If you follow me on instagram you may have already seen this, but just in case you don’t…Rolly has been having a really hard time with the new kitten (who is now larger than the dog and has no clue how strong he is, as he seems to be teething on everything and everyone). This is happening at the same time that Hailey has moved into a new place to start their pharmacy doctorate, and they’re only an hour away from us but they are still very lonely, so they decided that Rolly should come and live with them. This is actually a wonderful idea, and technically Rolly is Hailey’s cat (which explains why Rolly has a normal name instead of a pun name, because that’s what happens when you let your 2-year-old name their cat) so it feels very normal but almost incredibly unnatural because Rolly has lived with me for over 20 years.
A few days ago I took her over to Hailey’s, thinking that she’d probably hide in a corner of the guest bedroom where I was going to spend the night and stay with her until she felt safe, but within 20 minutes she was meowing insistently at the door and confidently explored the rest of the place (probably just to make sure there weren’t any kittens waiting to attack her). She was fascinated with the pigeons (currently making a nest on the balcony) and the sunbeams to sleep in.
Rolly is the most haughty of all of our cats. Removed. Judgy. She might sit near you on a rare occasion, but won’t sit on your lap. She likes her solitary living and tends to stay in rooms where she can be alone. A few times a day when she wants love she will demand it and will purr like mad, but as soon as she’s done you better stop or she will make you stop. Sort of a perfect match for Hailey, living alone in their apartment and spending so many nights studying.
I was not prepared for the fact that Rolly would instantly transform into a cat who wanted to sleep in a bed, or jumped up on the couch to sit with Hailey and I while we watched tv. I’ve never seen Rolly sleep overnight on a bed in my life but suddenly she is the snuggliest thing. Perhaps some of this is a little fear of being in a new place, but I suspect that more likely she just never spent a ton of time sitting right next to us because she lightly despises all other animals. She is so enjoying being an only child that it’s like she’s on vacation, or in a lush cat-retirement home.
It hurts my heart a little be away from her, but Hailey keeps sending me pictures of her cuddled up in bed as they study into the night. Hailey has surrounded her with toys (which she promptly ignored) and treats (which she is loving) and Hailey is massaging special balms onto her toe beans, and gently grooming her with a steam brush, and just generally pampering the shit out of her. They just ordered a set of cat stairs because “she shouldn’t have to jump into bed at her age, mom.” I suspect soon they will be wearing Rolly in a baby harness.
In short, I think this will work out just fine.
Even if I miss them both so much it hurts a little.
PS. I know what you’re going to say….now I need another kitten. And I would agree, except that Rolly is 20 and it’s possible that in the future she might need special care that Hailey can’t give (because they’re in school during the day) and I don’t want to risk Rolly having to come back and deal with two rambunctious babies and a dog. But, man I am tempted.
This is a different topic, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from you, it’s to digress without caring. If I move into a retirement home, and I am a senior citizen, it had better have some cats in it. Lots of cats. Booze would be nice, but the main thing is the cats.
I really needed to read this today. It fills me with so much joy to know Rolly and Hailey are happy. I’m sorry for you, missing Rolly. Sending hugs your way.
That’s amazing! I’m so glad Rolly is loving her new place with Hailey. My husband and I have 15 cats (12 inside; 3 ferals outside), and I know a few of them would probably love to be an only cat but I have no idea how to make that happen when they are also the ones who are terrified of other people. We do what we can to give them plenty of room and safe places to be alone.
Also – get another kitten! It will give Purrsy someone to play with and keep distracted if Rolly does need to come back. I mean no guarantees, but it might help! We have a kitten right now and I kind of wish we had another one his age.
I noticed the bookshelf in the background full of stuffies. It so reminds me of your weird and wonderful collections! I am wishing Hailey and Rolly a happy life together in their new home. I am also sending you love and prayers in dealing with the absence of both of them! May the babies that remain with you will bring you comfort.
