We tried our best to provide Maggie with a good home but it was not to be. Maggie was accustomed to being the only cat in her home with Marie and she just didn’t seem to accept being around Annie and Eddie. At first we thought she was just afraid and that in time and after a very slow introduction she might be able to live a happy life here with us.
After the first introduction period, the three cats seemed to be getting along. They even stayed in the same room with each other and at one point were playing with the Fling-ama-String. We were so happy thinking that Maggie was accepting her new home and her new younger cousins. But over the next few weeks, Maggie became aggressive towards Eddie. We had to redirect her several times while we were home to keep her from attacking him. It seemed the more comfortable Maggie became in our home, the less tolerant she was of the kittens. When we needed to be away from home, we had to keep the kittens in a crate to protect them from Maggie.
So we started over. We separated Maggie from the kittens. We used Feliway, Spirit Essences and ThunderSpray in an attempt to keep Maggie calm. We slowly introduced the kittens one by one to Maggie but Maggie wanted no part of them. We allowed Maggie to see Annie and Eddie through the glass doors to the sun room but when she would see them she would growl and scratch and bite at the door. Maggie wasn’t happy. Annie and Eddie weren’t happy. And for sure Paul and I weren’t happy.
As luck would have it, another of Marie’s friends was interested in providing a home for Maggie last summer. We reached out to her and she agreed to adopt Maggie into her home where she could be the only cat. We gathered up all of Maggie’s things including her bench, blankets and comforter from Marie’s house and a pink pEi Pod so that Maggie could curl up inside and feel safe in her new home. It was a bittersweet day saying good-bye to Maggie. In the end, we had to make a decision that was best for her as an individual cat. Not keep trying to get her to be comfortable some day but to try and get her comfortable and happy now.
I am so happy to report that Maggie is thriving in her new home. She only hid under the sofa one night. Vicki used the same magic words that i used to get her to come out of hiding, the same words that Marie used, “Maggie’s a pretty girl.” One week later, Maggie is enjoying being brushed and watching television with her new parents. They are getting along just fine.
We are so happy for Maggie and hope she lives a long happy life.
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I like happy endings…
I’m sorry she couldn’t stay. Sounds like you did what is best for her and she is happy now.
Sue B
I’m so sorry it didn’t work out. You absolutely did the right thing. She has a new home where she is happy and Eddie and Annie can be happy and feel safe. I am sure Marie would agree.
That’s such a tough decision,and our hearts go out to you. We recently had to return an adopted cat to the wonderful rescue group where he came from after his dominance and aggression reached a point that one of the resident cats wasn’t coming out for meals any more. It’s heartbreaking to have to do, and we know the decision is something that stays with you for a long, long time afterward, even when you realize that you’re living moments afterward that simply couldn’t have happened with the other cat in the house. People from the outside don’t necessarily see it, but you can see when quality of life suffers to the point that you have to act. Our hearts go out to you.
I applaud you for having the courage to realize that the situation needed to change & to make it happen so that all could have a happy life. Quality of life is important.
You have done every thing you could to make it work for all three kitties. Some just won’t adjust to a new environment, and some do immediately. You have done what was best for everyone, especially Maggie, so everyone can have a peaceful life again. It’s nice to know that Maggie is happy again, and I’m sure Annie & Eddie are also. God bless you for trying so hard to make it work.
Oh, sweet Maggie. I am glad she has found another quieter home to enjoy.
This is one of the more difficult parts of household arrangements. Thanks for sharing Maggie with us and I hope you will be able to hear how Maggie is doing occasionally.
Wow, how difficult it must have been. I am so glad for Maggie that she has gotten the kind of home that is just right for her. I am also so glad that the kittens can be peaceful and not scared. Thanks for caring so well for her after the passing of her dear human. xoxo
Bless you for taking Maggie in and helping her through her grieving process these past few months. Now she can thrive with another family and love again as the only cat … yes, some of us do best as Lone Rangers. We’re not all pack animals. She had you to see her through and now she is happy with new parents and a fresh outlook on life!
So glad that Maggie is finally happy!
Glad that Maggie is happy in her new home, but we’ll miss hearing about her.
I’m so sorry to hear that Maggie couldn’t stay with you but her emotional well-being is so important to a long, healthy life. I will miss her.