By ROSEMARIE ONWUKWE
My daughter and I screamed and clutched each other as the tiny furry creature ran across
the kitchen floor. I was sick of the mice, they terrified me.
“What we need is a good mouser,” my husband said, amused. He really did not
understand my phobia about creatures so small. And I couldn’t explain how such tiny
things struck fear in my heart. We had tried everything, traps, monthly exterminators, but
living in an old row house in the District of Columbia did not help.
My husband suddenly died several months later, and we all struggled to cope. Nine
months after his death, I worried about my 12-year-old daughter, who had retreated into
the world of books and was not doing much socializing.
I was visiting my hairdresser who showed me her newest litter of cats when it hit me. I
remembered what my husband said…we should get a kitten. It would help my little girl by
giving her something to love. And maybe it would scare away the minute furry creatures
that still rendered me powerless.
My children were surprised when I brought it up. “I thought you’re allergic to cats mom,”
my 16-year-old son said slowly.
“I’ll just take my allergy medicine,” I said carelessly.
“Uh mom…what about Lucky?” my daughter asked. Now that was a problem. We
adopted a little dog a few years ago and he was part Pug, part Corgi and all dog. Actually
Lucky really thought he was human. When I’d call the kids he’d come running, listen to
the instructions and then go off with them. And he definitely did not like cats. We tried to
introduce him to a cat a couple of years ago and Lucky freaked out…and poor Cotton had
the fright of his life. Lucky hated other dogs too; it was people he liked.
“Lucky will just have to get used to her, I said firmly. But later I worried. As I began to
spread the word everyone voiced their concern. “What about killer?” another friend asked.
At five-weeks-old and the first of the litter to use the litter pan, “Lily” was ready to join her
new family. We all went to pick her up in Lucky’s old pet carrier. She was a little bigger
than my hand. When the three of us walked in to meet Lily, she ran straight to my
daughter who beamed.
We got Lily safely home in her BIG carrier. Lucky came to meet us at the door as always
and stopped in his tracks, sniffing. It was almost like he was saying “WHAT is that
smell???” We put the carrier down and Lucky walked around it. He knew something was
in there. What could it be?
For the next couple of days we made sure we kept the two animals apart. When they
were in the same room, Lily would stay in the carrier. Meanwhile I called all the friends I
could with cats and dogs and asked each of them, “How do you introduce these two
sworn enemies to each other?” Slowly, very slowly our friends said. They need time to get
used to each other.
So we did as they suggested...slowly. After the second day Lily hated being in the carrie
even for a few minutes and would cry; Lucky hated her being in there too. He kept trying to
open the door with his paws. On the third day, I had enough. We would have to start
somewhere.
We put Lucky on his leash and while my son held onto the dog, I held the cat on my lap.
Initially, when Lucky sniffed Lily, he acted like he was going to attack her.
The first couple of days we would re-introduce them to each other a few times a day; then
we increased the number of meetings. On Day 5, someone got careless and they
accidentally met in the hallway. I heard a loud yell from Lily and we all rushed upstairs.
Well everyone was still alive and the two pets survived their first unscheduled encounter.
Every day got better until finally they sat next to each other. When we caught Lily and Lucky
sleeping next to each other we knew we could relax.
Lily found Lucky fascinating and would mimic him. She would drink water out of his bowl
and eat his dog food (could it taste better)? Lucky loved cat food and milk and we quickly
learned to keep Lily’s food off limits to him.
One afternoon, I ran out of dog food. So I headed for the pet store and told Lucky that I
had to buy more, giving him all that was left from his last bag. Well, Lily just waltzed past,
drank Lucky’s water and ate some of his food. When she finished, Lucky finally helped
himself!
In all, Lily has been a wonderful addition to our lives. It’s been fun having a “little one” in
the house even though it’s been an adjustment being a “cat person.” Having a kitten
meant that Lily was into everything. Her favorite game was to chase and jump on Lucky’s
curly tail, a game that Lucky simply would not allow.
But when Lily has raced through the house and completely exhausted herself, she is
such a delight. She jumps up and curls on my lap and purrs. It is a wonderful feeling. My
son found me lying on the sofa recently, snoozing with Lily curled up on my stomach and
remarked, “Hmm…is this the woman who is allergic to cats?”
It’s hard to believe how a little creature could worm her way into all our hearts all four of
us. My son loves to grab a string or rope and can play with Lily for hours. Every night my
daughter sleeps with Lily by her side. My daughter is still an avid reader, but Lily has
helped her open up and be a lot more sociable.
Oh and the mice?? We saw only one, quite a while ago. I think the mice have packed up
their bags and moved to a different location. They really haven’t dared cross the kitchen
floor much to Lily’s annoyance. She has enjoyed the stray beetle bugs, moths and
occasional roach. Even they are few and far between due to our feline “daughter.”
So we have a dog that thinks he’s human and likes cat food, and a cat that thinks she’s a
dog and eats dog food!! Stranger things could happen I guess.
Published December 2006 in The Animal Companion.
