If there is something I have learned in the past 24 hours, it is the power of patience and faith.
One week ago, I decided that Chewy needed a new buddy. Namely, a 19 lb., 5 year old Maine Coon named Boris. Yesterday, we picked Boris up and brought him home. Bringing him home turned out to be more stressful for me than I thought it would be. First, the humane society basically said that Boris would die if he so much as touched dry food because of his weight. (As a reminder, most Maine Coons weigh somewhere between 15-25 lbs. depending on the purity of their blood line). And sure, Boris is a little more round, but it's more of an "I used to live in a happy, healthy, safe home" rather than "I'm royalty from the 15th century where weight denotes status in society". So, of course, I'm freaking out because Chewy is 1. underweight and 2. used to free feeding on dry food that I can't remove from where he can reach it. My image of Boris prior to actually getting home was that he would clean out every bowl in the house like a dog that's sure it will never see food again. I started doubting my decision when my sole purpose in adopting Boris was to have two very happy kitties that would keep each other company when my intern year leaves me with more hours in the hospital.
So yes, I was afraid, doubting myself, losing faith that I wasn't purely acting out of selfishness in bringing Boris into Chewy's and my house and lives. When Boris was released from his crate, the first place he went was the food bowl. My heart rate went up, until I realized that he only ate a couple bites before exploring the rest of the guest room that is doubling as his safe place for the moment. I calmed considerably, being reminded, once again, that cats are smart and don't generally overeat the way dogs will. As the next 24 hours continued, I realized that for his size, he eats like a bird.
The next challenge was getting him and Chewy to interact. I spent most of the first night stressed that he and Chewy wouldn't get along. They would just be angry at each other the entire time, and it would cause undue stress for both of them. Day one, Boris did spend most of his time growling at Chewy whenever he was in sight. Chewy, on the other hand, surprised me; he stayed very, very calm the entire time. I was in awe of Chewy's grace and how well he took Boris's arrival in stride. Now that we've made it through the first night, both cats seem so much calmer. Boris has only made one small meow at Chewy. Chewy has continued his usual routine. I am very proud and happy for my boys. I think the longer the three of us are together, the more love we will have for each other. I now can say, I can't wait to see what each day will bring in my relationship with each cat as well as the relationship they have with each other.
Patience: The act of bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation or annoyance with calmness. Both Chewy and I have learned the importance of patience with bringing Boris into our life. I just need to stay strong in my faith for the decisions I make.
