When I first moved to Texas in April of 2013, I met a guy who I dated for about four months. He'd been divorced for four years and had three children. When he'd moved out, he bought a cat because his daughter loved them and he wanted her to have one at his place. I believe she was seven at the time and they'd been blowing bubbles and, so, they named the cat Bubbles. During the course of my relationship with this man, is ex-wife informed him that she was moving back east and was going to take two of the kids (the eldest is from a previous relationship). He got a lawyer with hopes of keeping her from doing so and ended up getting primary custody. She split and he moved back into the family home.
Bubbles did not get along with Merlin, the cat his daughter had and possibly had grown up with. I don't know if he was impatient or insensitive or stupid but he decided he had to get rid of Bubbles because his daughter was more attached to Merlin and he obviously could not get rid of him. But ex boyfriend was not going to take his time in finding a new home for Bubbles but was, instead, going to put her on the side of the road. This horrified me and so I acted without thinking.
At this time I'd had my beloved guinea pig, Johan the Destruktor, for about four years. I decided soon after I got him and fell in love with him that I'd never own a pet again because I knew how much it was going to hurt when he died.
But at that moment I did not think and decided that I'd take Bubbles because it wasn't fair to just put her on the side of the road. Thus, I have a cat.
Bubbles, Johan and I got along fine. After about a month, Bubbles was used to me and would come out and be with me. She became very attached and would sit with me as I petted her and all of that. She didn't like living at the Bat's house because of fleas but when she and I finally moved to our own place, she was right as rain.
Then Johan died. I was, as we all know, an utter mess what with the weeping and carrying on. But there was a change in Bubbles as well. I'd sit in my chair at my computer as usual and suddenly she'd come up and paw at me and meow so that I'd pet her. I thought, foolishly, that she felt bad because she knew I missed my piggie. What I only realize now is that SHE missed him. Bubbles has gotten needier and needier since Johan's death and I've been growing more and more anxious about her. I'd considered the loneliness and asked the vet about getting a kitten only to be told that if I were to do so, I should get two kittens so Bubbles could watch them interact and they wouldn't bug her. Well, my apartment is 535 square feet, not enough for two cats let alone three and Bubs doesn't seem to get along with other cats anyway so I nixed that.
But she isn't happy. When I am home, she tries to lay on me in any way possible these days. It's gone from just bugging me to pet her to sitting on me in even the most uncomfortable seeming positions possible just so she is near me. She gets tired of my knitting and will purposely lay on the yarn. She just needs to be all up on me at all times unless I physically move her.
I've realized that she is unhappy and, more than likely, lonely. I could get another guinea pig for company but seeing as I wept for three hours when Johan died, I don't know that I could put myself through that. And I most certainly do not want to put this animal on Prozac. I spoke with someone today who fosters animals in her area and she told me that sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you are really just fostering an animal until they can find their proper family. She told me about her experiences and, in the end, the idea of rehoming Bubbles felt a bit less awful.
I may do it.
I've been thinking about it all evening and I've literally cried like a baby at the idea. I love this cat and I don't want her to think I don't. But she clearly isn't happy here and so I may need to part with her. I hate that idea. I hate it because I love her and feel like such a failure and so guilty for not being able to provide her with what she needs. I feel guilty every time I go to the country. I don't bring her along because she doesn't enjoy it but I feel bad for leaving her behind. I feel guilty when I spend the night at the Bat Cave. But at the same time, I do feel I deserve to be allowed to live my life. I did consider, for about two minutes, getting another guinea pig to keep her company but then I remembered the hell that was losing Johan and remembered that I do not enjoy weeping for hours and being a wreck for days.
So this person is going to give me some resources so that I can look into this idea. I don't know if I have it in me to do it, but I do want Bubbles to be happy and healthy and if that is not something I can do, I have to let her go.
I will keep you informed should this happen.
Bubbles did not get along with Merlin, the cat his daughter had and possibly had grown up with. I don't know if he was impatient or insensitive or stupid but he decided he had to get rid of Bubbles because his daughter was more attached to Merlin and he obviously could not get rid of him. But ex boyfriend was not going to take his time in finding a new home for Bubbles but was, instead, going to put her on the side of the road. This horrified me and so I acted without thinking.
At this time I'd had my beloved guinea pig, Johan the Destruktor, for about four years. I decided soon after I got him and fell in love with him that I'd never own a pet again because I knew how much it was going to hurt when he died.
But at that moment I did not think and decided that I'd take Bubbles because it wasn't fair to just put her on the side of the road. Thus, I have a cat.
Bubbles, Johan and I got along fine. After about a month, Bubbles was used to me and would come out and be with me. She became very attached and would sit with me as I petted her and all of that. She didn't like living at the Bat's house because of fleas but when she and I finally moved to our own place, she was right as rain.
Then Johan died. I was, as we all know, an utter mess what with the weeping and carrying on. But there was a change in Bubbles as well. I'd sit in my chair at my computer as usual and suddenly she'd come up and paw at me and meow so that I'd pet her. I thought, foolishly, that she felt bad because she knew I missed my piggie. What I only realize now is that SHE missed him. Bubbles has gotten needier and needier since Johan's death and I've been growing more and more anxious about her. I'd considered the loneliness and asked the vet about getting a kitten only to be told that if I were to do so, I should get two kittens so Bubbles could watch them interact and they wouldn't bug her. Well, my apartment is 535 square feet, not enough for two cats let alone three and Bubs doesn't seem to get along with other cats anyway so I nixed that.
But she isn't happy. When I am home, she tries to lay on me in any way possible these days. It's gone from just bugging me to pet her to sitting on me in even the most uncomfortable seeming positions possible just so she is near me. She gets tired of my knitting and will purposely lay on the yarn. She just needs to be all up on me at all times unless I physically move her.
I've realized that she is unhappy and, more than likely, lonely. I could get another guinea pig for company but seeing as I wept for three hours when Johan died, I don't know that I could put myself through that. And I most certainly do not want to put this animal on Prozac. I spoke with someone today who fosters animals in her area and she told me that sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you are really just fostering an animal until they can find their proper family. She told me about her experiences and, in the end, the idea of rehoming Bubbles felt a bit less awful.
I may do it.
I've been thinking about it all evening and I've literally cried like a baby at the idea. I love this cat and I don't want her to think I don't. But she clearly isn't happy here and so I may need to part with her. I hate that idea. I hate it because I love her and feel like such a failure and so guilty for not being able to provide her with what she needs. I feel guilty every time I go to the country. I don't bring her along because she doesn't enjoy it but I feel bad for leaving her behind. I feel guilty when I spend the night at the Bat Cave. But at the same time, I do feel I deserve to be allowed to live my life. I did consider, for about two minutes, getting another guinea pig to keep her company but then I remembered the hell that was losing Johan and remembered that I do not enjoy weeping for hours and being a wreck for days.
So this person is going to give me some resources so that I can look into this idea. I don't know if I have it in me to do it, but I do want Bubbles to be happy and healthy and if that is not something I can do, I have to let her go.
I will keep you informed should this happen.
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