About getting a cat/kitten

[flashlight]

Sigh.

I've been admittedly a bit obsessed about the idea of getting a kitten/young cat for the past month or so. My faithful (wild to the end) cat passed away a year ago and my elderly (but healthy) dog took it pretty hard too. I've most often have had a dog and a cat at the same time, miss having a cat (first time in decades without), and yet I know getting another animal would complicate an already pretty complicated life. Being "sensible" has rarely been the path chosen when my heart/gut want to go in the opposite direction!!

Of course, I've cast often about this and about specific kittens i've seen on shelter websites etc. I've even called some to find out more about kitten X or Y, that they'd been properly socialized by their mom being pretty important to me (my wild cat had not been and the first 8 years of cohabitation were quite a trip!!). Also, I've never gone out to CHOOSE an animal, they've always shown up in my life announcing 'ok, this is my home now, deal with it Human.'

I'm not the most astute reader (understatement), yet it strikes me many many of the castings are not giving me a yippee go ahead signal.

For example, the casts this morning:
- Why am I so preoccupied with getting a cat? 44.4.5>18
- How will I be if I DONT get a cat? 15.3>2
- What effect would getting a cat have on our lives? 7 UC (to similar questions, I've gotten 51/ 9/10 variants previously.)

I'm puzzled what question to ask to get better insight as to whether getting a kitten at this time is a good idea or a really bad plan....

thanks people

 

[precision grace]

Grieving is a painful and lengthy process and sometimes takes years. I am really sorry for your loss.

I think you were very astute to ask the question about why you are so preoccupied with getting a cat, and the answer, 44.4.5 does seem to suggest that it definitely isn't the right time right now, .4 but that there is a great creative energy that wants to come forth and it will in its own time .5

Your other answers, as you said yourself, do point that it is not the right time now.

I personally think that our friends come and go in various forms, sometimes human, sometimes cat. Perhaps your departed 'wild' cat (certainly sounds like 44) will want to come back to your life again, when the time is right, so perhaps you can sense her desire to rejoin you, but it's just not the right time yet.
I hope that helps

 

[flashlight]

Thanks, Precision Grace!
Actually, I'm very much at peace with my wild cat being gone.
There had been so many times since he was little when, suffering, I'd taken him to the vet to put him to sleep, and he's spit and hiss at us, jump off the table, zoom into his carrier (he normally hated) and miraculously (no vet understood how..) got back on his feet within a week and back to leading his brood with a twitch of a mustache. Much of the grieving process had been gone through.
When, after a stroke at nearly 21, it was time, it was a peaceful decision. I was stunned by the animals' comprehension. I was resting on my bed, the cat came onto my chest (never did usually), the dog came over near my shoulder, and the three of us spent about an hour our noses in close proximity breathing the same air. It was a touching goodbye among all. After coming back from the vet's, that I had my dog made such a difference. He took it hard - hiding and not eating for a week.

Having a new member of the crew would be a good thing for both of us. The dog (over 13) could use some company and mental stimulation. I've rarely lived without a cat and the day the dog goes, well, without another pal in the house...

Which is why these negative readings don't make sense to me: the drawbacks are purely logistical (and when one has pets, those exist all the time).

I'm stumped...

 

[flashlight]

After responding to Dive00's thread about her dog, I asked Yi: HOW will I know when the time is right to get a cat/kitten?
53.1.6 to 63
Goodness, what a contradictory answer to the previous readings...

 

[Tim K]

Why am I so preoccupied with getting a cat? 44.4.5>18
.4 No fish, no cat in the house, a loss.
.5 Wait, something will come to replace it. Or just don't worry about it.
In 44 - 18 I see you seduced(44) by your own old habits (18), to return to life 'as it were'.
Yi is advising against it. Maybe human partners could be much better ... (adopt a child?).

How will I be if I DONT get a cat? 15.3>2
You will be just fine. The habit of taking care of cats is over. Accept it (2).

What effect would getting a cat have on our lives? 7 UC (to similar questions, I've gotten 51/ 9/10 variants previously.)

7 - Taking responsibility, taking care of pets.
51 - Maybe a deviation to another question - you will be fine with this loss, give it time.
9 - no rain, no real change/effect.
10 - steps on cat's tail Just continue along, again you will be fine without a cat.

HOW will I know when the time is right to get a cat/kitten? 53.1.6 to 63
When the gradual (53) process is complete (63).
Going from arriving at the shore to climbing a mountain. I guess it means detaching from old habits, or just finishing grieving...

 

[flashlight]

Hi Tim,

I like the way you sliced through those readings seemingly effortlessly! Impressive.

