Leaving for five months just got a little more real today. We dropped off Dexter at my mom’s last night, and it was pretty hard leaving him behind. He was so confused and scared – even though he knows my mom, he hasn’t been out of the apartment in the past few years save for a traumatic trip or two to the vet. I know that he’s going to be ok, but that he’s going to need some adjustment time before he gets used to the new sounds and smells of my mom’s apartment.
In some ways I feel pretty similar – we’re leaving something comfortable and known and safe for a journey with undefined boundaries, just a one way ticket to Singapore and five months ahead of us. I’ve been getting anxious butterflies in my stomach, like when I’m wondering how we’re going to communicate when we’re in the hinterlands in China when we’re barely able to string together three words in Mandarin between the two of us. That totally makes me want to curl up in hide in the back of the closet like Dexter. But I want to take this as an opportunity to work through that fear and anxiety and to see what happens. I just need to give myself some time to adjust, to always have patience, and to drop any expectations I may have.
I could learn a lot from our cat.
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A Surlee Voyage 
She beat me to the punch again.I’ve had pets all my life, and yesterday was really hard for me too. Mr. Dexter, as we call him around these parts, is our family. I know, for all of those of you who have kids, it’s not the same, blah the blah, but really it can be very similar. Here’s this little guy that we’ve cared for and raised and taken to doctors and spent a billion dollars on and we have to just leave him somewhere he’s never even been to before. Tracie’s mom Julie was nice enough to take care of him for us for the 5 months. Thank you Julie!But last night was a little depressing. We head over to "pet co." and then "pet smart" to get Julie outfitted with some supplies, cat litter and cat food, and a new scratching post, to make him feel at home. Those places are horrible and they make owning a pet seem so commercial and surreal. I mean, there were these Jersey people hanging out at "Pet Smart" socializing. What the hell? Is this what we as Americans have come down to, not only do we hang out at malls, but we hang out at "Pet Smart" it’s out social gathering place? Ugh.Then we get back to the apartment where we have to search for Mr. Kitty and are reminded of just how shocking this is to his system. All the sounds are new, all the smells are new, new spaces. And Julie has never long term wanted to have pets before, but here she is with a cat that’s for all intents abandoned for a few months. But the thing is, this cat is part of our lives. So, we hope that those two important people in our lives get to see and understand a little bit why they are both so special in our lives. Weird I just called Dexter a person, ok, he’s not, but he has this place in our lives that animals get. I think pet owners out there can understand, but I think others will feel a bit lost on the idea. Either way, it is truly a sign that we are leaving soon. I took a nap this afternoon and no Dexter to keep my legs warm. Sad face. We love you Mr. Dexter and we’ll see you soon.-Wayne
Wayne, I didn’t know you are so attached to Dexter; I am touched! He is doing very well! He watched tv with me and he wakes me up every morning around five to get feed. He loves to use his paw to touch my face and nose to get my attention. He is a smart, and sweet cat. He listen very well too. Don’t worry he is doing fine. You do get attach to your pet; he is part of your family. After awhile he does become sort like a person. I totally understand where you come from. He stopped crying in the middle of the night. His favorite thing to do is go under the cover. He figured out how to jump up and sit at the window now. I received the cat food; thanks!He watched me while I do my exercise and he stretch with me when I do my Yoga! You have to see us!!
March 20. This is a progress report; Dexter has gotten used to my place. He is getting so brave that he wants to go out whenever I comes home he is by the front door ready to go out to explore. He also sits by the window to watch what’s happening on the street. I hoped to see your posting soon. I don’t like this when we have no way to contact you.Since I have your cat I have not have a full night sleep because he wakes me up and wants to play in the middle of the night. But he is a good cat very affectionate. Hope to hear from you soon..
We have an internet connection again! Glad that he is not hiding anymore, he'll probably try to chase the squirrels and birds once spring comes. We'll be posting more really soon. What time is he waking you up at? He's used to Wayne waking up at 4:30 and me getting up at 5:45.
No wonder he gets up so early!! I thought he was out of food so he wakes me up but a couple of time his plate is still full. He falls asleep as I watched tv by my side but I wake him up so he does not wake me up later.I bought him a couple of cans Fancy Feast small can meal. The first can I gave him was salmon and shrimp; I never saw him eaten so fast he piratically inhaled the entire plate. He ate the next meal, chicken and vegetable slower.I needed to clean my place more frequent because his hair is everywhere even I brush him often. He is doing well so don’t worry!!
don't feed him fancy feast all the time – it's like junk food for cats. 🙂 and his poo will smell awful! once in a while is ok tho.
Forgot to mention that whenever I see Pau Pau now she always asked how’s Ting Ting’s cat doing? She loves it when I tell her that he pats me on my face; she gets a laugh out of it. She also loves to hear about how he hides under the cover thinking nobody will see him but he makes a lump in the middle of the bed so I know he is under the cover. Dexter makes a good conversation piece for me to entertain Pau Pau.
Progress report: He is getting so comfort here that he does not listen to me anymore. When I told him to get off my sofa he just looked at me and did not even moved. He does not hide under the cover anymore. I looked on the Fancy Feast label it is about the same as your cat food; matter of fact, I think it has less fat. Since you told me not to give him too often I only gives him once a week. He loves that food more than his regular food.He does not drink water at all; his poo does not smell as much as his pee since he drinks no water.He scratch my rug in the living room instead the scratch post even when I yell at him; like I said he is getting very comfortable here!!
He is so comfortable that he does not listen to me anymore. When I yelled at him he just look at me.