Daisy Girl

 

About six years ago, my mom adopted a rescue cat. Her name is Daisy. I got to know her slowly, when I would visit my mom at her home in South Florida. Daisy was shy, skittish really. We did not know her history but we knew she was very slow to warm up, almost afraid, leaving us to wonder if someone hurt her. Over time, she got to know me and would cautiously come within few feet and on rare occasions I could pet her head.

Soon after Daisy was adopted, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and I spent extended time in Florida. This allowed Daisy and I to get to know each other better. Then a year later, my mom became very ill. I ended up in Florida for sixteen days. I was home alone with Daisy, while my mom was in the hospital and then rehab. It was just Daisy Girl and I each day and night. By the end of that stay, she was sleeping in the bed with me. Daisy was happy when mom was able to return home but I could tell she had become used to me being there as well, as she did not run away so easily.

Last year, starting in January, my mother started to decline quickly. I returned from Uganda/Rwanda early March and within 3 days was headed to South Florida. Mom was in the hospital and Daisy was on her own for about two weeks (the neighbor came in daily to take care of her and say hi but she was essentially alone). I knew when I got there that she was happy for company because almost immediately she let herself get closer to me, meowing, before running away.

Over the next months, I was back and forth to Florida almost monthly. Mom, who was so ill, we were not sure if she would recover, was in the hospital and rehab more than she was home. That meant Daisy Girl was often alone. We started to look for a home for her. My mom asked me to take her but we have 4 other cats. Adding one more was not going to work. We asked friends and family, to no avail. Daisy needed  a safe space with someone who would understand her need for gentleness and there was no good options in Florida.

Over the next couple of months,  as I was back and forth and Daisy and I bonded. When I was not there, the neighbor would watch her but she was mostly on her own and that was heartbreaking. I learned she has sweet nature and is very gentle. She made for good company.

Eventually a friend here in California said they could take her. We were all relived. By then, I had found a place to move mom (ALF), as she could no longer be on her own. Daisy could go with her but a small room, in that setting would be ideal for her. So at the end of April, I returned again to Florida, got mom moved into her new home, purchased a cat carrier, got a prescription for trazodone from the vet and off Daisy Girl went on her first plane ride to her new home. We would not be going to our home but a home she would do well in and where I could visit her.

Well....when we arrived at SFO, I learned that Daisy was not going to that other home. "Oh!" I thought, I guess she will come to our house until I figure out what to do.

Well, that was almost a a year ago. Daisy came home and within a couple of weeks I knew I could not part with her. She was scared and skittish and having bonded with me over the past several years, helped her adjust and feel safe. Most of the cats got used to her, with the exception of Kai, who with his little self felt like he had to act like the alpha male. He still harasses her but we have all grown to love Ms. Daisy Girl and protect her from his aggressiveness.

Other than Kai, Daisy seems happy in her new California home. She likes to go out on the balcony and sleep in the sun or watch the birds. She sleeps in the bed with us and when you pet her, she purrs loudly. We facetime mom so she can see Daisy. I think that kind of confuses her but she recognizes her voice and it makes mom happy to know her girl is content. 

Now we are family of 5 cats. It's a bit much at times but hey, what else could we have done. And Daisy has good company in the 3 out of the 4 others. Rio and Daisy play chase. She seems to have a crush on Samson and Simba, well he barely notices her but at least he is neutral! She is the only girl in a house of 4 male cats and even though this was not how we envisioned things turning out, Ms. Daisy Girl is here to stay.

At Nana's place, slowly warming up!

Living the good life in California!