My daughter and I screamed and clutched each other as the tiny furry creature ran across
the kitchen floor. I was sick of the mice, they terrified me.
“What we need is a good mouser,” my husband said, amused. He really did not
understand my phobia about creatures so small. And I couldn’t explain how such tiny
things struck fear in my heart. We had tried everything, traps, monthly exterminators, but
living in an old row house in the District of Columbia did not help.
My husband suddenly died several months later, and we all struggled to cope. Nine
months after his death, I worried about my 12-year-old daughter, who had retreated into
the world of books and was not doing much socializing.
I was visiting my hairdresser who showed me her newest litter of cats when it hit me. I
remembered what my husband said…we should get a kitten. It would help my little girl by
giving her something to love. And maybe it would scare away the minute furry creatures
that still rendered me powerless.
My children were surprised when I brought it up. “I thought you’re allergic to cats mom,”
my 16-year-old son said slowly.
“I’ll just take my allergy medicine,” I said carelessly.
“Uh mom…what about Lucky?” my daughter asked. Now that was a problem. We
adopted a little dog a few years ago and he was part Pug, part Corgi and all dog. Actually
Lucky really thought he was human. When I’d call the kids he’d come running, listen to
the instructions and then go off with them. And he definitely did not like cats. We tried to
introduce him to a cat a couple of years ago and Lucky freaked out…and poor Cotton had
the fright of his life. Lucky hated other dogs too; it was people he liked.
“Lucky will just have to get used to her, I said firmly. But later I worried. As I began to
spread the word everyone voiced their concern. “What about killer?” another friend asked.
At five-weeks-old and the first of the litter to use the litter pan, “Lily” was ready to join her
new family. We all went to pick her up in Lucky’s old pet carrier. She was a little bigger
than my hand. When the three of us walked in to meet Lily, she ran straight to my
daughter who beamed.
We got Lily safely home in her BIG carrier. Lucky came to meet us at the door as always
and stopped in his tracks, sniffing. It was almost like he was saying “WHAT is that
smell???” We put the carrier down and Lucky walked around it. He knew something was
in there. What could it be?
For the next couple of days we made sure we kept the two animals apart. When they
were in the same room, Lily would stay in the carrier. Meanwhile I called all the friends I
could with cats and dogs and asked each of them, “How do you introduce these two
sworn enemies to each other?” Slowly, very slowly our friends said. They need time to get
used to each other.
So we did as they suggested...slowly. After the second day Lily hated being in the carrie
even for a few minutes and would cry; Lucky hated her being in there too. He kept trying to
open the door with his paws. On the third day, I had enough. We would have to start
somewhere.
We put Lucky on his leash and while my son held onto the dog, I held the cat on my lap.
Initially, when Lucky sniffed Lily, he acted like he was going to attack her.
The first couple of days we would re-introduce them to each other a few times a day; then
we increased the number of meetings. On Day 5, someone got careless and they
accidentally met in the hallway. I heard a loud yell from Lily and we all rushed upstairs.
Well everyone was still alive and the two pets survived their first unscheduled encounter.
Every day got better until finally they sat next to each other. When we caught Lily and Lucky
sleeping next to each other we knew we could relax.
Lily found Lucky fascinating and would mimic him. She would drink water out of his bowl
and eat his dog food (could it taste better)? Lucky loved cat food and milk and we quickly
learned to keep Lily’s food off limits to him.
One afternoon, I ran out of dog food. So I headed for the pet store and told Lucky that I
had to buy more, giving him all that was left from his last bag. Well, Lily just waltzed past,
drank Lucky’s water and ate some of his food. When she finished, Lucky finally helped
himself!
In all, Lily has been a wonderful addition to our lives. It’s been fun having a “little one” in
the house even though it’s been an adjustment being a “cat person.” Having a kitten
meant that Lily was into everything. Her favorite game was to chase and jump on Lucky’s
curly tail, a game that Lucky simply would not allow.
But when Lily has raced through the house and completely exhausted herself, she is
such a delight. She jumps up and curls on my lap and purrs. It is a wonderful feeling. My
son found me lying on the sofa recently, snoozing with Lily curled up on my stomach and
remarked, “Hmm…is this the woman who is allergic to cats?”
It’s hard to believe how a little creature could worm her way into all our hearts all four of
us. My son loves to grab a string or rope and can play with Lily for hours. Every night my
daughter sleeps with Lily by her side. My daughter is still an avid reader, but Lily has
helped her open up and be a lot more sociable.
Oh and the mice?? We saw only one, quite a while ago. I think the mice have packed up
their bags and moved to a different location. They really haven’t dared cross the kitchen
floor much to Lily’s annoyance. She has enjoyed the stray beetle bugs, moths and
occasional roach. Even they are few and far between due to our feline “daughter.”
So we have a dog that thinks he’s human and likes cat food, and a cat that thinks she’s a
dog and eats dog food!! Stranger things could happen I guess.
Published December 2006 in The Animal Companion.
| How A Kitten Helped Our Family After A Loss |
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