It's recently hit me just how lucky I am

[jawramik]

I ended up with some amazing cats. I really did. I see people on this forum going through troubles with cats adjusting to new homes, or drama introducing their cats to each other, and it's really hit me how unusually laid-back my two kitties are. Neither have ever had any trouble adjusting to new situations, and even though I introduced them "all wrong," (didn't know any better at the time), they had about ten seconds of drama and that was it.

I'm not saying that kitties who are more challenging aren't awesome cats, too, but for an inexperienced cat person such as myself, I really feel like I hit the jackpot.

[scottd]

Tell me about it. I have an 8 year old cat that's never been sick at all. Reading on here has made me paranoid. She went on a sneezing spree one day while I was dusting (which of course I didn't connect). I thought she was ill and was ready to call the vet.

[jawramik]

Yeah, having healthy cats in another thing I'm so very thankful for.

[marie73]

Getting a great starter cat is wonderful!! And it makes you want more.

Cinderella was pretty much perfect. Then came Cleo, also trouble-free, my little talker, with her little quirks.

Life was good.

Then the twinz arrived. My little Calibratz. And they showed Cleo the entryway into TROUBLE CITY.

But my three little brats are healthy.

(although there are times when I'm tempted to sneak a little Benedryl in their food.....)

[Carmel]

In my case it's the difference between going out and finding a nice friendly cat or two that I want instead of taking in various ones that come with hangups from being on the street too long. I'd really like that first option one day.

Cats are more likely to get along if they've lived with other cats in the past - older single cats are often more set in their ways - or cats that are introduced when both are younger.

Cats can be extremely healthy... until they aren't. Blaze is 17 and never had a health problem either.

[jawramik]

We adopted Coda from the shelter and got to pick her out from quite a lot of kitties, and she didn't have any behavioural warnings.

But I found Cal on the street, and just got extremely lucky that he turned out to be such a laid-back and adaptable cat, despite having a history of abuse and being....well, not old, but far from a kitten (seven years old).

And then I lucked out again that both these cats just happened to be able to get along with one another very quickly.

[October]

I hear you! My Murphy is the sweetest, most in-your-face cat who has never destroyed anything, eaten anything he shouldn't, or peed outside the litterbox. I do consider myself very lucky to have such a problem-free boy.

[3gatos]

I have 3 kitties + dog and worked in an emergency vet office for 2 years. Every day I would come home from work and hug all my animals (they didn't appreciate it, but it made me feel better). I have always felt SO lucky to have such problem free animals when I hear about all of the horror stories.

[GhostTown]

I certainly cannot say that my group of four are or have been entirely without problems. However, I am completely infatuated with all of them. When a complicated issue comes along and my wife and I focus on it and get it under control, I always feel like in the end I'm that much closer to my cats (and dog), and understand and love them even more than I did before.

[jawramik]

Originally Posted by GhostTown

I certainly cannot say that my group of four are or have been entirely without problems. However, I am completely infatuated with all of them. When a complicated issue comes along and my wife and I focus on it and get it under control, I always feel like in the end I'm that much closer to my cats (and dog), and understand and love them even more than I did before.

I have absolutely no doubt that this is true, and I have heaps of respect for people who deal with any and all pet problems with love and patience. I feel that way about horses. I've always preferred to work with "problem horses," because it's just that much more rewarding when you finally do succeed with them. But I'm an experienced equestrian. I've been working with horses since I was quite young, now I work with them for a living, and I wasn't always able to handle the problem cases. That's something that's come with time and experience.

I'm a relatively new cat owner, and I'm still learning. Down the road some ways, I can see myself willingly taking on cats with more problems, but for now, I feel like I got the perfect "starter pack." All the love and little to none of the drama.