So where do I even start?
For some months now I figured I could have a fuzzy flatmate. I'm living in a big German city, so just getting a random kitty running free isn't an option. Needs to be a flatmate. Also I want two, since I'm working still, and I don't want the cat to be all alone during the day.
Disclaimer: I've had pets all my life up until 10ish years ago. Cats, a dog, rats, hamsters, reptiles, an incredibly cute tarantula, a freaking hamster rat. I'm good to and with animals, I love them more than I do some humans. Couldn't have any 'cause of my crappy apartment before, but I moved about a year ago and figured yo, why not. It should be good now! I prepared a balcony with a custom made setup of wooden planks and a big-ass cat net, so it's secure. I got about 50m2, so that should be alright as well. Also, a big terrace, which will be added once I figure out my future buddy's behaviour on the smaller balcony.
So, I'm all prepared and hyped, so let's move on to get some kittys in here! Now, as any well-behaved Germand would do, I checked Ebay Classifieds, which is a thing over here. It's basically Ebay without the bidding and getting your shit personally. Turns out, 90% of people on there are literal crazy persons.
At one client's home, after multiple emails and after setting up a meeting, I was greeted by her mum who never even knew her daughter was planning to sell the family cats. At another, I was walking up to the door when I got a message going "Oh, looks like I'm giving the cats to a friend. Hope you understand". Long story short, I will not recommend this method to anyone. Why did I check in the first place? 'Cause it's friggin' cheap. Those cats will probably end up in shelters anyway, and some people literally sell their loved ones for like 20 bucks. Well, turns out that's for a reason.
So I checked local shelters and found.. nothing. One shelter didn't have house cats at all. The other one had two pairs that'd fit, but one was already pretty much promised elsewhere, the other one was a wild pair who never even saw a room before. I went on checking more shelters in the surrounding areas and finally found an adorable pair of black-and-white european short-hair cats. A few days later, I called the shelter again (after they told me to call again a few days later) and nope, they don't think the cats are right for me. Because I leave for work. Well, fine. But you could have told me before I drove 1.5 hours to your place, guys.
Anyhow, after checking more and more places, I suddenly fell in love with one kitty showcasing of a German-Spanish cat shelter cooperation. Her name's Pandora, she's in Sevilla and she's gorgeous.
I read up on her description, and it seems she already has a friend over there, called Kira. Kira is equally adorable.
Getting a Spanish pet over here is expensive, it requires not only a protective charge per cat, but also charges for the flight and the transport equipment. I'm not lying when I'm saying getting these two clowns over here will let me end up in the negatives within a few days from paying, at least for this month. I didn't care. Those two are the cutest things I've ever seen.
My contact from the group called a day later, and despite the typical Bufbaf luck, she told me there are multiple people having an interest on Pandora, but I'm literally the only one who noticed the friendship with Kira and would take both of'em in. The contact person is amazing, we get off well, the talks are really nice and I would recommend this group to anyone. So now I'm top of the list. I can't believe my luck, and turns out, I sadly was right.
It didn't take half an hour for the next phone call to arrive. Turns out Kira used a visit to the vet to escape. She just ran and wasn't seen again. I already felt my heart dropping. I knew something wouldn't work out, I knew something would happen. It's just my luck, and it's absolutely nothing new. I'm not even saying this for effect, I literally knew something would happen.
But then she said, if I'm still interested, they can check up on the shelter family to see if there are other friends of her available. And, after a quick call, oh my god, yes, there was! Meet Alejandro!
Alejandro's a few months older than Pandora, but apparently those two also get along quite well. And you can't imagine my surprise when my contact person told me, that I'd still be on top of the damn list, if I would decide to take Alejandro in with Pandora.
She gave me a day to take a pause and think about it (be aware, these calls took place yesterday, within one(!) evening at about 7 to 11 pm, and today I settled and sent the official reservation for both of'em. And I got the OK. I already payed, I'll be getting a contract via mail, everything's good to go. It'll be a poor man's month, going from 20 bucks on Ebay to about 400 from spain will take a toll, but that's alright. It's just a month.
She'll let me know as soon as there's a fitting plane flight in sight, and I legitimately can't wait. Meanwhile we're still chatting about setting up the apartment, how an animal welfare guy will visit my apartment to check if it's alright, how everything will work out and what I'd need to think about. Again, this organization seems great, and I'm feeling extremely lucky I found it by chance.
So year, I've got some kittys coming up in the next few weeks or months, depending on a plane flight. I'll keep you updated, if you want, but I just wanted to write this whole thing down somewhere. I dunno if anyone understands, but after all those setbacks, which I didn't even put down completely in here, I can't still grasp I managed to soon say "hi" to the one cat that really captivated me from the get-go and her hella cute friend. Here's hoping they'll catch a flight soon. I'm happy, guys, and this text turned out way longer than I expected.
Era needs more kitties!
