Dilema

[Evie]

Ok so here it is. My little cat Millie died on Monday - suspected poisoning. She was gorgeous and we have been devastated.
I didn't want another cat at all right now. However all my life I have wanted a black oriental - just never got round to it.
So at work today, out of the blue someone offered me a free one!! 8 months old and bog eyed. Poor Millies ashes are barely cold and I don't know what to do.
My old cat Hobbes might not like it, it will need neutering right away, Hobbes goes out, and after Millie I don't want another out and about cat so this one will have to stay in so I wil have to get a magnetic collar cat flap thing and I'm going on holiday at the end of June.

[*mogwai*]

get the cat. it's something you've wanted for a long time & yes the timing may not be right but you'll have this cat for a long time so the neutering/holidaything wont matter this time next year.

you can still grieve for the beautiful cat you've lost. i belive in spirit guides (call me mad if you want) so maybe thsi cat was sent to you to help you get over your loss. i believe my dog was sent to me.

[Evie]

Originally Posted by teshu

get the cat. it's something you've wanted for a long time & yes the timing may not be right but you'll have this cat for a long time so the neutering/holidaything wont matter this time next year.

you can still grieve for the beautiful cat you've lost. i belive in spirit guides (call me mad if you want) so maybe thsi cat was sent to you to help you get over your loss. i believe my dog was sent to me.

Thanks teshu. I went and had a look at him this evening and he is now sitting in a basket next to my feet - it was ineviable really.
He is a bit traumatised and has some serious bog eyes and his tongue is sticking out a little bit lol. He is going to take a while to settle down. My old cat looks a little miffed but not too furious. My O/H just has that resigned look on his face that he always gets when a new recruit joins the clan.

I think you're right, it was fate. Will post some pics when he has settled down in a few days - hopefully.

[TianRunty]

sorry for your loss but i'm glad you decided to take him, even though it's so close to you loosing Millie it's not like you hadn't thought about getting someone like him before.
pics soon please he sounds like he'll be the cat equavalent(sp) to my mums chihuahua, sadly she is inbred and always has her boiled ham stickin out....that being her tongue it looks like a bit of boiled ham apparently.

[feorag]

I'm so glad you went and got him - I was about to post to you not to let this opportunity go past. Orientals are very special and make wonderful pets, more like dogs than cats actually.

You might find that he doesn't care to roam too much. Orientals and Siamese can be extremely territorial, but also they love to be around people.

My Orientals have never roamed and in fact I used to take my Havana out with me on picnics and he used to just sit beside us and watch what was going on. The Somalis would have been off hunting, but he was happy to stay close to us.

Do post a picture once he's settled down, I'd love to see him.

[Shell195]

Oriental Blacks are very close to my heart and one day I will own another. Benji my boy was bought from a supposedly good breeder at the usual 13 weeks he was the last kitten and the breeder said he had attitude. From day one he hated being picked up and had the squits. After many trips to the vets for his worsening bowel problem until he was near on incontinent at 14 months he was xrayed to find his pelvis and 2 vertabrae had a severe long standing crush injury(no womder he hated being handled) The vet thought this was caused by trapping in a door or being stood on at a very young age. The nerves to the bowel where damaged beyond repair. I had him put to sleep to relieve his suffering.The breeder didnt sound at all surprised (This injury never happened while I had him) and was actually not even sorry.Sorry to hijack your thread but I just wanted you to know what a special boy he was. I adored him so much and we had a special bond. Im glad you took this cat you wont be disappointed they are a breed on their own and you will fall totally in love with him

[feorag]

That is such a sad story and I absolutely agree with you Shell, I just do not believe (having bred cats myself) that this breeder didn't know something had happened to that kitten. Breeders like that get us all a bad name.

I also totally agree with you that Evie will not regret this decision, as Orientals are very special!

[Evie]

Thanks all for your replies. Little cat is going to be called Kaito. He is still in hiding but I managed to put him on my lap this morning for a cuddle. It's going to be a slow process but I'm up for the challenge.
Shell - such a tragedy about your boy. It makes you wonder why we keep putting ourselves in a position where our pets can tear out our hearts.

[feorag]

It will be a slow process, but you've got years! Just carry on taking your time and building his confidence. Orientals love people so much that even the scared ones like yours inevitably come around if given the time, patience and understanding they need.

Funnily enough I lost my first Oriental at a young age too. He was almost 3 year old. I'd found out a month earlier that he had cardiomyopathy (which he had undoubtedly been born with), but the heart murmer had never been picked up until a routine visit to the vet. I came home and found him dead at the bottom of the stairs and, like Shell, was heartbroken. At the time I had 5 other cats, my first cat which was an Aby and 4 Somalis, but Briagha had only been dead a week and there was just this hole in my life and the house was so quiet I couldn't stand it. That was when I decided I needed an Oriental in my life, I just couldn't be without one.

This was Briagha (it's gaelic for beautiful) my Havana



And this is Snickles (Snicklefritz is a German term of endearment for a young energetic child) the "mouth on a stick" I bought to replace him.

[Shell195]

I used to have a Tabbypoint Siamese called Kaito he was wonderful and lived to be 18 years old.He had extended top canines(he had an overly long roman nose) and he used to stab the other cats if they annoyede him also he used to sit on top of doors and launch himself onto a passing person.Hence the name(he was a rescue) Hurry up and get photos of your boy