Fostering Gato

If you have been a follower of my blog for even six months, you know that I absolutely adore my cat. Theodore (a.k.a. Gato) is pretty much the coolest cat on Earth, and he always keeps us laughing. He is an absolute nut, Andrew's little buddy, and my dear friend. He and I have been through a lot together. He's wiped away my tears (literally), worried over me when I've been sick, and helped me get through living away from Andrew. I've seen him through fungal infections where he licked off all of his fur, intestinal blockages when he decided it was a good idea to eat human toys, and countless other wild medical situations. In so many ways, he's more than "just a cat". I can't fully explain how much he's meant to me over the past few years, but he's been exactly what I needed... which is why it was so difficult to make the decision that we did this past week.

Starting next week, Theodore is going to become a member of my Dad and Anna's household for as long as necessary. He will be joined with his girlfriend, Lucy, and I have no doubt he will continue to be spoiled rotten.

Why, you may ask? Let me explain.

Sophia.

Want more explanation? Ok.

We live in a pretty tiny house now. There is absolutely no good place to put his litter box (no closests, no mudroom, no good laundry room). It is currently in the bathroom along with his food and water dish just sitting out in the open. There is no good spot to put it where it would be safe from little hands. We are also going to need to purchase a pellet stove at some point. When we do that, we will have to leave doors open. He is not allowed in our room because of Andrew's allergies, and I would not allow him in Sophia's room because of his fur. So, that would limit him to the bathroom. This is not fair to him at all. He also has what we call "freak out" moments. He's certainly not your average lazy cat. He'll suddenly launch himself off whatever surface he's on with absolutely no awareness of his surroundings. I'm fearful that he would accidently jump on Sophia and hurt her. I know he would never intentionally do something to cause her harm, but he simply does not pay attention to what's around him sometimes. I do not want him to live somewhere where he will always be in trouble. He does not deserve this at all. We decided that in our current living situation, keep him would only stiffle who he is.

Our decision to find him a new home did not come lightly, and we have been dragging our feet about making a final decision. My step-mom, Anna, told us months ago that they would gladly take him so he would stay in the family. He's too awesome not to. When I finally told her that we had decided to have him live with them, she told me that this could be as "temporary or permanent" as we need it to be. It's so nice to know that we will still be able to see him, and if we are in a better situation to have him join our family again, we can have him back with no questions asked. I know my sister, Zoe, will spoil him like crazy. I also know that Anna will provide him with the best care possible. My dad has always been good to show him the love and affection we do... and I think Gato will bond with him like he has with Andrew. Izaak finds joy in the crazy things Theodore does... so, his quirkiness will still be much appreciated.

I know many tears will be shed the day that we drop him off. Heck, I'm writing this while tears stream down my face. I will miss Theodore telling Andrew about how mean I am when I won't give him a special treat. I will miss hearing "Hi, little buddy!" when Andrew walks through the door from work. I will miss hearing Gato cry (very loudly) at the laundry room door and then going to find Andrew to tell him he wants a special treat. I will miss Gato snuggling up to my belly to feel Sophia kick. I will miss Theodore using his little paws to wipe the tears off of my cheeks. I will miss his adorable face looking at me from across the room. I will miss his crazy sleeping positions. I will miss seeing him sit like the "Prince of Purrsia" on the back of the couch. I will miss him sitting with one paw inside our bedroom door. I will miss his huge purr motor when he curls up between us on the couch. I will miss my pet and friend.

That being said, I know that this is what is best for our growing family and for him. He deserves so much more than what we'll be able to give him in two months, and Sophia deserves to live in a house that is safe for her no matter where she goes. This decision was so much easier to make when I knew that he was going to family (thank you, Dad and Anna!!). I don't think I could part with him otherwise. At times, I still wonder if I will be able to truly leave him in Missouri. Being a grown-up comes with some pretty hard decisions. To date, this is truthfully one of the most difficult ones I've had to make.

In the end, it comes down to this...

Our sweet little girl is worth it.