During the days spent with Shidan, the Siamese cat, there have been warmth and joy, as well as numerous regrets and lessons. These experiences have not only deepened my understanding of cat – raising but also hope to serve as a warning and inspiration for other cat owners, helping them avoid common pitfalls on their cat – raising journey.
The decision I regret the most is having Shidan spayed too early. At that time, I blindly followed online advice and took it to the vet for spaying right after its first heat cycle. In hindsight, this decision was overly hasty. I’ve come to realize that it might have been a significant factor contributing to its poor reproductive development, and the subsequent frequent urinary obstruction issues may well be related to this premature procedure. During Shidan’s heat period, I indeed endured a great deal of trouble. Every night, it would meow incessantly, the sharp and persistent sound making it impossible to sleep.
Moreover, it urinated everywhere, and I couldn’t keep up with changing the bed sheets. Due to lack of sleep, I even suffered from acute eye inflammation, with large blisters forming on my eyelids, which severely affected my work and caused inconvenience to my colleagues and superiors. However, whenever I see Shidan in pain due to health problems, overwhelming guilt washes over me. I regret not waiting longer for it to mature before the surgery, perhaps then it could have avoided so much suffering. Now, although Shidan no longer experiences urinary obstruction, it still doesn’t like drinking water. To ensure it gets enough hydration, I’ve resorted to placing numerous water bowls around the house and coaxing it to drink, a challenging task known only to those who’ve been in similar situations.
In the process of raising Shidan, I’ve also encountered many “pitfalls.” When it comes to the choice of the litter box, after getting used to an open – style one, Shidan simply refused to use a closed – type litter box. Initially, I thought a closed litter box would better contain the odor, so I replaced it, but Shidan resisted strongly and even avoided using it. This taught me that what matters most is what suits the cat, rather than our own assumptions.
There have been numerous lessons in cat toys and supplies as well. Various cat tunnels and beds initially caught Shidan’s attention, but its interest quickly waned. The cat tunnel, if put away, it might still explore occasionally; if left out, it took up a lot of space and hindered daily activities. In contrast, a simple “cave” structure propped up by legs attracted it more. In terms of cat food selection, I’ve made my fair share of mistakes. I once bought some popular brands recommended online, but Shidan turned its nose up at them. Brands like Yanxuan, Nourse, and Orijen failed to win its favor. Later, I learned that it’s best to choose cat food made from fresh or raw meat, and imported brands generally offer more reliable quality. Additionally, toys such as wind – up chickens, plain springs, pom – poms, silent bouncy balls, and jingle balls failed to spark Shidan’s interest. The plain spring toy was not only unappealing but also made a lot of noise, potentially disturbing the neighbors downstairs. Catnip tea bags and silvervine sticks had no effect on Shidan, proving to be “money – wasting gimmicks.” The spray cat comb was inconvenient to use, far less practical than an ordinary pressing – type hair – removing comb. All the clothes and hats I bought for Shidan were not only disliked but also quickly shed within seconds. The automatic water dispenser, despite its convenience in theory, was a complete flop as Shidan ignored it. My attempt to keep goldfish in a tank at home was also a disaster. It was unhygienic, the goldfish kept dying, and when Shidan drank the water from the tank, it vomited, making the whole endeavor a costly mistake.
These regrets and “pitfalls” are the “tuition fees” I paid during the process of raising Shidan. The journey of cat – raising is never smooth sailing; it requires continuous learning and experience – gathering. I hope my experiences can offer some help to other cat owners. May every kitten grow up healthy and happy under the loving care of its owner, filling the time spent together with love and warmth.
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