Initially we thought we were going to bring the cat with us. Unlike the UK, it's no problem at all to bring pets into the country of Germany (as long as you don't have a layover in the UK). Basically they just need a microchip and a rabies shot. We thought with all the changes, keeping the kids from having to say goodbye to yet another loved one would help Berlin feel a little more like home.
The kids were already going to have to get rid of their fish, which I felt terrible about, but the cat too? Too much. But then I got to thinking about logistics: I'd be travelling by myself with all 3 kids, all our suitcases and carry-ons . . . and a skittish cat? With long white fur? Who's been known to get explosive diarrhea in times of high stress?
Then there were the issues once we arrived in Berlin as now we'd need to find a temporary place that would accept cats and then a long term place that would take her as well. From some initial research, it sounds like Berlin is much more dog-friendly than it is cats. In fact, I hear it's so dog friendly that sometimes they prefer dogs to kids! Like, I've heard of restaurants that don't allow children but they do allow your dog! Ha!
Anyway, as we were moving through May and trying to decide about whether Sugar was coming or not, I had a friend reach out to me about our cat Sugar. She said she had a friend that was a single gal in Denver looking for a female companion for her adult male cat. That sounded like a definite possibility but I wasn't ready to jump on it. Sugar's certainly lives up to her name as a super sweet kitty. I really didn't want to let her go.
Well also in there, perhaps May 23rd, I think, Autumn's pet fish died. Bless her heart. But there was suddenly one less pet to re-home. ;) In talking about that on Facebook I had a friend from high school offer to let Sugar live with them.
It was truly the perfect set- up. This friend of mine is a vet tech! She is already who I turned to when we first got Sugar and she had such a sensitive tummy. She has a baby and two kitties already and said that Sugar could come live with them . . . but that we could visit her and get her back whenever we came back! It was nearly a done deal as far as I was concerned.
The kids had already come around to the idea of having to leave Sugar behind. We talked about how it was selfish of us to make her that stressed with travelling and moving just so we could have her. But this situation convinced them. Autumn was glad to hear that "Baby Lainey" could live with Sugar for awhile and the boys were happy to know that, whenever we are ready, we can get her back. Or at least visit. I don't think that could've happened with any other situation.
Perhaps on a future trip home we'll have found a more permanent flat in Berlin that accepts cats (and children!) and we won't have as many suitcases and we can somehow more easily manage transporting Sugar over there? Or we'll just get her back when we move home in however many years or whatever.
So today, Sugar went to live with her new family.
We left my mom's this morning to head back up to the house to get some more stuff done over there. Autumn played with Sugar a final time:
The boys played more Xbox. ;)
And right around rush hour we headed down to her new home. Sugar has never once been in the pet carrier we have. So, Jason carried her out to the car saying his goodbyes (he had rehearsal for his last church worship service) and the kids, Sugar, and I headed out. Sugar on the front seat.
Riding in the car makes her super nervous. She stayed exactly where she was and shed like crazy.
We got into Baby Lainey's house and I kept Sugar on the floor with me. Baby Lainey scooted and squealed around and poor Sugar was on high alert but we just sat there a bit and talked about things. Eventually I went to the car to get her food and dishes and stuff and Sugar found a corner to hide in. And she stayed there. The home's two other cats were brought out to "meet" her and one cat was just fine and the other cat, a feral cat, hissed and hissed at her and everyone else. I guess that's his norm, though, and eventually he'd warm up.
Eventually it was time to say our final goodbyes. The little two were definitely having more fun with Baby Lainey and weren't too troubled by their farewells.
But after Easton's, he went over to stand and stare out their front door for a bit and I was like, "Dude, chill, we're not leaving just yet" but then I noticed he was trying to keep us from noticing the 'emotion' in his eyes. And that got me. I teared all up. :( And then I felt rather stupid crying in front them: my high school friend and her husband who I only know from him being the manager of our Vitamin Cottage. But they were sweet and understanding of our saying goodbye to a member of our family . . . for now.
We know she's in good hands, so we left and got some groceries as we headed back over to Gramoo's for the night.
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