No Room in the Inn

About 15 years ago I got a cat.  About 12 years ago I got another cat.  T.J. and Elliot. 

I don't care much for Elliot, good or bad, we never really connected.  I have always said she is T.J.'s cat.  But, oh I loved T.J., he was everything and more to me.  He was my dog cat.  We snuggled all night, he even had his own spot on the bed.  Everyone who met him loved him.  He ran away once.  I thought for sure I was going to die.  I cried for HOURS.  For those same hours, my family was out looking for him in the dead of winter.  They were planning what to do to replace him, even having secret meetings about what to do for me.  Therapy perhaps.  Greg never gave up.  It didn't matter, he came back, on his own, walked through the door and started eating.  That was a bad night. 

And now, forward 15 years from that Christmas when my little buddy came into my life, and they live in the garage.  

There is only so much one human can take when tormented by one cat. There is only so much pee NEXT to the box that one can take.  I tried.  Goodness knows I have tried.  For 12 years (yes, about the time his cat arrived), T.J. has peed on the outside of his box.  I have tried big boxes, multiple boxes, clean boxes, full boxes, clumping litter, crystals, garbage  bags under the box, puppy pads under the box.  I have tried it all.  It didn't help when T.J. went to the vet last year and following a geriatric workup, I was informed he was as healthy as a 2 year-old cat.  He may live forever!!

Having kids has made it that much harder to deal with the cats.  I maintain that it is much harder to love your pet(s) after you have kids.  My cat was replaced with kids.  ( I swore I wouldn't do it, I swore that it would be impossible). 

One day it was too much.  Cat pee on the outside of the box, litter in my laundry room, rocks sticking to my feet, etc., it was more than I could handle.  One sunny day in January, Owen and I moved them to the garage.  Boxes, food, cat tree and cats - gone. 

Life is good.  They had to go.  And actually, they are fine. Dare I say maybe even happy? 

And oh how things have changed.  Now when T.J. heads outside, there are no tears.  Now days, running away is ok. In fact, we even encourage it.