to read, and which are the best LJ cat communities to join? I've had a look at cat_adoration, but that's more about showing off pretty kitties than the nuts and bolts of keeping them happy and healthy.

And cross your fingers for me, too. I want this cat to be my cat.

Comments

[kiss-kass.livejournal.com]

First of all, you've got it all bassackwards. The cat will be adopting you and the dogs. Your species will be assimilated. You will exist to service the cat.

Spike and Squish will take a few swipes to the nose, but it is the only way they will learn not to put it in an annoyed kitty's face.

The cat will be a bit skitterish for a bit, so it is a good idea to have a hidey hole for the cat. Bear in mind that you can pick a spot all day long, but she will pick her own and it won't be where you want it to be.

I've always had cats and dogs until Happy passed 18 months ago and the best advice I can give is keep the cat's food away from the dogs and let the animals sort things out amongst themselves unless it gets way out of hand. No amountof intervention from you will make things any different from what they will be.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Spike knows all about being a devoted catslave! You know how Squish learned to treat cats with respect? Spike thumped him every time he made Maisie hiss, until he treated her like blown glass.

They'll all be eating more or less the same food - raw meat and bones - but I have some good big windowsills I'm planning to use as cat-only space for feeding bowls. I need to keep litter trays where Squish can't reach, too, because he eats catshit if he gets the chance, the nasty spotted barbarian.

Yeah, what you say sounds about right. I do know that I can trust my dogs not to hurt a cat - not only were they safe with Maisie but they've cornered several other people's outdoor cats in the park before now. If they were ever going to hurt a cat they'd have already done it. Everything after that they can all sort out between them.