Teemo
Teemo came into our lives on 9 March 2021 . His fosterer told us he is about 3 months old so this lucky boy will have two dates to celebrate – an “agak-agak’ birthday on 9 Dec 2020 and his adoption day in March. But first, here’s a long preface to where we got to be where we are.
I’ve always loved animals but since G developed allergies to cats and dogs, we stopped having them for goodness knows how long a deprivation dry spell.
Things changed one day when a runaway or abandoned hamster found its way into our house. We took Hammie in and just as suddenly as he came, he became listless one day, developed a wet tail ( a fatal syndrome in hamsters ) and died. I was very upset and felt the loss deeply. G wanted to get me another hamster but since their lifespan is only 2 years, we decided to get bunnies instead. That was how Miu Miu ( the Brown ) and Prada ( the Black ) joined the family. Surprise, surprise, G is not allergic to their fur, although they shed copiously and continuously.
Bunnies are timid creatures and it takes a long time to earn their trust. Even after 2 years, they are only loyal to snacks and would scurry away when the snacks run out. They hate to be carried but would let you stroke them while they are rested. The reciprocity is way out of balance with these guys and it still left a big part in my heart with a lot of loving to give.
Then you get a loving Dad who can’t say no to his daughter who vehemently wants a dog ( in two years’ time when she’s done with her studies and hopefully changes her mind ) and naturally I get to have a cat to complete the menagerie…
The next tricky bit is where and how to find “The One”. Ragdolls, Maine Coons, Ragamuffins and Munchkins are all the rage these days and so are their “Covid-pets’ price tags that come with them, starting at a cool 5k and skyrocketing upwards. Oh, some of these are given up for adoption, they say, but look closely at the fine print – these are abandoned for a lousy reason – either they have outlived their novelty or the more likely reason is that they are old, or have chronic health issues. In the unwritten book of pet-lovers, a pet is a forever family member, for better or for worse.
So I turned to the” adopt, don’t buy” option for the Singapore special. Well meaning friends referred me to cat welfare societies, SPCA, and numerous others. So there are many cats out there calling out for a forever home BUT….There are also many well-intentioned and caring folks out there who defend the defenseless rigorously and rigidly, to the extent the cats find it sooo difficult to be adopted. First there is a standard form ( very detailed, very invasive – you might as well tell them your entire family history, lifestyle, habits, fetishes ) you need to fill out for screening. Then there are strict rules to keep the cat indoors at all times and to mesh your entire house to keep the cat safe. What about those who live in houses like mine – oh, ” there will be house visits to access your suitability and they will prescribe the necessary measures” Erm… no problems for me to close doors, windows, and keep cat indoors ( the at-all times rule notwithstanding ) but to mesh the entire house, roof, attic, backyard…you get the picture!
One interview I went to left me pretty deflated and incredulous. So these folks who call themselves Samaritans of Cats or fosterers by any other name cannot tell a genuine animal lover from a novelty seeker? Surely someone who loves animals ( Me and my fam ) would do her utmost to keep the pet safe? No, that’s not relevant – you have to keep cat indoors at all times and mesh the entire house – repeat, repeat, repeat. After an hour of telling the fosterer my life story and history with pets, the door closed in my face – no, no, no.. sorry you don’t meet the criteria.
At the verge of giving up the search, a friend who successfully adopted a cat from a fosterer, S, and referred me to her. I went, I saw, I liked, I left. Teemo was the most playful and cheeky one of all. There were about 30 cats in that household, some old, some young, some very young. Teemo was the only one from his litter and S seemed very fond of him. After some hesitancy, I asked S if I could take Teemo home with me. Yes, sure, she said, no questions asked, and that was it.
It has been three weeks of joy with this bundle of energy. He is also the consummate escape artist and no barrier has been able to confine him to one space or to keep him away from the bunnies., After one week, the bunnies have learnt to tolerate him in their territory and co-exist peacefully with him, except when he chooses to chase them around playfully. I watch warily, from a distance. Animal Planet Live Channel is on. There are interesting dynamics in the animal world. Before Teemo, Prada was the dominant bunny, chasing after Miu Miu. After Teemo came along, Prada no longer did the chasing, probably tired out by being chased instead. Whenever the bunnies came out for snacks, Teemo would paw at us and get his fair share as well. The bunnies also came out of hiding more often these days to sit closer to us. We are all getting closer together in this multi-species household.
Cats have always been misunderstood by society at large and shunned by dog-people in general. They have been labelled as aloof, scaredy, complicated, mean even. Ask any cat person and the answer is just the opposite. You just need to be educated and understand them better. Like people, background and upbringing play a big part in shaping personality. Teemo has been a house cat since birth and coming from a big and happy household, he is sociable with animals and humans, and knows no fear.
Community cats are well loved and mostly well adjusted where they are located. They may not have a permanent roof over their heads, but are “owned” by a small group of feeders and carers in their neighbourhood. Then there are the pedigree cats, and how they turn out depends very much on who their breeder is. There are unscrupulous backyard breeders and there are the trustworthy ones. The scaredy cats are the ones who have little human contact and possibly neglected or abused at some point. Cats on the whole are not as needy as dogs, they amuse themselves running and chasing after anything that moves and don’t need walks. They will come to you and snuggle up to you only when they feel like it, and that’s often enough.
So how have our lives been different since Teemo? If bunnies could talk….!@#$%^ I am guessing. There is always some activity or drama playing out watching Teemo with his antics. Even when he is sleeping, he is cute. We talk about him, we talk to him, we miss him when we are not home with him. Oh, little fella, if only you knew how much you are loved!
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