It didn't work out! :

CatNipped wrote:
"cybercat" wrote in message
...

"Rhonda" wrote

But she has only tried to integrate them for the last 5 days. She was
separated from the others until then.

I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but I just wished she would
stay calm and allow some more time. Bringing home 3 cats at once is going
to take some adjusting on everyone's part.

Sammy may well have been hiding under the bed BECAUSE she was sick. Cats
do that. She may even have caught a virus from the kittens.

I think though that the decision is done and Tayla will be going back to
the shelter.

I acknowledge your points, Rhonda, and they are all good.

I have a feeling--and I may be wrong--that although good intentioned,
CN has bitten off a bit more than she can chew. Even without the
aggression problem, six cats is a lot of cats. CN is a bright person,
if it seems to her that Tayla is good with people but not other cats,
why not let her be an only cat somewhere? At least she is at a no-kill
shelter. (It is heartbreaking for CN, too, I know it is. If she had three
cats, it might not be such an issue, but with six, two of them kittens? I
surely could not handle that.)

I hate to admit it, but I think you're right. Ben and I were still in the
worst part of the grieving process for Bandit and I don't think we really
thought it through very well. We were trying to fill a void that, had we
stopped to consider for a moment, could not ever be filled - and in the
process we did a disservice to everyone involved! :

CC and CN, I think you're right. I think CN is in an impulsive and
emotional state, which is not always a bad thing, but is not what is
needed for a tricky integration. Bringing home 3 cats was a risk and
would be a real miracle had it gone 100% smoothly. There were a lot of
factors that needed to come together with time and patience and
calmness, and it does not sound like you were in the right emotional
place at this time for the challenge.

I still think Tayla could fit in over the long-run, but it would take a
big commitment and lots of patience and attention on your part. It
sounds like you did not realize the extent of the issues that could come
with the package of 3.

I have my fingers crossed for Tayla.

Rhonda

"Rhonda" wrote

I have my fingers crossed for Tayla.


Me too, and I know this is hard for CN. As all of you longtimers know,
I can get crazy over cats getting returned to shelters (recalling a big red
boy with a UTI from years ago ... *cringe*) but in this case I think it is
probably best.

Tayla is so noticeably affectionate with people--her chances of getting
a home are very good, and unlike "Big Red Boy's" situation, she is being
returned to a no-kill shelter so it is unlikely that she will be euthanized.
My
Gracie was just such a young cat, having just given birth a few months
earlier, when her engaging, affectionate nature snagged me, though she
was just a regular tiny gray tabby, nothing special to look at, in a sea
of more outgoing, glamorous looking cats and kittens. I really hope
someone falls in love with Tayla and takes her home again.

CN's other cats have to be her first priority--meaning the three she had
before adopting Tayla and the boys. I guess they don't have to be, but
I think they should. Though it may have worked out, it may never have,
and six unhappy cats would not do.

I know CN feels terrible and wishes she had not offered Tayla a forever
home rather than doing so and returning her, but as you say, Rhonda, she
is still grieving and nobody can have perfect judgment all the time.

Hope the shelter people will let her know how things go with Tayla's
rehoming. Chin up, CN.

on Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:20:23 GMT, "CatNipped"
wrote:

I've been talking with the owner of the rescue group I got Tayla from
since Monday. She hasn't been able to come up with anything either
and I think we both came to the agreement that Tayla has to be an
"only cat". Tayla will be going back to the fosterer's house Thursday
night for re-adoption into a single cat household.

Ben and I are both sick about this, but we can't see having our 9, 8,
and 3-yr-olds having to live in fear under the bed or taking the
chance of having the kittens seriously hurt.

Aw, CatNipped, I'm so sorry. I'm sure this was a very difficult decision,
and one that you made carefully. Don't beat yourself up over it.

How are things in the household now?

--
Lynne

on Fri, 27 Jul 2007 04:44:30 GMT, Rhonda
wrote:

It
sounds like you did not realize the extent of the issues that could come
with the package of 3.

It's definitely not something I will *ever* undertake.

I have my fingers crossed for Tayla.

Same here.

--
Lynne

on Fri, 27 Jul 2007 10:40:24 GMT, "cybercat" wrote:

Hope the shelter people will let her know how things go with Tayla's
rehoming. Chin up, CN.

I hope the shelter people will be very specific to potential adopters about
Tayla needing to be an only cat, except perhaps in a very experienced cat
home.

--
Lynne

"Lynne" wrote in message
. 97.142...
on Fri, 27 Jul 2007 10:40:24 GMT, "cybercat" wrote:

Hope the shelter people will let her know how things go with Tayla's
rehoming. Chin up, CN.

I hope the shelter people will be very specific to potential adopters
about
Tayla needing to be an only cat, except perhaps in a very experienced cat
home.

I kept stressing that Tayla was a *VERY* lovable and well-behaved cat around
humans, and that the *ONLY* reason she was being returned was her inability
to get along with other cats, and that she would be a *PREFECT* pet for
someone who only wanted one pet. They are pretty good there about trying to
place their cats in permanent homes (they do a *really* extensive interview
and follow-ups) so I think they will note this on her papers (some other
cats there have similar notations - there were about three "one cat only
home needed" signs - one *LESS* than were there when we adopted Tayla, so at
least one "only cat" cat got adopted).

