I talked last time about having some ideas for dealing with my stress and anxiety, and that there was one idea I wasn't quite ready to share yet. Well, that time has now come, and I have gone and adopted a cat. His name is Toby, and he was adopted from Davis County Animal Control. He is a 7 year old Manx (the specific thing about this breed is that they have no tail). He is very sweet, and unfortunately, very fat, weighing in at a whopping 20 pounds.
You are all probably wondering, why in the world did I get a cat? Honestly, a cat was not really on my radar. But dogs are not allowed in our complex, and guinea pigs or birds would require way too much space and effort. So, feeling like I had been prompted to get a pet, and knowing the restrictions of my home and my hectic life, I needed a pet that could be independent, and was already trained. And when a co-worker recommended a cat, I jumped in headlong.
I grew up with a Manx cat, so I knew it was a good breed. After looking around online, I found Toby, who was the only Manx within 50 miles. He was also an adult, declawed, and was trained when it came to litter boxes. So - I took off for Davis County, and the rest is history.
That said - it has definitely been an adjustment for the both of us, and I admit that although he is the world's best cat, I am not the best of owners. The minute we got home, I began to regret the entire thing. I have a real aversion to pet hair (really, hair of any kind), and so I'm not good about letting him sit on my lap, or crawl around my feet, which he would dearly love to do. I freak out over the furniture, and I have had all sorts of worries. So many people have cat allergies, me being one of them. Will my house ever be clean again? Will anyone want to come to my house anymore? Will people think I've gone and lost my mind? Unfortunately, some of those concerns have definitely played out, and it's been both hurtful and made me want to give up at times. Thankfully I have had very supportive family and friends who have helped to comfort me and talk me through this experience. It's sad that a grown middle-aged woman should have more issues than the cat, but there you go.
Needless to say, having Toby here is definitely a work in progress for both of us, and my stress and anxiety have yet to go down. But I'm hopeful that things will work out, and that we will both grow to like if not love each other. He can for sure be pretty cute at times, as evidenced by the below photo.
You are all probably wondering, why in the world did I get a cat? Honestly, a cat was not really on my radar. But dogs are not allowed in our complex, and guinea pigs or birds would require way too much space and effort. So, feeling like I had been prompted to get a pet, and knowing the restrictions of my home and my hectic life, I needed a pet that could be independent, and was already trained. And when a co-worker recommended a cat, I jumped in headlong.
I grew up with a Manx cat, so I knew it was a good breed. After looking around online, I found Toby, who was the only Manx within 50 miles. He was also an adult, declawed, and was trained when it came to litter boxes. So - I took off for Davis County, and the rest is history.
That said - it has definitely been an adjustment for the both of us, and I admit that although he is the world's best cat, I am not the best of owners. The minute we got home, I began to regret the entire thing. I have a real aversion to pet hair (really, hair of any kind), and so I'm not good about letting him sit on my lap, or crawl around my feet, which he would dearly love to do. I freak out over the furniture, and I have had all sorts of worries. So many people have cat allergies, me being one of them. Will my house ever be clean again? Will anyone want to come to my house anymore? Will people think I've gone and lost my mind? Unfortunately, some of those concerns have definitely played out, and it's been both hurtful and made me want to give up at times. Thankfully I have had very supportive family and friends who have helped to comfort me and talk me through this experience. It's sad that a grown middle-aged woman should have more issues than the cat, but there you go.
Needless to say, having Toby here is definitely a work in progress for both of us, and my stress and anxiety have yet to go down. But I'm hopeful that things will work out, and that we will both grow to like if not love each other. He can for sure be pretty cute at times, as evidenced by the below photo.
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