torn between my head and my heart

[meep]

as some of you may know i'm an old-time cat owner who is currently catless, as my two family cats are at home with my family. since moving away from home i've been desperate to get cats again, as a home isn't complete with cats.

i'm moving flat this weekend (pick up the keys tomorrow!) and the landlord allows cats. i'm going on holiday next weekend for a week so won't be back until 16th june. now i have been teasing myself slightly and looking at cat / kitten ads on the web. i've found some newborn kittens (well maybe a few weeks old now) that are available for rehoming middle - end of june. this is perfect timing as i won't be able to take any cats on until mid june.

however, my partner (whom i'm moving in with) has said i should really wait till i've at least lived in the new flat a few weeks and settled in before making a commitment. i KNOW he's right, and i definately won't take on any cats until i know i can give them a safe and comfortable home.

but i have found these kittens for sale and they are adorable. my heart melts every time i look at their photos. i won't post them here as the current owner hasnt given permission but they're tabby, tabby and white and kind of patchwork (not tortishell, just a mix of white, tabby and some orange tabby).

now i've contacted the owner and said i'm interested, and have told her the two i'm interested in. i've not commited or viewed yet, and really don't want to waste her time or disappoint anyone else. but it's SO tempting to go and view them. and then if i do that i probably will find it very hard to say no.

so really i'm looking for advice. am i running before i can walk, since i'm not yet in my new flat? and i know there will always be cats for sale or adoption(kittens arent a priority, although obviously a pleasure to have if they can be found). so there will be other cats available beginning of july or even end of july.

should i leave these kittens alone and let some other lucky people take them home? or should i stop listening to my head TOO much and maybe take hte step to view them and consider whether it is feasible? my partner and i have talked and we definately know we both want to get two cats (we've both grown up with them) i'm not forcing him into getting them. he's just being more wary about how soon we should get them.

*sigh* apologies for the very long post. i'm just torn between following the 'sensible' option and following my heart and deciding to take these two little babies home.

am i being too silly? honest opinions appreciated. as i said, i would never consider my feelings over giving the cats the best home they can get, i'm not buying into the kitten-craze and definately wouldn't take on cats unless iknew i could give them a permanent loving home.

i also keep torturing myself by looking at the cat pictures board daily and all the lovely pictures of all your gorgeous feline companions! you are all so lucky!

[charliebubs]

Hi Meep!

Ooooooo - that's a tough one

It's difficult to be sensible when you fall in love with little furbabes. Having said that though, I do think that your partner is right. Personally (as hard as it may be!) I would wait until you have moved and had your holiday and got settled into the new flat and then start looking for kittens. Particularly if you're going to be doing any decorating or DIY as soon as you move in - which would unsettle any cat/kitten.

That's just my personal opinion though and you must do what you want to do You are right when you say that there will always be cats and kittens for homing........so, really, there is no rush!

[angieh]

The trouble is Meep that you understand both sides of the argument. You know the pros and the cons but you've seen the babies you really want and your heart is going one way and your sensible head is going the other. I don't think anyone can really help you. Personally, I am with Charliebubs above and your partner. None of us are being hard hearted and we do appreciate your being "pulled".

I think the thing that will decide you is if you consider the possible unsettling of the cats/kittens if you are not completely settled yourself into your new home.

Good luck with this tough choice and with your move and hope you have a great holiday too! Do let us know what you decide.

[meep]

Thanks for your comments and help charliebub and angieh

It does help to get others opinions even if I do know both sides of the argument.

In the end I agree with you both and had to be sensible. I've told the owner that unfortunately I won't be able to take them on. Even if come beginning of July I DO decide I want to take on kittens or cats then, there will still be some somewhere needing a home. But there could be the possibility that we're not ready to take on some little furbabes at that time and it wouldn't be fair to the cats or the owner to pull out last minute.

They were gorgeous, and it breaks my heart to give them up when the owner seemed really pleased with me as a potential new owner (I think my complete undying love of cats showed through slightly ) but it is for the best.

You will all be sure to hear about it when I finally do get my two little kitties. They are out there somewhere!

(However, I have asked the owner that if anyone does pull out at the last minute at beginning of July to let me know as by then I may be ready. Best to keep the options open )

[angieh]

Well done Meep. That took some doing.