10 Emotional Stages Of Adopting A Cat

Recently, my roommate (and I) have adopted a cat. When we first started looking at getting the cat, we didn't realize how quick and emotional the process could be. Overall, from the day we decided we wanted a cat to the day we got our cat, less than 2 weeks had passed, but between planning, preparing, and processing everything, we have hit quite a few different emotional stages.

1. Overly-Excited

This stage came when the idea of getting a cat first became a reality. Before actually figuring out what needed to happen, we just sat on the floor screaming about cats and smiling like fools. This stage doesn't last two long before blurring into the next stage.

2. Motivated

After the initial excitement begins to wear off, the realization that we actually needed to plan in order to be able to get a cat. During this stage we researched and made a lot of lists. Lists of things to do, things to get, questions to answer.

3. Tired

Maybe this is just us or maybe it's just college students but after jumping around and making pages of lists, we were pretty worn down. It was late. Don't judge.

4. Are we crazy?

After taking a break for the night and thinking again the next morning, we both looked at each other and wondered the same thing: are we crazy right now? This was the point when we went around asking every person we knew if getting a cat was actually a good idea.

5. Nervous

This stage came about when we were asking the last of our roommates if they would be okay with a cat in the suite. Knowing that any one of them could say no and the whole plan could get shut down instantly is a pretty nerve wrecking thing.

6. Nervous pt. 2

This is a slightly different kind of nervous. This came around when we were going to the humane society to get our questions answered and first look at the cats. This nervousness came from wanting to impress the people who also controlled if we are able to bring a cat home or not.

7. All of the stages of grief and letting go and all these other things that I'm rolling into one stage because it was a rough time

We found the perfect cat. So cute, so sweet. We then found that our perfect cat had a medical condition we couldn't afford to properly take care of as 2 broke college students. We had a rough time deciding if it was worth it to try and get this cat, or if we just needed to move on (the answer is we needed to move on. We didn't want to accept this. It's still a touchy subject).

8. Acceptance and moving on

We found another cat. It was okay. Please note that at this point we still hadn't asked our last roommate because she was out of town. We really should have been more worried about this. But also we picked out our new cat in this stage.

9. Adulting/Proud

I know adulting is not technically an emotion, but this is all I can think to call the feeling when we bought all of the cat things the weekend before we got our cat. We also got the room rearranged and set up with all the things and if that's what decorating a nursery feels like, I can't wait.

10. Beyond Excited Relief

When we finally brought the cat home and nothing else really mattered anymore because our baby is actually perfect. I mean, look how cute he is and how he perfectly posed for his first picture.

Bonus Emotion!

11. Jealous

When everyone else comes in to play with your new cat before you even get him out of the carrier.