BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids A maternal moment please...

I have been sooo maternal today :-) When we got home last night, Phoebe (wee cat) was not looking good - she was limping, and curled up quietly in a far corner of the house - seemed sad and in pain. This morning before I went to work she was having some food and drink I took her, and came out to the garden with me, but then went straight back to her quiet corner. I was worried about her all morning at work, so came home early, and found her under the bed looking really miserable. That's when my maternal instinct kicked in. I took her straight to the vet, who checked her over and determined nothing is broken, and gave her painkillers and antibiotics - thinks it may be a sprain.

I can't believe how protective I feel. And so proud of her for behaving well at the vet and purring at me when she came home (not hating me). And it breaks my heart to see her in pain.

Who said the CF are not maternal?!

See? You'd make such a good mother!

Sorry, couldn't resist... Seriously now, your cat is very lucky to have such a loving, caring owner. I hope she gets well soon!

Thanks Manatee. I think all the pets on this forum are pretty lucky, don't you? The best owners, and no kids around!

Tee hee - a good simple response for that bingo could be "Yes, I know. I'd make a great mother. But I don't want to be one. And I don't plan to be one." (The bingo game has gotten me honed...)

I agree. If there is reincarnation and I come back as a pet, I definitely want to be in a CF household. Can animals be CF too?

Well, yes, Phoebe is CF! But I guess you couldn't really call it "by choice" !!

Yes, I think I will come back as Myrabeth's cat (always seems to be lying in a chair). Or Cherry Red's dog (because she's kind and her dogs are an integral part of the family). Or Frieda's goose (because it lives in a cool place and is safe).

I am soooo procrastinating, it's appalling. I came home early from work to take Phoebe to the vet and brought home all this work to do. DH is away overnight for work and I appear to have no self control whatsoever. I have just posted to the forum all night long and eaten spring rolls for dinner.

Self control? No, that's freedom - you CAN sit on the Forum and have spring rolls for dinner and no need to feel guilty! That's what I love about being CF - the freedom to be spontaneous...
I love the comment made by Ingilbert (I think) that some nights she has trail mix for dinner!
I'm very caring of animals and people (most anyway) - I think some people assume the CF are hard, self absorbed and uncaring people - nothing could be further from the truth...
Hope Phoebe is feeling better soon...
I recall when our second Siamese was dying from cancer - I spent a night on the sofa with him - kept the open fire burning all night and just comforted him - he wasn't in pain - my sister planned to examine him again in the morning and make a decision about euthanasia - turned out he had an infection and went on to have another 4 symptom-free months...

Feebee,

Oh, poor little Phoebe. My heart hurts when I see animals in pain. I'd do anything to take it away. I totally understand your worry. Of course you couldn't work knowing she was at home in pain! Please let us know how she's doing.

Last month we came home and found our Lulu's eye completely swollen shut! Two weeks later she was limping! (Lulu's the big white, gentle bulldog. She hasn't enjoyed 2008 so far.) In both instances, I too, felt like her mother.

With her eye, it was close to closing time for our vet, so we got out the phone book and found three that were open a little later to try to avoid the 24 hour emergency vet which is father away. In all three instances, the offices were closed or a vet wasn't there (even though their yellow page ad said they were open.) I was INFURIATED. How dare they?

Granted, my husband had gotten home first, and I didn't realize he had only circled the ads in the phone book and not called them, but still. If you place an ad saying you're open, you should be open!

Anyway, it hurt me so much to see her in pain. Like a child, she doesn't know why she's hurting. It was amazing to me how loving and good natured she was as we dragged her from (closed) vet to (closed) vet until an hour and a half later we ended up at the emergecy vet where she wagged her tail and gave her big, silly grin and the vet proclaimed "what a good girl!" I, too, was proud. If i was her, with my eye swollen shut, I'd feel like biting someone or I'd at least be grumpy. But not her.

Oh, I'm maternal all right. Maternal about people & animals in need and those I love. I've just never felt the desire to be maternal over my own child.

I am very maternal and nurturing, and I breathe a sigh of relief that I don't have children because it would be too emotional draining for me.

My cat had a problem last month, and as I was taking him to the vet - I had a panic attack.
I have been dealing with my dog's illness for six years and it is stressful. My pets are definitely my children - they aren't any less loved than a child would be. They receive a lot of love and nurturing from me just as if I were their mother.
I don't know too many women as nurturing as myself!

These stories are bringing a tear to my eye. It's true, all they ask is that we love them and they reward us by purring or whatever, even through their pain. I love my cats!!

I am always SO proud when my kitties behave themselves at the vet. They are so cute, the way they sniff around on the table and poke around in the little containers there (the vet has treats in jars on the table).

I know what you mean - I am so proud when my pets behave well at the vet. I had a cat as a child that was terrible at the vet - she had "warning" on her chart.
It feels so good when I see the pets I have now being good when they are examined - I feel just like a proud parent!
We ALL here are really nurturing.