I wanted a cat and I got one. I named him Shadow but should have named him Satan. He is a holy terror, a wildcat, part panther, I think. “He will settle down,” everyone says. It has been two weeks and he hasn’t settled yet. He has claimed the back bedroom as his own. It has the old cat tree that I dragged in from the garage. I put it in front of a window so he can look out. But, he is more interested in jumping from the top level.

I worried about the dog frightening him. But, that is not a problem. He is a bully and seems to seek opportunities to hiss at the dog. The dog is accustomed to being an only pet. He doesn’t know what to make of this strange black hissing creature that has invaded his turf.

The trouble with a shelter cat is that you eventually see why someone else did not want him. He seems starved to death for affection, rubs on your legs wanting to be petted. “Yes, cat, I love you too, but please get your butt out of my face.” So, you have a session of cat petting. He purrs like a motor boat. A little bit of love makes him want more. It is hard to fault him for this. I hope eventually he will be secure enough to let us have peace without being so aggressive in his demands.

He does use the litter box. Thank goodness as that is a deal breaker. He is so enthusiastic in his scratching that he throws litter far and wide. I have to clean it up or it will be tracked all over the house. I think (hope) it is partly the litter brand, which is very light weight.

I ordered a 40 lb box of litter from Chewy, not realizing how heavy 40 pounds is. I don’t know how the delivery person got it off the truck. I did not move it much less lift it. Finally, I managed to scoot it onto a luggage dolly I had almost forgotten I had. Now that it has wheels, I’m not sure what to do with it.

I also bought a scratching post in hopes the cat would use it instead of the furniture. He uses both. Declawing cats is considered cruel and has fallen into disfavor. So I spend a lot of time saying, “No, NO!,” trying to train him, and praising him when he uses the scratching post.

He jumps on everything, the furniture, the table, the kitchen counters. The counters are a definite no-no as he will walk onto the hot range. He quickly conquered the top of the refrigerator and from there the top of the kitchen cabinets. I got him catnip mice and a laser toy to distract him, but he doesn’t seem interested. He would rather get into mischief.

I caught him chewing on my plants. “NO!” Plants can be toxic to cats! He must have ingested some as he threw up. At least that seems to have curbed his enthusiasm for house plants other than scratching dirt out of the pot. My other cats never bothered plants.

We have to limit his food intake as he is overweight. He is always interested when it is time to eat. He drinks a lot of water for a cat and empties his water bowl. I think he is getting help as I caught the dog drinking from it last night.

Well, that pretty much sums up my first two weeks with the new cat. I mentioned how much he likes to rub you, purr and get petted, day or night. He also loves to jump from the top of the cat tree to the bed where I am sleeping. Nothing like having an 11 pound cat drop on your chest in the middle of the night.

I am hoping he will settle down and start behaving himself with patience and training. All of this is just stuff young cats do. I can’t give him back now. I’ve spent money on a carrying case, food, litter, toys, a personalized collar, and the adoption fee. I think he is just testing his limits. He is certainly testing mine.

Copyright 2025 Sheila Moss