Hi All
Hope your week has treated you well?
My name is Beth, I have a 3 and a half yr old boy, who is autistic and I am expecting my 2nd child in June this year.
I've always been a 'cat person'. My first cats were a pair of moggie brothers from a cat rescue place in Middlex, when I was 7. Mordred and Galahad (mum had a thing for english folklore names lol). They couldn't have been more opposite in personalities, if they tried. Mordred loved to lounge about inside, adored the heat and making the family all coey and cuddly. Where as Galahad was more of a vagrant, would prefer to be outside in the wet/cold, would disappear for 3-4 days at a time and would reappear with a rabbit or prize
Unfortunately, when they were 5, Galahad was runover by a lorry
Mordred pined for him for a good 2 months or maybe more. I remember my dad having to get up at 2am, to drag Mordred in from the end of the cul-de-sac, as he was meowing for his brother
My mum being mum, decided that Mordred was lonely and off she went to a cat rescue and brought home a maine coon cross, named Jack. Safe to say, neither took to eachother but after 3 odd months, they tolerated sharing. Years went by of the odd sly paw slash, when no one was looking and episodes of 'which cat can sit the highest'
When I was 17, Mordred became ill and was eventually put to sleep, due to a tumor, the vet said there was less of a chance of him pulling through an op at his age and that he would still need meds for the rest of his life. So we, as a family, decided it was better for him to sleep, he had a good old life with us. Jack carried on, he is now about 13 and prefers his 'alone time', not a social cat at all.
I moved to Cyprus in my early 20's, my 1st year out there, I adopted a Turkish Van cat, he was hilarious. White and ginger, with the bushiest tale I have ever seen, reminded me of a fox! He became an indoors only cat, due to locals putting out poison, to harm other cats, it was the safest option. Although, if I ran the bath/shower, I would have to always check the bathroom door was closed, or he'd be straight in there
I had him for 4yrs but due to the fact that I had to move back, after my son was born, I had to rehome him. He was a lovely cat but extremely nervous with traveling. Couldn't get him into a cat box, without him taking a hand off, let alone a car, he would pee/poo himself
so a good friend said she would home him.
It's been nearly 3 and a half years without a cat and I am missing having a companion. My son adores cats, only thing that will make him use his vocals, as he doesn't talk. My neighbour has a ragdoll, which he loves spending time with and a friend has 2 Bengals, that seem to be besotted with my son, whenever we go round theirs. It's surprising, as he is very gentle with cats and when they purr, he will place a hand on their chests and sit there for ages, giggling.
So, I decided that I would start a search now, research breeds, what's best, also having a look at rescue homes etc. I wouldn't home a cat/kitten, until this new baby is a year old.
Sorry for my extra long rambling post! Hope I haven't sent you all to sleep x