It’s been a while since I’ve updated anything about Phoebe. Can you believe it’s been about two years since she got really sick and was diagnosed with kidney disease? Her weight had dropped below five pounds, and although she had always been thin, she looked dead. I said goodbye to her, certain she wouldn’t come home from the vet with me.
Phoebe is 16 now, she might have been nine. Even when we adopted her, she had been shot with a BB gun, some kind of trauma that caused her to lose half her tail. Once, she was locked in a neighbor’s shed without food or water for four days. At one point, she was stabbed in the back for unknown reasons and the wound became infected, resulting in surgery. She has been through a lot!
When Noah decided to move into an apartment, he said he wanted to take Phoebe and Esther with him. Phoebe had always been “his” cat; he had a deep bond with her.
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| Noah and Phoebe, the day we brought Phoebe home in 2009 |
I wanted to give up on the idea, but then I started thinking about it. Phoebe made it clear that she preferred to be the only pet. She gets along well with Joey, but she hates other cats. Chickens and ducks torment her (they just want to play with her, but she wants nothing to do with them).
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| The only cat she ever got along with was Chandler. But then again, “everyone” likes Chandler. |
Since Phoebe is older, slower, and only one-third the size of a kitten, I have to frequently separate the cats to accommodate Phoebe. I feel super protective of her even though she is a grump and has proven that she can take care of herself.
It was always extremely difficult to get her to eat. I’ve been doing everything I can to get her to gain weight over the past few years – trying many different types of food – but she has not the slightest interest in food. Feeding a cat can be very stressful. I started giving them wet food once a day in addition to their dry food (which they were obsessed with) in hopes of attracting Furby. Each time, I had to watch the cats like a hawk so they wouldn’t steal Phoebe’s food. (If I didn’t shoo them away, they would sit in front of her and threaten her into leaving the plate.)
As I thought about what Noah said, I realized that Phoebe would probably be happy to live with Noah as separate pets. She has a deep bond with him. And he can feed her wet food as often as she eats, letting her take her time (considering there aren’t more cats around stalking her). Noah said there was a $350 pet fee in the apartment that he couldn’t afford. I told him that we could do a short trial period and if she seemed to be doing well, Jerry and I would pay for the cost as well as her care (food, litter, vet).
Jerry and I took Phoebe to Noah’s house, where I was sure she would freak out and want to go home with us. But she seemed comfortable almost immediately! When she realized there were no other pets around, she relaxed and didn’t try to hide like I thought she would. Noah is constantly sending me updates (he knows if he didn’t I would ask him 100 times a day, ha) and she is thriving!
In addition to dry food, she also eats three meals of wet food a day. She also loves the warm temperature of Noah’s apartment (our thermostat is 68 degrees Fahrenheit; I don’t know what Noah’s apartment is, but it’s definitely warmer). We brought her favorite bed there and she loves lying in front of the heater. She has no problem using the litter box (she never has, but I’m not sure how she’ll adjust). It seems that she is really happy!
I miss having her around, but because she’s with Noah, I know she’s getting so much attention and love – and I can visit her whenever I want. Noah and his girlfriend (who also likes Phoebe) work opposite hours, so she’s rarely home alone. My house is a million times calmer without the fighting (Esther doesn’t like chickens and ducks, but they don’t bother her). Feeding your pet is stress-free.
I never thought this would be a solution (but then again, I didn’t expect Noah to move out so suddenly). Everything went great and I’m so happy that Phoebe is doing so well. I want to take the scale there in a few weeks and see if she has gained any weight! 😉