In your prose, I'm "hearing" some sort of either/or frame between humans and animals (my world is rather and/and) and that taking care of pets is a habit to be detached from (actually, it's a joy; if anything, taking care of humans is something I've probably done way too much and I'm working on learning to set better boundaries and say no). That doesn't resonate with me. Adopting a child is impossible (age).

I can hear that the timing may not be good to actively go and choose a cat or kitten, for whatever reason Yi is striving to tell me; but the grieving is done and that wonderful wild cat has joined the terrific memories of the other pets that have brought joy to parts of my life.

For me, getting 53 to 63 had a whole other meaning, perhaps colored by past experience. My animals have shown up in my life without my going to look for them (and even when getting a pet was not at all on the radar). I took this reading as suggesting it's going to happen on its own and in the not too distant future. Who knows. I may be completely off base!

I'm not rushing into anything. The yen came out of left field about a month ago. Often, when something like that happens, its premonitory. Like creative writing in flow. Can't explain it, it just happens. It will be interesting to see what happens....

 

[Tim K]

Well I know about cat-ladies who keep way too many cats, in order to fill their lonely lives with something. Also I know and have experienced myself the joy of having pets. I was just trying to say that maybe you don't need a pet anymore.
In 18.6 sage goes for a lofty goal, not serving anyone.
And 44.6 almost says the same thing. Detaching from bonds/desires.
Looking deeper - maybe there is an emptiness inside that requires filling?
Cats are way better than work/alco/fight - holics of course And then I thought that ideally it would be a human, kinda natural.
The whole approach was based on 18-44 reading.

 

[flashlight]

LOL! So have I. No no, my max is one cat and one dog. Full stop! Save when I volunteer at shelters and want to take them all home...(but don't). Maybe that's my 18.6 lofty goal.
Also, I do not know one single human (if he/she is honest and looks deep inside) that does not have some sort of emptiness about something. Strikes me this is part of our "modern" world (some progress) and of the reasons for the oh so prevalent role of social media (not real IRL human connections; void filling).
It is important to make a difference between "needing" a pet and wanting one. Needing one puts the animal in a position of medication/therapist/substitute. That's selfish and cannot provide the animal with what it needs. I was born into a household full of pets, they were part if the family, and for 90% of my life have had my own. Mine are all rescue who have suffered at the hands of mankind; no human forgives like an animal can when finally treated with care and respect.

 

[Tim K]

I see A chronic pet caretaker

Did a few readings about your situation.
Best approach/what to do? 56. - Nothing much, try to not entangle yourself, it's temporary. I see 51 in the same light here, pointing to inaction in times of 'trouble'. And 9 and 10 kinda reinforces that, keep going, all's well, just wait. With 7 - trying to force the issue.

Get new cat? 3. Nope, stay put. How curious uc hex again about getting a new one.
Wait for new cat to appear? 35.3 Yes. and 45.4 Yes.
Pursue other things? 57.6, 32-42 .. I don't think so.

So it seems like a new companion will appear by itself.
I have the same thing with jobs, the work always finds me - a cool feeling

 

[flashlight]

Chronic pet caretaker - guilty as charged, but on a very very small scale. I fantacize about getting a huge piece of land and taking in the abandonned, maimed and ill. Need to win the lotto first (fat chance).

Thank you for taking the time to do those readings, very kind of you. Funny how some point to my whacky sense a cat will just show up (it better be a good fit with the dog and my lifestyle!!).
What were you thinking of when you asked "pursue other things"?
What kind of work do you do (if that's not indiscrete)?

 

[Tim K]

Pursue other things? Well it's just what I said earlier - move on from cats. Find a human companion, or a hobby I don't know.

I'm going through 36 period of my life, not really having a job.
Mainly I do software programming, web-sites, php/js, was a car driver on occasion (taxi and delivery), a construction worker, en-ru translation, computer service/upgrade/assembly.
Took care of an ill kitten for a month while the owner went away on holiday

I dream of having a piece of land of my own too, there I could have pets, and a horse or a camel would be nice Keeping pet in a flat is just not for me, it's unnatural, like a jail for them.

There are pet shelters/sanctuaries across the world, at least I have seen some on BBC, in Australia taking care of kangaroos and sloths (babies who lost their mother, roadkills ). They do have land of their own, and caretaker(s) just lives there.

 

[flashlight]

Pursue other things? Well it's just what I said earlier - move on from cats. Find a human companion, or a hobby I don't know.

And the toss you made suggested not! So we'll see what happens.

I dream of having a piece of land of my own too, there I could have pets, and a horse or a camel would be nice Keeping pet in a flat is just not for me, it's unnatural, like a jail for them.

There are pet shelters/sanctuaries across the world, at least I have seen some on BBC, in Australia taking care of kangaroos and sloths (babies who lost their mother, roadkills ). They do have land of their own, and caretaker(s) just lives there.

