What’s it like to be a cat lady who loses a beloved feline friend, then falls in love with another cat again? It’s weird. And wonderful. I lost my kitty BFF last year and wasn’t sure I’d ever find another cat to love and share my life with, but I eventually did, and it happened when I least expected it.
I wondered if I’d ever have room in my heart ❤️ for another feline friend after Tabs passed away last year (it’ll be a year ago this Sunday), and it turns out there was. Getting to know our new Rosie girl has been both weird and wonderful.
When she came to live with us last fall, the logical part of my brain understood that she was a completely different cat than Tabs was and would logically have a different personality. I knew that was the case, but I didn’t really know it for a few months.
I get to know her a little more each day, and each day I fall a little more in love with her.
For starters, she’s the most talkative cat I’ve ever known. Hands down. From the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep at night, if Rosie’s nearby, she’s talking about something.
It’s a constant stream of chatty kitty meows. Clearly, she has a lot of strong ideas, and she likes to share them with others.
She also has a preternatural knack for getting underfoot.
It’s her superpower.
She knows exactly where to position her nine-pound body precisely where your next footstep is going to land. IT’S THE WEIRDEST THING, and it has made going up and down the stairs a somewhat perilous activity. I feel like I’m in a real life Super Mario Brothers game (don’t fall in the lava!). Tabs never did that. Even though he was larger than life at nearly 20 pounds, he always found a way to prance elegantly from one place to the next, but Rosie on the other hand is always exactly in a spot that forces you to teeter on the edge of near death! I don’t think she’s trying to purposefully take me out…but the jury is still out. LOL.
She’s much less of a thug than Tabs, that’s for sure. She has a sweet, tender girl energy and doesn’t do any of the @sshole cat things Tabs used to do (like taking a nap in a high traffic doorway to show you who’s boss). Instead, she’ll daintily press a “test paw” into your lap when she wants lurvies or wait for an invitational “here-kitty-kitty” before she gets up in your space.
One of her nicknames is “baby” because she lets us hold her and hug her in the crook of our arms like a little infant. And before we go to bed every night she lets El Hub carry her up the stairs in his arms… Tabs only let me do that once or twice the entire time we lived with each other.
Speaking of the bed, she’s there when I fall asleep and there first thing in the morning, but only if she hasn’t settled down on Connor’s bed first. That, too, is different than Tabs. He would usually do a drive-by for 10 minutes right before we went to sleep, and then he’d leave to pursue whatever other activities cats do in a dark house in the middle of the night.
Not to say that Rosie doesn’t have a little bit of thug life in her, because one thing she isn’t dainty about is food. She might be a svelte nine pounds, but homegirl loves to eat. She’s opportunistic when it comes to snacking, and if you leave a plate of food on the counter or a table, she’ll take a nibble without a second thought. You can’t even leave a glass of water out, either! We’ve caught her dipping her paws into glasses and taking sips out of people’s tea and juice multiple times.
And I’ve never met a cat so crazy about balls! She keeps a collection of soft balls to stalk all over the house, and whenever she hunts one down, she carries it around and moans and meows so that everyone knows that she’s caught her prey. It’s the funniest thing.
To my cat ladies currently living without a kitty companion, a feline friend will find you soon. I just know it.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Really sweet to read this about life with Rosie. ❤️
Thank you, Jaclyn!
She tastes juice even? Ha! She sounds very loving and sincere. Makes me smile just thinking about Miss Rosie.
This cat will try anything and EVERYTHING. I don’t understand how she’s so small, LOL! 🙂
Rosie seems like such a sweetie! And such a beautiful girl! I know how hard it was losing your beloved Tabs. My husband and I lost two of our cast last year as well. One in February and in March. Although they are no longer with us physically, they will always live in our memories and our hearts. Rosie is a lucky girl to have found such a loving home!
You’re so right, Lisa. They’ll always be with us in our memories. I see Tabs in every sunset, every rainbow… He’s always with me, and your kitties are always with you. Sending you such a big hug!
Aww we! How wonderful! She’s a real beauty, too. It looks like she has leopard spots!
