Adopting a new ‘furever’ friend
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/05/2020 (1108 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
With our daughter Hope out of school until at least September and with us working from home, my husband and I decided that now might be the perfect time to adopt a kitten.
We did not make this decision lightly. Adopting a cat (or any animal, for that matter) into your family requires a lasting commitment from everyone. In addition to the costs associated with providing healthy food, having appropriate supplies, visits to the veterinary clinic, and so forth, perhaps the most important consideration is being able to promise your new family member the time, patience, and love it will need for many years to come.
Many cats live up to 20 years (or more), so one important issue we had to take into consideration was the fact that just because we are all working and studying from home now, this will almost certainly change in the upcoming months. However, since we’ve had a cat before (Phoebe passed away when Hope was four), we at least know what we’re signing up for.
Upon learning we were going to adopt a kitten, the first thing my daughter did — after squealing for joy and doing a happy dance of course — was immerse herself in research. She spent several weeks learning how to care for a kitten. She learned the importance of how to correctly hold them, the best way to set up a feeding area, and even the importance of cleaning the litter box on a regular basis, since the latter would primarily be her responsibility.
Through a mutual friend, I contacted a member of Manitoba Great Pyrenees Rescue who was fostering a litter of kittens. A week later, we were able to pick up our new ‘furever’ friend which we have we named Pumpkin. And even though it’s been a lot of work and a big adjustment for us, we instantly fell in love with the little guy.
Now more than ever, many people are adopting animals for the affection and companionship that a ‘furever’ friend can bring. It’s wonderful to see good-news articles about empty animal shelters because that means these animals have found a home. We are so thankful that Pumpkin joined our family and we look forward to being with him for many years to come.
Heather Innis is a community correspondent for Windsor Park. You can contact her at htiede@gmail.com
Heather Innis
Windsor Park community correspondent
Heather Innis is a community correspondent for Windsor Park.