Well... I've done it...

[Squirrel]

OK, so after seeing all the happily settled brothers and sisters on here, and just how much my wee one seems to prefer having the company of another person about the place, I finally gave in enough to reach the 'enquiring' stage of looking into adopting a brother or sister for her.

I've looked at all kinds of cats in various areas, but most have wanted a garden, or to be homed on their own, or similar, and most of that is out of the question here! There was one which sounds good, but the shelter he's at is about an hour and a half away - which would make getting to know him and dealing with things if he was very unhappy here harder...

The place I've got in touch with don't actually have any info relating to the housing preferences of the cats they have for adopting - just a pic, name, age and possibly a sentence about them looking forwards to getting a new home: http://fifecatshelter.org/

I must admit, Snowy, the first pic to appear on their slideshow of cats, looks absolutely gorgeous - and at 18 months is the youngest cat they have online right now. Whether or not he/she would fit well here is another matter though.

I've just told them a bit about what I can offer, and am looking for, and have asked if they think any of their cats would be happy here... though I admitted that I still need to check up with the council to see if they would be happy for me to adopt a second one. I can't see any reason why not, but the rules are that you're allowed one animal, and have to ask for permission to adopt any more...

Now I just need to wait and see what, if any, response I get now!

[angieh]

Oh good luck Squirrel! I am sure that Cloud would be happy to have a friend especially when you're not at home. I also think that you are wise to clear it with the council first otherwise you could be accused of breaking your tenancy contract. Once they've said yes, then everything is above board.

Hope it all goes ahead well.

[Squirrel]

Thanks Angie... Have just had a response... Here's what the person on the other end has to say...

I’m sure we could find a cat to suit your situation. I have a shy little black cat called Aimee, 3 years old who has always been an indoor cat, she has been rehomed, before she came to us , from pillar to post, she would love to be settled.

Then she goes on to suggest I give her a ring if I'd like to chat, and gives me a phone number...

[Shelley123]

Good for you Kate, i hope you manage to find a little friend for Cloud soon.
If i were you i would check with the council, now and get that out of the way. Fingers crossed for you.
Aimee sounds good :)

[Squirrel]

I'm beginning to think the local area office might be my next port of call some point this afternoon. Hopefully they will OK the idea.

Yes, Aimee does sound lovely. My only slight concern is how she'd be if Cloud were to get overenthusiastic... It might be that the shy-ness helps, in that maybe Cloud might feel less threatened...

[angieh]

Not saying that Aimee won't be perfect, but my first choice would be a boy younger than Cloud. Probably only because that's how Kizzy and Pip are and that worked out well. Two girls together could be good, but not always .....

[Squirrel]

Not saying that Aimee won't be perfect, but my first choice would be a boy younger than Cloud. Probably only because that's how Kizzy and Pip are and that worked out well. Two girls together could be good, but not always .....

Mmmmm - that might be the easiest outcome on the level of getting them used to each other. Possibly not so easy to find a male cat of less than 6 months in a rescue right now...

[angieh]

Obviously don't know about rescues in your area but from what peeps here have said, little black kittens are the last to find a home .... you may be lucky, I know it would be very easy to have your heartstrings pulled by a needy cat, just don't take the first on offer!

[Squirrel]

*nods* that I can follow. Wonder what it is about black cats... I wouldn't have thought the traditional image of a witch on a broomstick would have been so strong. Superstition is such a strange thing... :?

[angieh]

Yes, it's an odd hangover in a modern world. Anyway, I do wish you very good luck in finding a purrrrfect friend for little Cloud - don't you just wish you could ask her what she'd like?

[Squirrel]

Mmmmm... In a purrfect world I'd take her to meet all the possible friends, and we'd find someone out there we could both get on well with! :)

[angieh]

Bit like Cilla's Blind Date???

[Squirrel]

Bit like Cilla's Blind Date???

:lol:

It does sound a little like a dating service when you put it that way, doesn't it! ;)

[Shelley123]

Talking of Black animals, today someone told me that often Black dogs get in to trouble with other dogs as their faces are harder to read. Don't know how true this is but we had the conversation just after a skirmish with a Black dog.
Good luck at the offices, hope they give you a positive answer.

[Velvet]

Same with dogs, lot of black dogs in rescue ;) You get folk say they dont want white Boxers, they want a "proper" Boxer :( old saying - nowt as strange as folk.......

Good luck with kitten/cat hunting & also the Council.:)

[lynz85]

good luck with the council, hope you find cloud the purrfect(sorry couldnt resist!!) friend!

[dandysmom]

Hope the council approval goes smoothly. I'm a little dubious about 2 females, as I didn't have a good experience with that; but all situations and cats are different. Aimee does sound nice .....

[Tink]

Oh, how exciting!!! I hope the Council gives the okay soon.
Snowy is gorgeous. For some reason, Suzie appeals to me too :D
Keep us updated :wink:

[angieh]

Talking of Black animals, today someone told me that often Black dogs get in to trouble with other dogs as their faces are harder to read. Don't know how true this is but we had the conversation just after a skirmish with a Black dog.
Good luck at the offices, hope they give you a positive answer.

I've heard that about black dogs .... wasn't sure if it was true. Perhaps I shouldn't go for a black Mini Schnauzer?

[Elaine]

A little off topic but I have found during my dog walking that people often say that their dog doesnt like black dogs but in reality and once you get chatting to them, mostly it turns out that they may have come across an incident with a dog who happened to be black and since then the owner always tenses up on seeing a black dog, causing their dog to react.

I took on Bernie when I had Eva, he was younger than her and it took me 6 months to introduce them. It just depends on each cats personality.

Wish you lots of luck and best wishes for finding a companion for Cloud. xxx

[Squirrel]

Thanks all... Am trying to take it slowly, as I don't want to take on a cat and find that he/she just isn't going to be able to settle here - or that I can't afford it!!!

On the subject of dogs... I find peoples distrust of them based on type or colour absurd! I've known many beautifully tempered black dogs - and some dogs I wouldn't trust an inch of many other colours. When parents were looking for a dog they had specific things in mind. Dad wanted it to run with (tough, he didn't get that!!!) and didn't want one that was too small - neither of them wanted a 'yappy' dog, and Mum said she thought they were likely to nip more.

Mum didn't want one which was too big, and anything that looked anything like an alsatian type was out - again cause Mum felt that they were dangerous dogs.

Now, admittedly they were rescue dogs we were looking at at the time (in the end they went for a just-off pedigree from a Mum who was a year too old for them to be able to show Rags, even if they had wanted to!) and my brother was only about p4/5, so they'd have had to go with the places advice as to how safe the dogs were for rehoming to a family with youngish children, but I still can't follow my Mum's reasoning. "It's an alsatian, therefore it will be dangerous!" Yeah, right!!!

My poor Dad didn't really get much that he wanted at all... Other than the not a small yappy dog bit! The plan was for him to take her to work with him in the car each day. That bit failed miserably too as Rags got horribly travel sick with even just a little driving!

Other than little things like that, and some slight character things, it's the environment which effects how dangerous or otherwise the dog is! :?