Bringing a New Pet Home
A blog about cats? By a business that is mainly about dogs?! Have we gone crazy?!?!
Kalie is one of our staff members and recently adopted a new cat. We thought it could be good to share what the experience was like for her.
Kalie had been saying she wanted a long-haired cat for a while. The day she met Maurice, something “clicked”. She had gone to see six other cats to see if they were a fit but it wasn't the same. The Winnipeg Humane Society had suggested a cat named Yogi who was at a satellite location. “He is definitely not the fluffy cat you're looking for, but he will be.” She was curious.
As you know, driving across Winnipeg takes some time, but Kalie felt it would be worth it. Yogi was shy at first but he had the biggest purr. He was taking ear medication at the time, which made him feel gross. He had cuts all over his body and had a weird haircut. (Some people might know of the style. Have you heard of a mullet...?)
For those who read our blogs about each staff member's home, you'll know Kalie has a few pets already. It was important to Kalie that everybody gets along. She was so worried. You may remember JC – the man of the house. This cat makes the rules that everyone (except the human) must follow. Kalie was careful, introducing them slowly. She had a backup plan in case it didn't work, but she ended up not needing it.
Maurice meets Cinder for the first time.
She didn't start with JC, of course. Kalie let Yogi (now Maurice) meet Cinder first. Cinder is a sweetheart who loves her toys, boxes and bananas. Now she loves Maurice! Next, was Ryder. Ryder is an absolute sweetheart who loves everyone. She's the big, black dog you'll see in Kalie's social media posts every so often. Finally, it was time for Maurice to meet the King – excuse me, JC.
Kalie’s Fur Family!
Maurice was kept in a kennel whenever they left the house to ensure nothing happened. Maurice was also going around 'marking his territory', as they say. It took some time to trust Maurice on his own, but soon, everything was OK. He also had to be bathed often because of how 'gross' he felt. It was a new experience for Kalie, but it seems they bonded pretty well. Maurice trusted Kalie to help him keep clean.
Since those first meetings, Maurice is thriving. He is a totally different cat. He loves to run and fly up the cat towers and is always looking for belly rubs. You can't leave any food around – Maurice will go after it! Best of all, JC has a right-hand-cat that helps him rule the animal kingdom. 'King JC' and 'Sir Mo' are best friends and love to wrestle all the time. When it's time to calm down, he naps with everyone.
‘Sir Mo’ and ‘King JC’
Maurice has transformed, and the key was to be patient. His personality has developed, his hair has grown back, and he was “100% worth the work”, according to Kalie. Maurice has a fur family that loves him and he seems to love them all right back.
“Maurice” from Madagascar. Don’t tell him this is who he is named after!