Throwaway because I don't want too many people knowing how awful of a person I am. I grew up with pets but this is the first one that's mine, I'm 27, and live alone.
Tl;dr: I adopted a cat a week ago, and not sure if this is just normal "puppy blues," or if it's just not a good match, or if my mental health is just going wild. Maybe it's all of the above. Her only real issue is that she's food insecure and always screaming/clinging for food. She's also energetic and I'm away for work 9+ hours a day, but that's not her issue, that's one of my issues. I'm the one with issues, not her. I feel like she'd be better with a bigger space where someone is usually home. She was transported to the PNW from Texas and I don't want to transport her back, and don't want her in a shelter environment because she is a COMPLETELY different cat when she blooms. I'd either foster her, find her a foster, or place her directly with a friend that's more experienced with cats. My local shelters are non-kill and cats are being adopted very quickly. She adjusted to my apartment within a couple hours. I don't know how much longer I should try to spend with her before I consider giving her up. And no I do not plan on getting another cat. My mental health has completely deteriorated and I almost feel afraid to be in my own apartment, but also hate being away from the cat. I can't eat and have started throwing up from all the anxiety. I'm worried my cat will pick up on this and also become stressed. I don't know what to do about the cat. I feel like a monster.
I adopted a cat a week ago. The rescue told me that she was very calm and not energetic. However, now that the kitty is not in a stressful environment, her true personality is showing and she's VERY energetic. I am away for work 9+ hours a day so I thought this would be a good, calm cat, but I think she needs to be in a home (not an apartment like me) and have owners who will be around her more. This cat is super adorable and is pretty well-behaved, minus some mouthing and 24/7 screaming for food. I feel so stressed out over this cat. I haven't been able to eat much this past week and I've thrown up two mornings in a row because I feel so incapable of taking care of her.
I will definitely not be adopting another cat, not for a few years at least, or maybe ever. The pet I really wanted is a bearded dragon, but at this point I just don't know if I am capable of taking care of another being. I'm barely able to take care of myself most days. I thought taking care of a pet would help me with that, but I feel like I'm even less capable of caring for myself now.
I adopted the cat to be an ESA which I realize is very ironic, since she has increased my anxiety and depression, and severely triggers my OCD. I knew what I was getting into generally with a cat: hair, litter box scooping, smells. When I'm away at work, all I can think about is how worried I am over this cat. I can't wait to get home so I can check on her, but at the same time, I'm terrified, because of this cat. I feel like a stranger in my own apartment, I can't walk around because she will wrap around my legs to scream for food. I'm really worried that this cat will pick up on my stress and anxiety, and become stressed out herself. I want her to have a happy home and I don't know that I can provide that, especially if I'm always nervous around her.
Like I said, her only real problem is her food insecurity. She has a super cute trill/purr and I have no doubt that she'll be adopted quickly, as long as the person meets her at my apartment/in a foster home, as opposed to a busy, scary shelter. This cat is from Texas and was driven to the PNW. I don't want to send her back to the same shelter, I don't care if they blacklist me and don't care about the adoption fee. I also have friends who are experienced with cats who may be interested if I ask them. I'd offer whoever takes her to also take all the supplies I've gotten for her because obviously I'll never need them.
I don't know what to do. My sister said to give it a couple weeks. I initially told myself I'd give myself 3 months. This is making me extremely depressed to the point where I'm having really dark thoughts. I've cried multiple times every day, including in front of the cat and at work. I talked to my therapist Sunday morning and things were going kinda bad, but I've really spiraled down since then. I don't know if I should give this more time or how much more time to give it, or if it clearly just isn't going to work. I know adoption regret is real but I feel like this might be more than that. I'm hesitant to even call her "my cat" in this post. Talking about her with others fills me with dread. The only person I can talk to about this is my mom and she is likely getting sick of me calling her while I'm a sobbing mess.
Please help. Thank you.
[link] [comments]
from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/o0k1lb/cat_adoption_regretpuppy_blues_or_something_more/
No comments:
Post a Comment