Not to be an enabler or anything but the whole thing with having two young cats (especially if they’re both male) is that they keep EACH OTHER busy, and so even if Rolly had to come back, two kittens will probably bother her less than one would who doesn’t have anything else interesting to pay attention to.
Get another kitten. At least start with a foster kitten to see if everyone gets along. Odds are Rolly has found their happy place with Hailey and needed to be an only child pet at the same time that Hailey needed a pet from home. They will find great comfort with each other, while making very few demands of each other.
Your kitten needs someone he can wrestle with, and if Rolly comes back, then the two kittens will have already pair bonded and matured somewhat, and it will be fine.
And you’ll have the joy knowing that two of your loved ones are keeping each other company in these next stages of their lives.
I have a cat like this. When his brother passed away, he transformed from aloo and introverted into a social, playful, snuggle bug.
He will hopefully live to be at least 20 (his brother died young-ish at just 12 years old). But I cannot get another pet while he is alive because it’s just not fair to him. He deserves to live his best life, and for them, that’s as a single pet.
love this for rolly!
I’m so happy they have each other, being each other’s one and only! And my gut reaction is to say wait! She may be back and be bombarded by a couple of young boys, but…there are so few good homes and so many in need! Don’t listen to me, I have 4 dogs, and would have more if I had the funds and the space, I worked in rescue for a while, my judgement is crazy animal people kind of skewed…we’re just so fun and loving!
When I was 19, I took my childhood cat to college with me. He wasn’t as old as Rolly, but close, and suddenly, he loved to sit in the passenger seat and travel and was at home with me. This is the perfect move you’ve made. They are together at the best times of their lives.
This made my heart happy. How lovely that Hailey and Rolly are not lonely and are having a good time. But I’m sorry that means you have to miss them both. Having several older animals during my lifetime I got such pleasure hearing about Rolly getting their toe beans massaged, and steam brushed fur. What a lovely thing for a senior kitty. 💕
Beautiful!
This makes my heart happy. I’m so happy for Hailey and Rolly.
I saw a post on Instagram where the woman has three kitties of varying ages and degrees of friendliness. She took a damp baby toothbrush and gently stroked the bridge of their noses and they all flipped over from happiness. She had read that the gesture and texture apparently reminds them of the way their mothers washed them. When I have kitties again this is definitely something I will try.
There may be some merit to your concern regarding the ‘return home to blaring babies’ narrative, but that’s only taking into consideration the possible , or negligible degree of manic chaos annoying Rolly. This situation can easily be circumvented by adopting at least a half dozen beasts of a feline purrsuation that would help Rolly quickly adapt to being the leader of a pile of predators in and make you some kind of superhero. You probably already have a cape or two, so there’d be another opportunity to wear one around town other than to youth events or shipping for rye bread at 2:30 A.M.
You’re welcome!!
I understand I had many problems with senior cats hating kitten boy oh boy that why i don’t believe in the saying dog and cats don’t get along that is in my opinion 80/100 fault after kitten had told mâture dogs( sorry I don’t know about puppy ) to mind is own business or else by inflating themselves has big as they can( extremely funny to watch )) And spit a few times,,growls and raise their tiny paw towards a creature ; some times triple their size .Most dog looks confused and will look at you probably thinking what the hell is this ?and why is it here ?did you loose your mind ?but will accept this tiny bundle of fur and like you will probably fall in love with it.
So happy for Rolly and Haley!
I got cat stairs for my then 17 year old cat, and he loved them! Best $$ I ever spent on him…You did the very best thing for Rolly, AND Hailey, though I’m sure it hurts, but it must have been really stressful on Rolly to have to contend w/ the pre-teen, rambunctious, ‘screw-ALL-your-boundaries’ asshattery behavior of Purrsy…
I wish I had a cat with me while I was in pharmacy school! No better way to study. 🙂
Awww, Jenny. I love that for Rolly and Hailey, and now they can look after each other. I think it’s a wise move to hold off in case Rolly has to boomerang, but I gotta say Rolly looks like one very contented kitty. 🙂 🧡
This is wonderful.
