How a dainty tuxie lady cat captured our hearts and a brand new eternally dwelling.
For fifteen years of running a blog at Cat Knowledge 101, I’ve shared my dwelling with wherever from one to 6 cats at a time. Often, we hover round 4. However life has a manner of fixing these numbers, and a 12 months in the past, we discovered ourselves down to simply Odin, my one-eyed surprise cat.
Odin was fourteen, fiercely impartial, and appeared completely content material on his personal. He was the image of well being—athletic, adventurous, at all times slipping by way of the cat door together with his GPS collar blinking as he explored the neighborhood. I didn’t assume he wanted a companion.
However watching him, I began to note one thing. A loneliness, maybe. So two years in the past, we adopted Otto, one other fourteen-year-old tuxedo. They bonded superbly, two senior cats who grew to become genuinely shut buddies.
Then all the things modified. Odin, who had at all times been so wholesome, was abruptly recognized with jaw most cancers. It occurred shockingly quick. Inside weeks, he was gone—heartbreakingly, on the identical day we misplaced one other of our cats, each in November.
Otto was grieving. I might see it. And whereas I didn’t need to rush into adopting once more, it grew to become more and more clear that he wanted companionship.
The Search
Round Christmas, we began visiting native shelters. We went thrice to at least one, twice to a different, trying and searching. Each time we thought we’d discovered the proper cat, they’d already been adopted or weren’t obtainable but. It was irritating. We lastly lucked out on the wonderful Paws Crossed Animal Rescue
Proper after New 12 months’s, we visited Paws Crossed Animal Rescue. We’d gone particularly to satisfy a feminine tuxedo however she had simply been spayed and was nonetheless recovering. As a substitute, we had been launched to a different tuxedo named Liliana.
She was solely 5 years previous and had just lately arrived from one other shelter. What struck me instantly was studying she’d been there for a full 12 months—and depressed. She responded positively to her new beautiful spacious cat room with only one different feline companion.
Right here’s the factor: my husband was much more desperate to undertake than I used to be. I’ve by no means been notably drawn to feminine cats. However he felt an instantaneous reference to this unhappy little tuxedo, and truthfully, who was I to argue with that type of instinct?
We stated we’d give it some thought and return the subsequent day. We even introduced a service, simply in case. My husband checked out me and stated, “Screw that. Let’s convey her dwelling.” So we did.
The Best Adoption & Introduction Ever
I’ve launched numerous cats to one another over time. I do know the protocol: separation, gradual publicity, cautious monitoring. I had all of it deliberate out.
Then they by accident met on day one. One small hiss. She wasn’t remotely fearful. That was it. She was comfortably at dwelling inside 24 hours.
I noticed instantly that I wasn’t going to want my common cautious introduction course of. This was, arms down, the quickest and best cat adoption and adjustment I’ve ever skilled. They took to one another nearly immediately.
Now Lumi and Otto hang around collectively, chase one another round the home, and play like previous buddies. They’re not fairly on the sleeping-close-together stage but, but when this early indication is something to go by, I feel they’re going to be very shut companions. A queen and her King.
We modified her title to Lumi—Finnish for “snow,” honoring my Finnish heritage. She’s extremely fairly: tiny and dainty with traditional tuxedo markings and the sweetest little pink nostril. And he or she’s sensible. Loopy sensible. She is a cuddlebug, inquisitive about all the things and
obsessive about birds.
Like many feminine cats she already guidelines the roost.
Good Timing for Tuxedo Appreciation Day
Because it occurs, I’m posting this on January twenty ninth—Tuxedo Cat Appreciation Day. What higher time to introduce our latest member of the family? Each Lumi and Otto are proud ambassadors for tuxedos in all places, exhibiting the world simply how fantastic these dapper cats may be.
I by no means thought I’d undertake one other cat after shedding Odin and watching Otto grieve. However right here we’re. Otto has his pal, and I’ve one more reminder that cats have a manner of selecting us simply as a lot as we select them.
Typically the cat you didn’t know you wished seems to be precisely the cat you wanted.
Welcome dwelling, Lumi. Completely satisfiedTuxedo Cat Appreciation Day.
