Oscar's and my meeting with Jump, the amputee cat, yesterday went well, or at least better than I was expecting. Jump is a fluffy skinny ginger moggy. His tail is long and so fluffy I commented that I could use it as a fluffy duster to clean my house. It's his front right leg that has been removed, and it doesn't seem to bother him at all - he even jumped up on Vet's bench with ease. He's incredibly smoochy and would definitely make a wonderful companion.
Oscar isn't overly fond of going to the Vet's, and so was only interested in hiding under the pram or inside his carry cage. Jump was walking around the little consult room, rubbing against Vet's legs and generally showing off. Vet said it was a good sign that the two of them were ignoring each other, and told me Jump had shown no signs of aggression towards to the other cats in the clinic at the moment.
While Jump was sitting on Vet's bench I picked up Oscar and brought them face to face, and they sniffed each other's nose and continued to pretend the other wasn't there - another good sign. Eventually they started hissing at each other, but it was more of a 'get out of my face, loser' hiss rather than anything vicious. I eventually relented to Oscar's continual struggle and let him go back into his cage. Jump soaked up the attention until he decided he'd had enough for the day and little growls at Vet and I. He's had a traumatic few days and is in a strange place surrounded by strange people with his owner nowhere in sight; I certainly didn't expect him to be so placid and happy.
Vet told me a little more about his owner. Apparently she loves Jump very much and is very upset at having to give him up, but she simply can't afford to care for him or the other pets she has. Had Jump not been attacked and suffered such serious (and expensive) injuries, she would still have him. Vet said the owner would like to keep in touch with Jump's new mum/dad and visit with him occasionally, but she said if I do take Jump it would be entirely up to me.
I have to admit, Jump is a beautiful cat, and I would love to take him in. I have been thinking about him a lot since our meeting, imagining him hobbling around the house, fending off the curious advances of Zapp, and exploring the backyard while I hang out the washing. I reeeeally want to take him. Vet told me to think about it for a few days, and if I want to take him and see how he goes there would be no obligation to keep him if he didn't fit in, which makes it even harder to say no.
Tonight I am abandoning my Mummy Duties and heading out into the city for a date with the Boy and Henry Rollins. I am looking forward to it so so much, and yet dreading it at the same time.
My mum agreed to sit with the Babe before I booked our tickets (over two months ago), and now the finer details are popping up and I'm starting to stress. She won't get here until around 6-6:30, leaving me an hour or so to get to the city in time for the start of the show. The Boy and I were hoping to get some dinner beforehand, but if we can't then we'll get something after. Right?
Wrong.
Mum has agreed to work tomorrow andis starting at 4am. At the risk of sounding like a brat, I'm so peeved. I know my mother is doing me a favour by sitting with the Babe tonight, but it's been organised for two months, and I haven't been out with the Boy for longer than that. She could easily have organised to start work a few hours later, but instead I'm going to have to rush to get back here after the show to make sure she can get home and have a few hours of sleep before she has to get up at 3 to be at work for 4. Instead of a nice night out I'm going to be stressing the whole time.
I literally almost feel like not bothering to go at all.
18 April, 2008 @ 12:45pm