Also, I don’t have insta/threads but wanted to give you a bit of joy so am posting here this woman laughing about a guy’s haircut (not in a mean way). It is not me. It just gives me joy. https://substack.com/@lesimplesudiste/note/c-232698579
Having a hard day and this just made me SO DAMN FUCKING HAPPY.
Carry on.
So happy for Rolly and Hailey! Great move! I think you should rescue another kitty to keep Purrsy company. It doesn’t sound like Rolly will be coming back.
Love and hugs,
Linda S.
I love this for Rolly and Hailey! <3 So sweet.
I had pet stairs for an older cat of mine too (and she used them!)
Okay, inquiring minds want to know, is it Raw-lee or Row-lee??
Jenny, you’re in the PERFECT position to be a temporary foster for a cat or kittens for your local shelter or rescue! You would have all the fun of a new creature your home with none of the permanence – plus all of the satisfaction that you saved at least two lives (the life of your foster and the additional animal your shelter could take in because of you!). You’d be SO good at this!
Awwwwwww. Rolly is living her bestest life with Hailey right now. And you still have furry backup at home. Win win for all! ❤️🐈⬛
This is so heartwarming and I have just said a prayer that Rolly will be able to live or her retirement with Hailey and enjoy herself with fun and peace.😽
Ok, but the reason you need another kitten is that it will bite the Purrsy back, thus teaching him that getting bitten sucks. I assume that other people have mentioned it, since you have many, many awesome and intelligent fans, but if you haven’t before, please look up ‘single kitten syndrome’.
Goddess bless and blessed be.
I just had to have my 20 year old cat put down in June. She was like a wind up toy that hits a wall, turns around, and keeps going for the last few days of her life. It was time. I’m so glad Rolly has a happy spot to live out the rest of her life
Love this for both of them. My female cat rory is living her bestest life with Mr post-divorce. Her two cat bros were def stifling her in our prior home in a way that I sorta saw but didn’t realize the full extent of. Now this 8 yr old cat has become a talker almost to the point of annoying me some days. My 14 yr old dd says mom, don’t you date stifle her voice.
Well now. I don’t usually even finish anyone’s posts about their cat or dog or written from their pet’s point of view, but this one I did … omg, what’s happening to me!
I feel you Jenny! We lost our kitties one at a time. We had siblings, brother and sister, and added a beautiful tuxedo kitten when the first pair was about 5. A couple years later we added a chihuahua. The boy was the first to go, at about 15. He had some special ailments. His sister was years after that, and the tuxedo years after that. We considered another kitten, but by that time the dog was up in age and it didn’t seem fair to him to add a kitten. When it was his time, we grieved for a year and a half. I wondered if I could suffer the loss of another love. But my daughter found a retired greyhound who needed a home. She’s absolutely beautiful. A lovely brindle who’s sweet, and gentle, and maybe not so bright, but she’s definitely loved. We’ve had her a year and a half and there’s noise being made that maybe she needs a friend. I guess it never ends….
when we had a 20 year old cat, we had so many cat stairs for the sofas and beds the house looked like chutes and ladders. It was insane but the cat looooooved it. I love Hailey’s view as well. I would also stand like Rolly looking out the window.
Can’t believe Rolly is bridging a couch and table at 20. That’s like a 100 year old planking.
It is clear in that picture of the two of them that they love
LOVE the steam brush. My 15yo Drama was not taking such great job of taking care of her coat, and it really helps with that, plus she likes it. She also needs help getting up on the bed, so she has her own little set of steps. I feel so much better knowing that she is having an easier time of things.
Rolly going from a solitary, judgmental cat to suddenly sleeping in bed with Hailey is honestly the sweetest plot twist. 威樂