New Family Member

I hate putting blurry shots on my blog but black cats are hard to photograph and this one does not like to stay still for long.

This week, we welcomed a new little girl named Maya into our house - a four-legged feline kind of girl.

A little over a year ago, we lost one of our kitties to cancer. She had been healthy her entire life and then rather quickly went downhill. It wasn't anything we were able to treat easily so we had to put her to sleep. For being the smallest cat in the house, she had the biggest personality - we have missed her very much.

One of my best pictures of Squeek

Pretty much since forever, or, more specifically the last few months, I have been wanting to get another cat. I wanted to volunteer with animals too, but it all seemed like a bad idea with my having to take precautions around animals. I go pretty regularly to our neighborhood thrift shop, Cause for Paws, which keeps a few cages of adoptable kittens around for viewing. I was tempted many times by the squeaking little fur balls.

The last time I went there, I visited a cage of three kittens. Two of them were solid black, one was a brown tabby. When we opened the cage door, the brown tabby came running straight out. I picked her up (this was the first time I had actually held one of the kittens I went to see) and all she wanted to do was lay in my arms and purr. She was so sweet, I think she was all of the employees' favorite. I was tempted by her, but I also felt bad for the black kittens knowing that black animals are not adopted as frequently. They gave me the adoption form but I knew that there were two other peoples' permissions I would need first - my doctor and then my husband.

Holding the thrift store kitten

I emailed my transplant coordinator that evening. I eagerly awaited her reply. Meanwhile I continued working on Todd. After all my joking around about getting another pet, I was finally starting to get my hopes up about a new kitty!! My coordinator finally wrote back after a couple of days. She said it was fine as long as I stayed away from the kitty litter (which can contain a dangerous bacteria) and kept the cat off the bed (a rule, I admit, which I have not been following since about three months out from transplant. I also kiss my kitties which I'm pretty sure would be against the rule too, but that's just the way I roll.)

When I finally got the go ahead, I had to make some decisions. What about the sweet tabby versus the black kittens? Or what about getting an even less adoptable full-grown cat? Or the least adoptable of all cats an adult black cat?? I felt that was what I had to do. So I started looking online and Maya caught my eye. Here is her story: she was found in a dumpster as a kitten before being taken to an animal shelter. She had been there as long as she could before they were going to euthanize her. The rescue group I got her from stepped in and she was fostered with one woman for seven months.

I filled out the adoption request form on Halloween night and we went to meet her the next day at PetSmart - the adoption group brings cats there for showing on the weekends. (Incidentally, Calvin's Paws, as it's called, is pretty awesome - they specialize in adoption of disabled, senior and special needs cats.)

"The kitten," as she's sometimes referred to, likes looking out the window (she's completely and indoor cat) and is always up for playing.

Maya was pretty relaxed for being in a crazy environment with so much going on. She even let me hold her. Her foster mom kept telling me how sweet of a kitty she was and she was so right. Other things that seemed good about Maya included that she was used to living with two big dogs (Newfoundlands!) so she would likely get along with our two goldens and that she lived with about 12 other (mostly foster) cats, some young, some old. Maya would play with the younger cats but leave the older ones alone - that's what I needed for my two older cats. She's about one year old (you never know for sure with rescue animals), so she still has some kitten in her, which definitely lightens up the house. Yet she seems to have all of the good manners of an adult cat.

It hasn't even been a week now and Maya is fully introduced to everyone in the house. All the pets are doing well. She is fine with the dogs unless they both come at her or get really excited (though she did mistake an excited tail for a play toy one time.) She doesn't bother my oldest, arthritic cat Diosa - although the two of them hissed the most at each other initially. My male cat seems pretty indifferent although he is acting a little sad I think.

Maya instantly feels comfortable jumping on Todd's lap

So yes, that's the story of Maya. Some surprising yet not surprising news. Not only has the house felt a missing spot since Squeek died, but with four older pets, it's nice to have some young blood around (our dogs are 10; cats 12 and 13). I think it's good for everyone. I know it's good for me.