Luciana
April 10th, 2007, 05:29 PM
Dear forum readers, I would like to ask your opinion as fellow pet owners (since so many of my friends do not own pets, and do not understand). I have a kind of heartbreaking dilemma. My kitty will be 10 years old this year. For the past year he has lived with my parents, who own three other cats, and have a large yard. They also love him and could keep him there forever if I let them. He is very sociable and seems very happy there, plays out in the yard every day and plays/sleeps near the other cats; when I go to visit, he barely recognizes me. The reason I haven't taken him back was because he seems so much happier there. But even though I am busy with my toddler, I miss having my cat around so much.
On the other hand, I live (with my husband and toddler) in a small, very cramped inner-city apartment. We were hoping to purchase a house with a yard and take him back to live with us at that time, but so far it's not happening, and I miss him so much...before I had my baby, my kitty was my first baby, he is the most affectionate cat I have ever known, I had him since he was 6 months old he used to follow me around all day. But even then I must admit he seemed less happy/energetic here, he did not run around (no space) and had no other cats to play with. (I should add that up to 2 years ago I lived in a much larger apartment where he had space to run). And now, most of this tiny space where we currently live is modified for our active toddler, who chases poor kitty everywhere every time we visit my parents, and my cat is terrified of him.
So this is my dilemma: my cat is getting older and it would break my heart to live the last years of his life away from me. I love him and miss him so much...but I feel very selfish to think this way. All he would do if we brought him back, is sleep all day in some cramped corner of our apartment, and be chased around by my toddler. He could not even cuddle with me as he used to, because I have to be with my toddler all day (except at night)...I am just wondering what to do. Am I selfish to want him back? I still love him as if he was my first child.
On the other hand, I live (with my husband and toddler) in a small, very cramped inner-city apartment. We were hoping to purchase a house with a yard and take him back to live with us at that time, but so far it's not happening, and I miss him so much...before I had my baby, my kitty was my first baby, he is the most affectionate cat I have ever known, I had him since he was 6 months old he used to follow me around all day. But even then I must admit he seemed less happy/energetic here, he did not run around (no space) and had no other cats to play with. (I should add that up to 2 years ago I lived in a much larger apartment where he had space to run). And now, most of this tiny space where we currently live is modified for our active toddler, who chases poor kitty everywhere every time we visit my parents, and my cat is terrified of him.
So this is my dilemma: my cat is getting older and it would break my heart to live the last years of his life away from me. I love him and miss him so much...but I feel very selfish to think this way. All he would do if we brought him back, is sleep all day in some cramped corner of our apartment, and be chased around by my toddler. He could not even cuddle with me as he used to, because I have to be with my toddler all day (except at night)...I am just wondering what to do. Am I selfish to want him back? I still love him as if he was my first child.