The shock of dealing with a loved one’s sudden, unexpected health crisis sets a tone of general distress. This stress may amplify when you need to attend to their pet(s). This leads to the decision to integrate their pet(s) into your household, temporarily or permanently. This can be further complicated if your household already has pets. Let’s explore a positive resolution…
Judy contacted me to communicate with her father’s cat, Minnie Pearl. Judy’s father lived by himself and fell. He required hospital care and ongoing months of rehabilitation. Judy felt uncertain in deciding what was best for everyone. Was it best to bring his cat into her home or leave his cat at its home alone?
When we communicated with Minnie Pearl, she indicated that she preferred to be with other humans rather than being left alone. Feeling more at ease and confident with this information, Judy decided to relocate Minnie Pearl.
The Relocation
The next step was for Judy and me to communicate this decision to everyone involved. Judy and her husband already enjoyed the companionship of their cat, Daisy and their dog, Ruutu. I let both pets know in advance of this newcomer. Our connection with each pet allowed Judy the insight to learn that her cat was a bit resisting of the idea while her dog was ‘all in’ and excited to welcome her into the family.
Judy did a beautiful job integrating Minnie Pearl into her home. She described her experience as follows:
“Minnie Pearl was very upset, growling and hissing when I arrived, with a carrier, for the move. She cried the whole way to my home. I set up accommodations in our game room. I brought her bed, litter box and food so that she would have familiar smells. I played the CD, Thru a Cat’s Ear, which is classical music. I started anti-anxiety drops and misted the air with them as well. After several days, she let me touch her ears, so I massaged the anti-anxiety drops into one of her ears. One night while watching TV, she crawled onto my lap! We were making progress. After about a week, I introduced Minnie Pearl to Daisy and Ruutu. I was surprised there was no hissing, growling or barking. The next day my cat hissed at Minnie Pearl once and left the room. The next day after dinner, Daisy and Minnie Pearl were about five feet apart just looking at each other. Ruutu doesn’t seem to be bothered.”
When I checked in sometime later, each pet has adapted to the new scenario. Judy’s dad is still recovering. Whether this pet integration is temporary or permanent is unknown. However, preparing everyone through communication sessions, along with Judy’s patience and loving care, harmony seems to be the rule of the day.