I did find out when we were there that Tayla was brought back once before,
so I suspect there may have been similar problems and whoever brought her
back just didn't want to say why in case she couldn't get adopted again -
way wrong decision! Tayla may even be able to accept cat companionship
somewhere down the line, but I think she needs to be *well* established in a
one cat household for a good while first.

It's been a day and a half since Tayla's return and already things have
gotten *MUCH* better. As I noted in Sammy's update, she's out from under
the bed and has even ventured upstairs on her own. Jessie is starting to
play with the boyz - for an 8-year-old she is *SO* playful still (typical
tortie! ;). Demi is out from behind her "hiding chair" and is back in her
favorite sunning spots. And the boyz are here, there, and *EVERYWHERE* (I
got a snippet of video of them playing that I'm fixing to upload). The boyz
are snuggling up with Sammy every time they want to take a nap, and she
looks up at me with a disgusted look on her face when they do, but she
doesn't get up and move and I've even caught her giving them a sneak lick
when she thought I wasn't looking.

Hugs,

CatNipped


--
Lynne

"CatNipped" wrote in
:

"Lynne" wrote in message
. 97.142...
on Fri, 27 Jul 2007 10:40:24 GMT, "cybercat"
wrote:

Hope the shelter people will let her know how things go with Tayla's
rehoming. Chin up, CN.

I hope the shelter people will be very specific to potential adopters
about
Tayla needing to be an only cat, except perhaps in a very experienced
cat home.

I kept stressing that Tayla was a *VERY* lovable and well-behaved cat
around humans, and that the *ONLY* reason she was being returned was
her inability to get along with other cats, and that she would be a
*PREFECT* pet for someone who only wanted one pet. They are pretty
good there about trying to place their cats in permanent homes (they
do a *really* extensive interview and follow-ups) so I think they will
note this on her papers (some other cats there have similar notations
- there were about three "one cat only home needed" signs - one *LESS*
than were there when we adopted Tayla, so at least one "only cat" cat
got adopted).

I did find out when we were there that Tayla was brought back once
before, so I suspect there may have been similar problems and whoever
brought her back just didn't want to say why in case she couldn't get
adopted again - way wrong decision! Tayla may even be able to accept
cat companionship somewhere down the line, but I think she needs to be
*well* established in a one cat household for a good while first.

It's been a day and a half since Tayla's return and already things
have gotten *MUCH* better. As I noted in Sammy's update, she's out
from under the bed and has even ventured upstairs on her own. Jessie
is starting to play with the boyz - for an 8-year-old she is *SO*
playful still (typical tortie! ;). Demi is out from behind her
"hiding chair" and is back in her favorite sunning spots. And the
boyz are here, there, and *EVERYWHERE* (I got a snippet of video of
them playing that I'm fixing to upload). The boyz are snuggling up
with Sammy every time they want to take a nap, and she looks up at me
with a disgusted look on her face when they do, but she doesn't get up
and move and I've even caught her giving them a sneak lick when she
thought I wasn't looking.


That's great, and they might help keep her mind off her sore bottom.

Bobble


Hugs,

CatNipped


--
Lynne

"CatNipped" wrote
It's been a day and a half since Tayla's return and already things have
gotten *MUCH* better. As I noted in Sammy's update, she's out from under
the bed and has even ventured upstairs on her own.

Really good. Sammy needs to be out with her people when she's feeling
bad.

I can only imagine how broken hearted you must feel. I'm sure you did the
right thing and
Tayla will find someone to love her. I was told by my vet that my female
should always be in a one cat home. Kinda makes me wonder what went on while
she was in being spayed, but I've followed his suggestion. Guess some cats
are just that way.


CatNipped wrote:
I've been talking with the owner of the rescue group I got Tayla from since
Monday. She hasn't been able to come up with anything either and I think we
both came to the agreement that Tayla has to be an "only cat". Tayla will
be going back to the fosterer's house Thursday night for re-adoption into a
single cat household.

Ben and I are both sick about this, but we can't see having our 9, 8, and
3-yr-olds having to live in fear under the bed or taking the chance of
having the kittens seriously hurt.


--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

"Lynne" wrote in message
7.142...
on Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:20:23 GMT, "CatNipped"
wrote:

I've been talking with the owner of the rescue group I got Tayla from
since Monday. She hasn't been able to come up with anything either
and I think we both came to the agreement that Tayla has to be an
"only cat". Tayla will be going back to the fosterer's house Thursday
night for re-adoption into a single cat household.

Ben and I are both sick about this, but we can't see having our 9, 8,
and 3-yr-olds having to live in fear under the bed or taking the
chance of having the kittens seriously hurt.

Aw, CatNipped, I'm so sorry. I'm sure this was a very difficult decision,
and one that you made carefully. Don't beat yourself up over it.

How are things in the household now?

Very calm and quiet (except for the kittens, of course). Everyone is now
out and about and interacting again. Sammy and Jessie are always either
licking, playing with, or amusedly watching the kittens, and Demi is back in
all her favorite sunning spots (it's hard to believe she's 9 years old
already - and hard to believe that Jessie is 8 years old when you watch her
play!).

Hugs,

CatNipped


--
Lynne