Since our beloved cat Scamp died last month, our remaining cat Mugsy has been more vocal and more needy than ever before. He’s not lonely in the literal sense, as I work from home every day and am available to give him the attention he craves, and he and Scamp weren’t a bonded pair nor even got along particularly well. It’s that he’s the lone cat for the first time in his life, and it’s affected his behavior.
The obvious solution to this would be to adopt another cat, but my heart hasn’t been ready yet. It still feels too soon after Scamp’s passing.
But then I was made aware of a cat rescue in need of desperate help.
Cat Tales Rescue in New Hampshire is being closed by their landlord who wants to “revamp the property,” and they have until the first of April to not only vacate the premises but find forever homes for their remaining cats. I was moved by their predicament, and we will be heading there this weekend to see if we can find Mugsy the new friend he seems to need.
Bringing a cat into a new home is exciting but it’s also full of risks, especially when there’s a longtime cat already residing there. Will Mugsy get along with his new roommate? Will Mugsy’s behavior change for the better, or for the worse? Will this new cat be an angel or a terror in a new environment? Regardless of the outcome, we’re a cat household and we know to expect the unexpected, and if there are problems we will face them with love and affection.
This is also hitting me surprisingly hard because this will be the first time as an adult cat dad that I’m “replacing” one of the original cats that I’ve lost.
When Rascal died almost ten years ago, we didn’t get another cat to fill the void she left. We still had Scamp and Mugsy. Now Scamp has passed on, and while I know I’m not literally replacing him, there’s a part of me that’s hesitant to go through with the adoption because there’s a piece of my heart saying nothing could ever replace him, or Rascal. My mind knows that’s not the case, but sometimes my heart likes to hijack my emotional control center.
But we’re still going to go through with it. Mugsy is still a member of our family and the presence of another cat is something he’s missing. It’s time for our family to grow once again, even just a little.
And if anyone would like to help us out with the adoption fees, buying some of my books and/or subscribing to my Patreon would be greatly appreciated, if it’s within your means.