Since new years, it has been clear that the time Benni had left was quite limited, and on February 6th, 2013, I had to let him go and put him to sleep. When I visited the vet that day, it was apparent that each additional day would have been just filled with pain for him. Maybe I’ll write something to that whole mess in a future post, but at the moment, that isn’t possible for me, yet.

For all people involved, including the vet, it was suprising how fast and aggressive Benni’s cancer acted. So I hadn’t put that much tought into what I would do after Benni was gone. Should I get a new cat, or do I keep Cleo as a single cat? I had the vague idea to just try it out, maybe Cleo would be happier as an only cat, but I just hadn’t planned that far ahead.

It became clear quite quickly that having Cleo alone wasn’t working out – if I had to go to the office, or even when I just woke up in the morning and she saw me again, she had to be pet and cuddled really extensively – but she was alone all that time, so that was no real surprise. But apart from getting cuddled, all she did all day long was lying on my desk, sleeping.

Over the weekend after Benni was gone, I had informed myself extensively, and consensus there was: Having a cat alone, and she isn’t allowed to go outside? Don’t do that, get her a playmate!

After some more deliberation with my vet, who advised me to get a young cat, but no kitten, and in the current situation not from the animal shelter, I started to look around for cats. Originally, I wanted to take some time, but then I spotted an ad on eBay Kleinanzeigen (something like Craigslist here): “Cuddle tomcat is looking for a new, loving home!”

On the picture was a real cuddly British Shorthair tomcat, about a year old. I had put away the thoughts of getting a BSH, because normally those are really expensive. But there, the price was okay, and so on the spur of the moment, I contacted the seller. We agreed on a visit the next day – because if I take a new cat home, and it isn’t a kitten, I want to see it first, After all, it is a decision you have to live with (literally) for quite some time.

This was the little cuddlebug at my first visit:

Really sweet, cuddly, very trusting, looking healthy – he just wasn’t neutered yet, and he hadn’t seen a vet since he left the “breeder” (more to the breeder a bit later). So I agreed with the current owner upon having a right to cancel the purchase, if some severe healthissues came up at his first visit to the vet. Even that I love my cats a lot – to take on a pet which will definitely generate big vet bills, without the pet being in a real need of a new home…..Sorry, that just isn’t in the cards.

Apart from that, I was hooked with the little tom (named Pimba), and took him home the next day.

I separated Cleo and the little one for the time being, he had the living room for himself, and Cleo the rest of the apartment. The plan was to keep them separated for 2 or 3 days. I had renamed the little one to “Yoshi”, as I just couldn’t get myself used to the name “Pimba”

But the stress level was very high for both cats, because they heard each other, but had no clue what was on the other side to the door, so I modified my original plan and let them get together after a bit more than 24 hours. Cleo was hissing a bit when she came close to Yoshi, but there was no indication of any aggressive behaviour. Each of them went their own way, and Cleo grumbled a bit when they came too close to each other, but not that much.

On Monday, a visit to the vet was needed. He was really thrilled by the cat, and said that I head a beautiful and healthy girl there. Yep, you heard right: Girl, not a boy! The so-called “breeder” obviously didn’t even have the base knowledge to distinguish between a cat boy and cat girl (and honestly, I didn’t check either). Apart from that, he gave away the kittens with 8 weeks (which is much too early, 4 weeks more with the mama would have been very good) – I was told that by the previous owner when I picked the cat up. And it isn’t a pure-bred British Shorthair, because it has the color “blue”, and green eyes – the normal color with that fur color would be copper. And you can see, in the right light, a very slight tabby marking on the fur, which a BSH shouldn’t have as well.

But that really doesn’t matter, it is a great and beautiful animal – I’m ranting on principle.

So, another new name was needed. Girl-Yoshi didn’t sould that great. After some thinking and browsing, I named her Lily, and she even recognizes that name already, after a week – as far as cats want to listen to you, anyway.

Totally needless, on Monday evening, Lily got in heat. And who hadn’t had a cat in heat in his home yet: It is hell! I’m “owning” cats now for 10 years, but I hadn’t ever heard a cat cry that loud, and with that much stamina. But no worries: The date for the neutering is already set, I’m not willing to go through that again. The vet just wanted to vaccinate Lily before he started to operate.

On Saturday, after five nights, Lily was finished calling each and every tom from our neighborhood to her love nest. After that, she really settled in nicely. She is a very curious and affectionate ball of fur, and normally she is contend with lying around and sleeping. But once or twice a day, she has to PLAY, and right now! Then she is zooming around in the apartment, until I can get around with the play fishing rod, or sit down with her on her ball path. Then she plays with abundance. I wasn’t used to that by either Benni or Cleo, at least not for the last couple of years, so that is another change for me.

Cleo and Lily got a bit closer over the last couple of days as well, one can pass each other without growling, and Cleo is sniffing Lily regularly out – but Lily isn’t allowed to look at Cleo just then, otherwise she gets hissed at! But Lily is really fascinated with Cleo’s tail, she has come over a couple of times already, and wanted to play with Cleo’s tail – I see a confrontation there in our future.

Just another thing I hadn’t happen to me before. Lily is totally fascinated by me playing World of Warcraft. Yesterday, she sat for half an hour on my belly, and started at the monitor and the things happening there. Not that it really added to my enjoyment of the game, most of the time. But look for yourself: