The Start of My Career as a Cat Lady

Ever thought about adopting a furry friend?

In the beginning, my family was incredibly skeptical of my idea to bring an animal into the house. Not only was it deemed to be a bad idea in first place, but we couldn’t even figure out if we were dog or cat people (or ferret or bunny or parakeet people because those were also options).

I (obviously) wanted a cat so I made it my mission to prove to them that this was the right choice for us and that the whole “cat owning” experience was going to be amazing.

Initially, there were a few issues to get over. First of all, the only pets we had ever had before were Beta fish (which didn’t last very long) so we didn’t really know what it took to take care of a cat. We had tons of questions.

What does it eat?

Where will it sleep?

Does it have to be walked?

And my brother’s most important question: Can I teach it to fetch?

We had some pretty good dog vs. cat arguments and I came to the conclusion that cats kind of get a bad rap. People have this idea that dogs are so outgoing, like they are “real” family members that sit in the front seat of the car, come with you to the cottage, and will always love you and care for you.

But a cat’s personality is more likely to be thought to be like your friend’s weird older brother that only comes downstairs at mealtimes and barely gives you the ‘sup’ nod when he sees you.

You hear horror stories of cats turning against their owner, waking them up at night, stories of cats that are too independent and don’t want to be snuggled, cats that bring home dead animals as prizes and store them in secret places only to be found days later…  The list goes on. But, after lots of research and multiple trips to the Ottawa Humane Society, I was ready. On the Friday before Reading Week I bought litter boxes, a scratching post and a little cat carrier and I declared that I was ready to find my cat. And I did! On Valentines day I brought home my very first kitten.

Meet Chili; a 12 week old diluted Calico:

As a new cat mommy, here are a few things I’ve learned along the way:

THE ADOPTION PROCESS:

1. The Ottawa Humane Society is partnered with all of the Pet Stores in Ottawa which means nearly all kittens you will see in the store have been through the Humane Society already, meaning they are also spayed or neutered already! The Humane Society website is also updated hourly letting you know where specific animals are if you wanted to check them out in person.

2. The Ottawa Humane Society also lets you walk in and play with their cats FOR FREE. Have an hour and need some snuggles? The animals will love it too. Taking a trip here is also a great way to test out your allergies and how you react to cats if you’re thinking about adopting. Also, this process gives you a chance to interact with a cat if you’re thinking of adopting, giving you an inside look on what their personalities are like to see if they are compatible to you. 

3. Looking to adopt? Get a cat that speaks to you emotionally. When you look at your future pet, you should be able to feel like this cat is “the one”. It’s like love at first sight!

LIFE WITH A NEW CAT – THINGS I’VE REALISED

1.You can buy your cat the most expensive, fun looking toy and your cat will sit in the box and probably stare at you while doing it, wondering why you seem a little cheesed. This being said, old cereal and Kleenex boxes make excellent tunnels or step stools!

2. Just because you buy a cat a “cat bed” doesn’t mean it will sit or sleep there. At all. You should familiarize yourself with the phrase “I fits, I sits”.

3. Be prepared for a constant game of: How did you get up there? And why are you eating that?

4. Even if you think you’ve kitten-proofed everything in your home, odds are you’ll still be finding places that are unsafe for small animals, so be on the lookout! Anything from phone chargers to open cabinets are a hazard (my cat likes to sit in the dishwasher if we accidentally leave it open).

5. Kittens are baby cats and just like human babies, they need lots of attention! If you’re planning on adopting a young kitten, plan to stay home for at least the first week. They need time to adjust to you and your new surroundings. if you’re gone all day, they’ll get lonely and could get into trouble.

6. A little something I learned the hard way: Kittens like to wake up and eat breakfast and they choose exactly when that is. It’s easy to figure it out because you’ll probably get affectionately pounced on (most likely in the face) and meowed at.

7. Cats love the Aquarium channel. I’m serious.

As far as the adjustment between Chilli and my family has gone, it took everyone a few days to finally get used to her. My older brother who advocated strongly for a corgi instead of a cat has taken it upon himself to build elaborate obstacle courses for her out of cardboard boxes. My mom? Literally rocks the cat to sleep like a baby. My little brother takes constant Snapchat videos of her pouncing on things and I think my dad is quite pleased to have a small kitten curl up next to him while he watches the hockey game. I can honestly say that our family life has changed for the better having a little creature roaming around. I encourage everyone to check out the Ottawa Humane Society and consider adopting a cat yourself!

Sources: 1

Photo Sources: 1 & 2