We live in a small 2 bedroom apartment, and until I became pregnant, the second bedroom was a catch-all room that housed our computer, litter box and other miscellaneous things. We've cleaned it up, cleaned it out, painted it for the baby's room. The only thing non-baby related in there is the cat's litterbox.
Our cat loves to jump onto unfamiliar surfaces, either cardboard boxes or just anything 'new' to her. We've been keeping a close eye on her ever since we assembled the crib, so she wont get the idea to jump in and scratch the finish. I've even been covering the crib with a throw blanket so if she happens to jump, that she wont scratch the crib.
Last night we decided it was time to move her litterbox (which is covered, with a swinging door) out of the baby's room. We moved it 4 times, in different places. There is no room for it in the bathroom, or the kitchen, there are no closets big enough aside from the bedrooms to house her litterbox. There is no room in the living room, and besides, who wants to visit someone and smell cat poop?
So we moved it back into the baby's room. We really have no space for the litterbox at all. With 9 weeks left of my pregnancy, we can't find a new place, pack this place up, repaint the baby's room to the color it used to be, move, unpack, and paint a new room for the baby. Plus, with the costs of moving, it is just not doable at this point. Especially not because we just need a bit of extra space for a litterbox.
I have been thinking, and thinking, about what we should do. We live close to the road, and if we put our cat outside (she has always been an indoor cat) I'm afraid she will get hit by a vehicle.
While pondering what we can do with the cat, we moved her litterbox back into the baby's room for now until we decide what to do. I covered the crib up with the throw, then I went to lay down again.
When I got up, the first thing I thought of was our cat dilemma. What will we do? Where would she go?
I feel like such a terrible pet owner for all of this. I love this cat so much. I talk to her all the time, so does J. We love her, she has been ours for 5 years and she is more than 'just a cat' to us. It may sound silly. But it's true. Most people wouldn't think twice before dropping off their cat on an old dirt road and driving away. But that is just not possible...how awful it would be to do that.
When I got up from my nap, and walked past the baby's room I noticed the cat had pulled the blanket covering the crib onto the floor and was laying on top of the blanket. I thought it was cute, and that the blanket must have slipped. I went over to pet her, and that's when I noticed she had tried (for the first time) to jump into the crib.
The crib is all scratched up, in 12 places.
That seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back.
We can't keep her. There is no room for her litter box, we can't leave it in the baby's room, or our bedroom. There is nowhere else to put it. There will be more baby stuff coming in, and it will be more 'stuff' to protect from her. As difficult as it is to give her away, I know that is the only option we have right now.
I emailed my sister and told her my worries and she saw how upset I was about having to give the cat away. She immediately offered to take her, whether it is for good or until we get a different place. She and her husband adore cats, and they love Tibby. I cried as I spoke to her on the phone, I never thought I would have to give her away. I feel like a bad pet owner because I thought we could do it.
I cried every time I thought about it. I know we will miss her like crazy. I hope that if we do give her to my sister that the cat will forgive us. I know this probably sounds so ridiculous to some people.
It surprises me how hard it is for me to accept that this is what we will need to do.
relive - a new