At Last...A Dog in the House!

Despite all good intentions, Maggie and I parted company two months after her arrival. Fortunately, a colleague of Maggie's deceased companion was able to add another cat to her household...and the cat chapter in my life came to a close.

During the summer months, I attended the basic orientation and Level I training at the PAWS adoption center on the north side. This enabled me to sign up for shifts at "Dog Town," the wonderfully-designed (and cage-free) haven for adoptable puppies and dogs. The hours flew by, as potential "pet parents" perused the selection of canines and made initial contact. These sessions were physically and emotionally demanding, but nothing could beat the sheer happiness of seeing a dog go home with loving and caring people.

PAWS Chicago, an amazingly well-organized operation, also offers fostering opportunities. I filled out an application online, and received a call from Julie at the Little Village intake center. Not 24 hours went by before I was zipping down Lake Shore Drive to pick up Lily, a darling 1-year-old in the "crisis" program (families affected by foreclosures). Lily has been at our home for nearly 2 weeks, and she's a continual delight.

The first week, she wore an e-collar as part of her post-spay recovery. She is now enjoying her freedom from the e-collar, and is adapting well to our environment. All I can say is, it's hard not to get attached!

Thanks to PAWS for bringing us together, if only for a short while...

Fostering a Cat

I am a dog person. I am a dog person. I am a dog person. I am a dog person.

Nothing has changed. Scamp (AKA Scampi) left this world six months ago, and not a day goes by that I don't think about him, and even cry a little. Yesterday, I enjoyed a frolic with a young Maltese across the street, and as he happily licked my cheek, I thought fondly of my own dear Maltese.

But now I'm fostering a cat. A cat! After nearly two months, Maggie allows me to brush her (at her request, and only at her request). She will let me gently stroke the top of her head with my fingers. On occasion, she will even jump onto our bed...but unlike Scampi, she simply perches at the corner and does not curl into my somnolent pajama'd body.

Can I expect Maggie to behave like Scampi? Pas du tout!

That would not be fair of me. At all.

So what keeps us together? We are both grieving...I lost my canine companion last December, and Maggie lost her human companion in March. I keep hoping that our losses will bring us closer together--although Maggie's constant hissing during her first month did not bode well for our relationship. Her whining meowing didn't help, either. Perhaps my frequent absences made her feel less than welcome. So, like any relationship, I decided that a commitment would be needed. I started spending more time at home, trying to lose my fear of her hissing. Now, when I brush her, Maggie will lick my hand if I pause for a few seconds. Cold comfort? Or the start of a possible, real friendship?

How long, I keep wondering, does it take to build up mutual trust with a cat?