Depends on the cat, some are not that keen on going outside. And for dogs, contrary to popular belief, as long as they get the exercise they need, the most important thing for them is to be with their human. A dog left outside in a big yard will be less content than one living in a flat with a human who pays the right amount of attention to him.

And while there are sanctuaries and shelters around the world, there are not enough. As long as humans either a) continue to hunt for money and species become extinct or b) are irresponsible, dont sterilize their pets and let them breed, shelters will always be full of abandonned and abused animals.

 

[Trojina]

After responding to Dive00's thread about her dog, I asked Yi: HOW will I know when the time is right to get a cat/kitten?
53.1.6 to 63
Goodness, what a contradictory answer to the previous readings...

It's important to scale answers to the size of the question. If we don't do this we'll think if we take some relatively minor action great misfortune will arrive if we do x, y or z (if we get a less 'positive' Yi answer). So simply with common sense you know that no great catastrophe will result from you getting a cat. I'd think the 44.5 showed the arrival of one unbidden ! And lets face it that is how they often arrive.

I think you could well over think this. Getting a cat/kitten is something you can already see the pros and cons of. Hence if you don't get one well you made a rational reasoned decision not to get one (15.3) which does not mean 'don't get one' IMO

I think if we don't scale answers to the size of the question or if we put ordinary human sense to the side too much using the I Ching can actually get in the way which I think it is here.


If you want to get a cat there is no reason not to other than your own concerns about how practical it will be in your life

and yet I know getting another animal would complicate an already pretty complicated life. Being "sensible" has rarely been the path chosen when my heart/gut want to go in the opposite direction!!

Your 53.1.6>63 kind of says to me you already thought this through and decided you want one. So go ahead and get one if you want unless you have reservations about the practicalities of caring for it of course.

You might ask if you are able to accommodate another cat now ?' or something like that which deals with your own practical concerns than putting it all on a more esoteric level if you see what I mean. Oh I see you got 7uc for something similar...well a kitten is certainly a project so I think that's what 7uc shows here. Be prepared.


None of your casts have said 'do not get a cat'

For example, the casts this morning:
- Why am I so preoccupied with getting a cat? 44.4.5>18
- How will I be if I DONT get a cat? 15.3>2
- What effect would getting a cat have on our lives? 7 UC (to similar questions, I've gotten 51/ 9/10 variants previously.)

So your 44.4.5>18 was a complex question about your wish for a cat, why you want a cat. So the answer is not strictly about getting a cat just your wish for it. Hard to say how to see that except the 18 might show you wanting to remedy the lack of a cat due to the death of the last one. That's a pretty natural reason to want to get a cat ! As I and others have said the 44.5 does look a bit like one just turning up or you coming across one you cannot resist.

 

[Trojina]

Like this one




looks a bit like a melon fallen from heaven

 

[flashlight]

Oh too too cute!!!! I'll add him to my list As for cats I can't resist, there are very few indeed. Which is why looking at shelter sites has been driving me nuts, choosing is impossible (unless some clairvoyant person could spot just THE kitten that would have ALL the attributes to make this adoption a breeze). I've never had to choose, they show up. And they are usually a handfull...So it's 3 for 3 thinking a cat (or SOMETHING) is going to pop up in my life as unexpectedly as this yen for a kitten.

You are right, of course Trojan (sorry, Trojina, gotta get used to that...) - we need to scale and I need to not over think

 

[flashlight]

This is funny, and a good test for Yi.

A friend of mine is crossing the ocean to come visit soon. She is very frequently a foster "mom" to abandonned kittens, raises them and socializes them until they are ready to find a permanent home. I quipped she should bring me one and she wrote back saying there is a little black and white female in a litter of males. The regulations and timing thereof are so strict that the likelihood this could even be remotely possible is under 1% (and who'd want to complicate travel by bringing a baby cat along). This was a one shot exchange, we've not spoken about it again and it was no longer in my mind.
Since all are basically in agreement that if there is a new cat in my life, it will just show up, I asked Yi last night HOW this four-paws might show up. Answer 56 UC traveling... We'll know September 1.

 

[flashlight]

Follow up... My friend wrote saying the black and white female couldn't fulfill the international pet travel requirements but that she had for the past month or so a 4 month old little black one that was the friendliest kitten (and dog lover) she ever had and she heartily recommended her as the absolute right fit. She wanted to bring it over and queried me on traveling with a cat (she's never done so, I have a lot). I was thrilled.
But she'd already booked her ticket... She's on British Airways...One of the rare airlines that prohibits pets in the cabin (save for emotional support animals). (Expletive) them! No way I'd let an animal travel as cargo, too risky no matter the reassurance airlines provide.
Don't know if she has a reimbursable ticket to change airlines or not.... Not daring to toss to see what Yi thinks of this new twist..