After my first malamute died and I was ready for another dog, I deliberately looked for one who didn’t look like her because I didn’t want to look at a new dog and be reminded of the other one or her personality because I wanted to appreciate my new dog for who she was/is. And she is so different! When she was little, one of her nicknames was “Little Monster”!! She’s more mellow now 9 years later, but still quite an individual in her own right. Amazing how we can find room in our hearts to love ❤️❤️❤️
Ahh, I love that nickname! 🙂
Aw, Karen, I teared up reading this! I am so happy for you. I lost my BFF kitty, Salem, just a few months before you lost your Tabs. I remember reading your post and bawling my eyes out because I felt it so much – that loss. I get it. Salem was my BFF for 18 years. I, too, felt like I would never find another cat I could open my heart up to again. I felt like there was no way I could ever be a pet owner again, truth be told, because I couldn’t handle another loss like that. But of course, life has a way of way of forcing you to open your heart again. There were 2 stray brothers hanging around my dad’s place last summer, about 1 year old. They had been coming around for several weeks. When the shelters wouldn’t take them because they were all too full, I decided, hesitantly, to go and meet them. Just to see. I ended up taking them both home. I saved them from a life on the streets and they saved me from many, many months of serious depression and a broken heart. It’s such a strange feeling when you are getting to know a new cat. Like you said, you know they’re not going to be like your last cat but it’s still difficult to adapt. I still miss Salem every day of my life, and I miss his level of affection because my new boys cannot compete with how affectionate Salem was. But there are wonderful things about my current boys that are so different from Salem and wonderful to discover. I hope you continue having fun discovering Rosie’s quirks and personality. So glad your heart can be a bit fuller now with her in your life! 🙂 <3
You made me tear up a little, too, Ash. I’m happy for you and your kitty boys. Hugs and love to all of you.
I haven’t had a cat who let me carry them around like a baby in a long, long, long time. Probably 20 years.
I, too, have a talkative cat. Her birth name is Montechio but we’ve shortened it to “little miss” or “little sister.” I love a chatty cat.
I’m glad to hear Rosie is getting her vitamins. I had a cat growing up who adored pineapple. It was the 70’s so pineapple cake was on point. He would dig right in if we weren’t looking. He would drink pineapple juice too.
How are you guys handling the whole staying home thing?
It’s been challenging, but we’re hanging in there. How are you handling things?
The same, we’re hanging in there. Trying to take it one day at a time and practice gratitude. We have a lot to be thankful for.
In the beginning, a few weeks ago, both the husband and I were having nightmares about the outbreak but those seem to have subsided–knock on wood.
But, I worry how this is going to affect the children–the young ones like Connor and the older ones, like my son, who’s going to turn 17 in the middle of all this.
My 17 was so carefree–you know?
Yes, there’s lots to be grateful for, even with the uncertainty hanging over all of us. I try to remind myself of this all day long.
Awww she sounds like a great cat! I’m glad you have a cat in the house while raising your daughter, I think it teaches kids to be gentle and have empathy. We always had cats growing up and I don’t think I’ll ever be without one!
Yes, for sure. We even tell Connor she’s Rosie’s “big sister,” so she has to care for her and be gentle with her. 🙂
Rosie sounds so sweet! I love that she stays in your bed.
She’s a love bug!
Tabs would be so happy that you’ve found love again!
We currently have five cats, and five pugs, and they’ve all come at the right time. I didn’t go looking for them, they came to me. That’s how it should be.
That IS how it should be. ❤️
Rosie sounds like such a little lady! My little girl cat, Sassy, loves beverages too, which is why I now drink out of those thermal plastic glasses with the lids and the straws, or the metal thermal cups with the “sippy cup” lid on them. Sassy loves the little fuzzy pom poms you get by the bag at the craft store. When she wants attention, she walks around with them in her mouth and meows just like Rosie! When we had to have our laundry room floor replaced several years ago, we found about 20 of those balls under the washing machine! They definitely have their own personalities. I am so glad you found Rosie to love!
You’re so smart, Daphne! I might just start using Connor’s sippy cups, because the other day, I caught Rosie about to drink my milky tea…
I love the orange rosettes in her coat in that last picture. She sure is pretty. I know she can’t take the place of Tabs, but it seems like she’s filling a niche in your household.
When Dear Daughter still lived with us her cat Nibbler used to be famous for getting under foot, particularly on the stairs. After a few really scary interactions, I taught myself to sweep the next stair with my free foot/leg to make sure there was no cat there, if I had to go up and down the stairs at night or with arms full of laundry.
That’s smart to do a stair sweep! I’m going to start doing that, otherwise I may end up in a full body cast. LOL!
It’s no joke. I fell a couple of stairs over Nibbler. The mom of one of Dear Daughter’s friends tripped down the stairs over their cat or dog and ended up with a broken ankle or foot and having to have vertebrae in her neck fused. She can no longer wear high heels. Sigh.
I loved learning more about Rosie! She sounds so sweet and fun. I love that she makes noises while carrying toys in her mouth. None of my cats did that until we got Louis. He has a rabbit that’s his favorite toy and he’ll meow and carry it in his mouth up to the bedroom when we’re ready to turn in for the night. Max does that too with a mouse toy.