For some months now I figured I could have a fuzzy flatmate. I'm living in a big German city, so just getting a random kitty running free isn't an option. Needs to be a flatmate. Also I want two, since I'm working still, and I don't want the cat to be all alone during the day.
Disclaimer: I've had pets all my life up until 10ish years ago. Cats, a dog, rats, hamsters, reptiles, an incredibly cute tarantula, a freaking hamster rat. I'm good to and with animals, I love them more than I do some humans. Couldn't have any 'cause of my crappy apartment before, but I moved about a year ago and figured yo, why not. It should be good now! I prepared a balcony with a custom made setup of wooden planks and a big-ass cat net, so it's secure. I got about 50m2, so that should be alright as well. Also, a big terrace, which will be added once I figure out my future buddy's behaviour on the smaller balcony.
So, I'm all prepared and hyped, so let's move on to get some kittys in here! Now, as any well-behaved Germand would do, I checked Ebay Classifieds, which is a thing over here. It's basically Ebay without the bidding and getting your shit personally. Turns out, 90% of people on there are literal crazy persons.
At one client's home, after multiple emails and after setting up a meeting, I was greeted by her mum who never even knew her daughter was planning to sell the family cats. At another, I was walking up to the door when I got a message going "Oh, looks like I'm giving the cats to a friend. Hope you understand". Long story short, I will not recommend this method to anyone. Why did I check in the first place? 'Cause it's friggin' cheap. Those cats will probably end up in shelters anyway, and some people literally sell their loved ones for like 20 bucks. Well, turns out that's for a reason.
So I checked local shelters and found.. nothing. One shelter didn't have house cats at all. The other one had two pairs that'd fit, but one was already pretty much promised elsewhere, the other one was a wild pair who never even saw a room before. I went on checking more shelters in the surrounding areas and finally found an adorable pair of black-and-white european short-hair cats. A few days later, I called the shelter again (after they told me to call again a few days later) and nope, they don't think the cats are right for me. Because I leave for work. Well, fine. But you could have told me before I drove 1.5 hours to your place, guys.
Anyhow, after checking more and more places, I suddenly fell in love with one kitty showcasing of a German-Spanish cat shelter cooperation. Her name's Pandora, she's in Sevilla and she's gorgeous.
I read up on her description, and it seems she already has a friend over there, called Kira. Kira is equally adorable.
Getting a Spanish pet over here is expensive, it requires not only a protective charge per cat, but also charges for the flight and the transport equipment. I'm not lying when I'm saying getting these two clowns over here will let me end up in the negatives within a few days from paying, at least for this month. I didn't care. Those two are the cutest things I've ever seen.
My contact from the group called a day later, and despite the typical Bufbaf luck, she told me there are multiple people having an interest on Pandora, but I'm literally the only one who noticed the friendship with Kira and would take both of'em in. The contact person is amazing, we get off well, the talks are really nice and I would recommend this group to anyone. So now I'm top of the list. I can't believe my luck, and turns out, I sadly was right.
It didn't take half an hour for the next phone call to arrive. Turns out Kira used a visit to the vet to escape. She just ran and wasn't seen again. I already felt my heart dropping. I knew something wouldn't work out, I knew something would happen. It's just my luck, and it's absolutely nothing new. I'm not even saying this for effect, I literally knew something would happen.
But then she said, if I'm still interested, they can check up on the shelter family to see if there are other friends of her available. And, after a quick call, oh my god, yes, there was! Meet Alejandro!
Alejandro's a few months older than Pandora, but apparently those two also get along quite well. And you can't imagine my surprise when my contact person told me, that I'd still be on top of the damn list, if I would decide to take Alejandro in with Pandora.
She gave me a day to take a pause and think about it (be aware, these calls took place yesterday, within one(!) evening at about 7 to 11 pm, and today I settled and sent the official reservation for both of'em. And I got the OK. I already payed, I'll be getting a contract via mail, everything's good to go. It'll be a poor man's month, going from 20 bucks on Ebay to about 400 from spain will take a toll, but that's alright. It's just a month.
She'll let me know as soon as there's a fitting plane flight in sight, and I legitimately can't wait. Meanwhile we're still chatting about setting up the apartment, how an animal welfare guy will visit my apartment to check if it's alright, how everything will work out and what I'd need to think about. Again, this organization seems great, and I'm feeling extremely lucky I found it by chance.
So year, I've got some kittys coming up in the next few weeks or months, depending on a plane flight. I'll keep you updated, if you want, but I just wanted to write this whole thing down somewhere. I dunno if anyone understands, but after all those setbacks, which I didn't even put down completely in here, I can't still grasp I managed to soon say "hi" to the one cat that really captivated me from the get-go and her hella cute friend. Here's hoping they'll catch a flight soon. I'm happy, guys, and this text turned out way longer than I expected.
Era needs more kitties!
