So after Millie passed away, two people offered us cats who needed homes.  We were not ready at all.  I am not sure I am 100% ready yet, but....

A favourite student who just graduated let me know she needs to find a home for her cat because she is not able to take her cat with her.  Hubby agreed we'd look into it.  Then I saw a picture of her.  Damn damn damn.  She is a long haired baby.  I am allergic to cats and asthmatic, but I do ok with short hair cats because I have an air purifier in the house and medicate myself with asthma fighting herbs.  However, I can't live with a long haired cat.  I looked at a long haired cat when we were going to adopt Millie.  I touched the cat, then touched my face, and massive itching.  So I had to let her know I couldn't take her fur baby.  And I have been feeling non-stop guilt since then.  I feel like I let one of my best students down.  I have to find a way to get over this, but it sucks.

We also went to two shelters.  First was Mount Pleasant in East Hanover.  We liked a lot of the cats.  We think some of them liked us.  But one thing nagged at me.  All of them were only there for a few months.  I was surprised.  Hubby noticed the same thing.  When we adopted Millie, there were cats who had been there for years, not months.  Then the student's cat came up and we agreed to consider that.  Once that became a "no" we went to Pequannock.  We found out that they have a lot of black cats because people are skittish about black cats.  Where are all the goths?  There are also many adults.  Almost all of the adults there have been there at least a year.

I always knew kittens were adopted easily.  That's why we liked that Millie was an adult, came from a home that rejected her, and she picked us.  We know we want to give a home to someone(s) who will otherwise not get a home.  The woman at the shelter had a sad story about almost all of them.  I just cannot believe why people give up a pet.  I am also so adamant about adopting and not buying from a breeder.  My mother says they sussed us out as soon as we walked in.  I don't care.  I love my students, regardless of back story.  I love fur babies, regardless of back story.  So I got the call yesterday that our application was approved.

We decided that we need to adopt with time to acclimate the newcomer to the house.  The best way to do that is before I go back to work.  We look to get two to keep them company due to the fact that they have lived nearly their whole lives in the shelter and will not have an easy time in a lonely home alone.  We also decided to make it two black ones.  I knew I made the right choice when I told the shelter lady who we were thinking of and her eyes teared up.  I also need to make sure I have someone to come home to after the workday.  First, I work with some of the nastiest beings I have ever encountered in my work life.  Having Millie was a life saver.  Second, it keeps me from overworking myself by having someone to play with, relax with, and take care of.  Third, we can donate all the money and food we want to shelters but that doesn't take care of the main problem.  Cats need homes.  We have a home.  It makes sense.  I also have a sense that Millie is OK with this.  She knew what we needed and gave it to us.  She knows we still need her but she can't be here so someone has to help out.  She'd hiss the buggers out of the house if we adopted while she was alive, but I know she understands.