I love how cats all have different personalities. They are so fun! And I love her fur pattern and color. So pretty!
I love it too. It’s been such a joy getting to know her!
Are all your fur babies getting along these days?
They mostly get along, but I have to break up some fights every now and then. Nina pretty hates everyone but Louis. 🙂
Hope you and the family are staying safe and healthy!
They sound like siblings alright! 🙂
We’re staying healthy, knock on wood. The shelter-in-place has been extended until May.
How are things for you? Are you working from home?
Glad to hear you’re all healthy! Our shelter in place is until May as well. I’m very thankful I’ve been able to work from home, but it’s been a bit of an adjustment. I think I’m getting in a groove.
I had to make a quick stop at Target and it was a ghost town. Very strange. But they were restocking TP, so that’s some good news!
Ya know, I REALLY miss Target! I miss being able to run into there, all carefree, and buy whatever nonsense I didn’t need…
Did you have to go there a few times to find the TP? That’s what people have to do here.
Yep, the TP aisle was empty for a couple of weeks. Luckily before everything happened, I had gone to Costco and got a giant pack of TP.
Target is usually my happy place to go and wander around, but I just went in for a few things and got out quickly. It was so quiet and somber. In a way it’s easier to stay home, because going out and seeing things so empty is unsettling. Anyway, just taking it one day at a time!
She is so pretty! Her fur markings and her eyes….I am so glad you shared more about her, it’s so fun getting to know her personality. She’s a sweetie chatterer! Love when they just HAVE to tell you what’s on their mind ? I mostly have had male kitties and had 1 female and she didn’t do @#$hole things either! I laughed at that one..
Isn’t that funny?! El Hub and I noticed the energy shift immediately. It’s so weird living with a cat who isn’t constantly abusing you. I guess I got used to Tabs doing so many obnoxious things, LOL!
Thank you for this article about Rosie. I am in need of a kitty companion. Our Persian cat Smokey passed back in October of 2014. Then our cat, Shoshi that we fostered for 3 and a half years, was taken for dental surgery and never returned to us. That was a year ago on April 1st. It’s been really sad for us. We’re really looking forward to adopting a kitty in the near future. It really would do our family some good.
Sherry, I’m so sorry for your losses. It’s so hard and I know the ache you feel.
I hope that you and your family find space for a new fur friend in the near future. There’s a kitty out there waiting to find you guys!
This made me so joyful! I followed Sundays with Tabs for years and literally cried (I’m a cat lady) when he passed. I’m so happy that Rosie found her forever home and that you found yourself a serious snuggle-puss.
Oh, mkdallas. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for loving him as much as I did (and still do)!
Rosie has been such a blessing for our home. I so glad to have found her.
Hugs to you!
Love this!! I struggled with the different personality thing when I got my dog but he’s just the best. Isn’t it funny that the weird things they do are the also the best things they do? Not the case with humans usually…..lol!
Yes, that’s so true! LOL!
I’m glad you have a doggie friend to share your life with. 🙂
Thank you for telling us about her! She’s such a beauty. Jiji let’s us hold him like a baby too, it’s so sweet. Hettie very much does not like when we pick her brother up, she gets very concerned.
Her coloring is so beautiful.
Isn’t that so nice? I love being able to cradle the “littles.” 🙂 Jiji is a sweetpea!
He’s been sitting in my lap a lot while I read at home during social distancing, which is really nice.
Rosie is such a cute addition to your family. May you have many beautiful memories with her.??
I am so happy to read this! I also teared up a little! I knew you would fall in love with Rosie Posie and am looking forward to her showing up in future posts. Like you, it takes me a while to fall head over heels in love with my kitties. I’ve had Thomas (T-Bone, Mayhem, etc.-he has too many nicknames to list here) for 3 years now but I had been w/o a kitty for 6+ years, so it was love at first sight with the T-Man. Rosie is a beautiful girl and I wish you years of kitty love! xoxoxo
While I was still a hospital nurse my fellow IV team nurse was caring for her very ill cat .
He made a turn for the worse and there she was helping to insert an iv into his tiny arm,
I never forgot that image and my friends love for her tabby ❤️?
I’m so happy for you and for sweet Rosie! It’s hard to lose a beloved feline friend, and I’m glad your heart has healed enough to open to a new darling companion. ?
Rosie seems adorable! I know the weirdness of having a new feline friend. After we lost Odin and we got Ragnar, it still feels strange to love someone new. I still love Odin too – it seems there’s room for them both!