We found a local Pixie Bob breeder - that's Zeus's breed. She told us her star cats were about to have a litter, so we waited for what seemed like forever, but was actually only a few months, and finally we went to her house & picked Zeus out. Of course, Zeus was quite the ideal Pixie Bob & came with a mighty steep price tag. But, we paid it because he was the BEST CAT EVER!
Zeus was more like a puppy than a kitten when we brought him home. He was not shy at all around Romie. He loved car rides, and fetching toys, loved to play in water, he would always sit on the bathtub ledge & hang out with me as I showered. Sometimes he'd even jump in! And even though we purchased that particular breed for Brandon's benefit, Zeus quickly became my cat.
He snuggled with me & purred so loud. He slept with me every night, cuddled next to me with his paws around my neck. He'd even lick my face to bathe me if he felt I needed a little extra help washing my face. Either that, or he just really likes the taste of moisturizer. Zeus was part of my nightly routine.
Then...I got pregnant with a "real" baby. And the cat we were most worried about was Romie. Zeus is so laid back, I never even thought he might have an issue with the baby on the way. When I was about 8 months pregnant, we started putting the cats out of our room periodically, to get them used to the idea. Zeus suddenly started meowing his head off in the middle of the night like something was seriously troubling him. So, since it was about time for his annual exam anyway, I took him to the vet. After a few tests, and about $250, the vet diagnosed him with a condition known as a "diva attitude". Yeah, that's right, Zeus was sensing that he was being pushed out & he was throwing a hissy fit! So, we gave him some extra attention, and an extra meal at night & he seemed content.
Then, the baby came. And honestly, it changed my entire perspective on my kitties. They were no longer my babies, because I had a real baby. The cats were more - dirty things that could give my baby disease or scratch her, or would get their nasty hairs on her clothes & blankets. Slowly, I've warmed back up to the cats. However Zeus, has never warmed up to Abigail. When she was 1 month old, he started acting strange. He'd never had people food, or even wanted it, and suddenly we'd find a stick of butter with a hole bit out of it, or a chunk missing out of the pie dough, I'd catch him eating leftover scrambled eggs straight out of the pan. We realized he was feeling neglected & as most Americans do, he was eating to comfort himself. Again, I tried giving him some extra attention & food. He seemed to get a little better.
Then, about 3 months ago, Abigail started crawling. And when the crawling started, obviously that meant chasing the kittties! That's when Zeus lost his marbles. He freaked out & has been basically throwing a tantrum ever since! I took him to the vet a couple weeks ago because everything we've tried just isn't working. Another $250 later, the vet told us to give him a 2nd cat box, 2nd type of litter, his own "safe zone" where the baby can't get him, etc. We did everything she said. We were even considering putting him on Xanax (but were holding off, because I'm not a fan of this idea). He seemed to be doing a lot better with the changes. But at the same time, I went on vacation with Abby, then we went away for a long weekend...so I think things were improving, but maybe only because Abigail was out of the house. As soon as we came back from our trips, Zeus went back to his bad behavior again.
And that's when I kicked him out! That's when my fur baby became just a cat & I decided he must go. He's never been outdoors, so when Brandon came home the other night & found Zeus on the front porch, he knew something was wrong. I'd just had it. That was the last straw. I've been trying for a year to help this cat adjust to the new baby & it's obvious he just isn't taking it well & might never be ok with Abigail. So, after 6 years, we are going to find Zeus a new home. Hopefully, he can find a good home with no babies or young children, where he can again be the baby of the family & he will then be back to his great, awesome, loving kitty self. I'm really going to miss him. The old Zeus was awesome! The new one kinda sucks though. Poor guy. :( And I'm at peace with my decision. It's clear that he's pretty miserable right now, and I truly believe he'll be happy again in a new living environment. Sigh...I am still going to miss him though.
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