A cat lover is seeking advice after taking in a mother cat and her three kittens around mid-July. They were very small when she began caring for them on her porch, providing food, toys, and even a cat tree. Along with her four dogs indoors, these kittens became her porch pets.
In August or early September, one of the kittens, named Greedy (also called Bella), went into a neighbor’s yard while heading to eat and was attacked by the neighbor’s dog. Fortunately, the neighbor was outside, heard the noise, and managed to stop his dog before Bella was hurt too badly. Although she didn’t have any puncture wounds, she limped for a while. A veterinarian suggested that Bella likely suffered a severe sprain from the encounter with the larger dog, but overall she was fine.
The neighbor next door, who heard the ruckus, and his daughter, along with her boyfriend, rescued Bella and took her to the vet. They grew fond of her and asked to adopt her. The cat lover agreed, hoping to keep the siblings close by. However, about a week later, tragedy struck when one of the other kittens was hit by a car and died. This loss pushed her to find the last kitten more quickly.
She managed to trap the remaining kitten, named Baby, who had always been the smallest. Baby had struggled to get enough food because he was often sidelined by his larger siblings. After a tough few days of adjusting to life indoors, Baby settled in and became very affectionate. He adjusted well to the four dogs and has his own cat tree, scratching post, and plenty of toys.
Now the cat lover is considering adopting another young kitten for Baby to play with, as he enjoys interacting with the dogs but needs another cat companion. Recently, the neighbor’s daughter who adopted Bella contacted her, saying she could no longer care for Bella and asked if she could take her back. The cat lover was determined not to let Bella go to the ASPCA or to a stranger since she had raised her alongside Baby and their late brother, Butter.
Bella was dropped off without any supplies, making the transition more difficult as she has been away for nearly two months. To help her get used to the new environment, the cat lover plans to keep Bella in her carrier for a time so that she and Baby can adjust to each other through the carrier.
What advice do you have for introducing Bella back into the home?
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Reddit source: Reddit, shared by u//u/DianaPrince0809