Guy Falls Into "Toxic Love" With His Stalker Foster Cat
Cat develops a deep obsession with his foster dad... and attacks him the moment he brings a date home!
Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00 I don't know if I like my cat.
00:03 He's actually not even my cat.
00:08 He's my friend's cat, a very good friend.
00:10 She had a sudden health crisis and asked if I could take care of him.
00:19 And I said, of course.
00:20 So suddenly here I am with this new roommate.
00:23 When he arrived, immediately he just darted under the bed
00:26 and pretty much hid there for the first few days.
00:29 It's okay.
00:31 And then suddenly like that, he was just no longer afraid at all
00:33 and just made himself right at home.
00:35 And then he became obsessed with me.
00:41 I gave him tons of attention.
00:42 I played with him all the time, but it was just never enough.
00:46 He always wanted more.
00:47 And anytime I would turn my attention to something other than him,
00:50 he would scratch at me until I turned my attention back.
00:54 I constantly feel like I'm in Jurassic Park.
00:57 [Music]
01:03 It drove me totally crazy.
01:04 Ow, ow, ow.
01:06 But it's complicated because at the same time,
01:10 we were both totally falling in love.
01:14 Was it a toxic love?
01:17 Perhaps.
01:18 Ow, ow, ow.
01:19 But it was definitely the kind of love where you're willing to work really hard
01:22 to make the relationship work.
01:25 At first, our issues were pretty straightforward.
01:27 I was tired of him scratching me and scratching my furniture all the time.
01:31 Ow.
01:32 I made these marks on your list just for yesterday.
01:35 And I upgraded the scratching post.
01:37 This is a no-wear, yeah?
01:39 And this is a, oh yes.
01:42 And you just walk away.
01:44 Okay.
01:45 [Music]
01:53 Ow, you did it.
01:55 I ruined it.
01:56 You were doing it and I broke your concentration.
01:59 Good job.
02:01 But then things escalated.
02:03 So most of the time his scratching and his biting, it's just play.
02:06 But every once in a while, it would just be full-on stalker mode.
02:11 I'm just going to the kitchen.
02:13 I'm just going to the kitchen.
02:14 Seriously, dude.
02:16 So how's Teddy?
02:20 Well, last night I brought a date over to my apartment.
02:23 He attacked me.
02:25 In front of her?
02:27 Yes, in front of her.
02:28 You never really want your date to say, "Wow, you're bleeding a lot."
02:34 Was he jealous?
02:36 [Music]
02:56 Do I get mad at him?
02:58 Yeah, often I do.
02:59 In the moment, yes.
03:01 But I've come to realize that his most stalkerish moments,
03:04 they're really just an extension of him wanting comfort and connection.
03:08 And he just wants a lot of it.
03:11 And there's definitely a part of me deep down that completely understands and relates.
03:15 Since he's such a social cat and wants to be with me all the time,
03:18 and I work from home and I can't always attend to him.
03:21 Teddy, are you seriously drinking my tea?
03:23 I decided to buy this automated toy for when I need to attend a meeting or step away or something.
03:30 That was huge.
03:33 He loves it.
03:35 You know, since I got the automated toy,
03:37 I found that he's actually getting a little better at not relying solely on me for playtime.
03:44 After months went on, it became clear that he was basically going to be with me indefinitely.
03:49 My friend was not in a place where she was going to be able to take care of him anymore.
03:54 I have a decision to make.
03:56 If I don't keep him, does that make me a hypocritical animal lover at best?
04:00 Or just like a straight up bad person at worst?
04:03 It's obviously more complicated than that.
04:05 Part of me really wants to adopt him.
04:07 I've grown super attached and I love him like crazy.
04:10 And I even like him too.
04:12 You know, like 75% of the time.
04:14 But isn't that how all loving relationships work?
04:17 Because I love him so much, I truly want what's best for him.
04:21 And part of me wonders if living with me in my apartment is really the best situation for him long term.
04:26 I travel a lot and I regularly go to the West Coast for sometimes weeks at a time.
04:31 I've arranged friends to come by and visit him and play with him in addition to his cat sitter.
04:36 But it's really not the best situation.
04:38 Because ideally he needs someone who's home a lot.
04:41 I know you just want to hang out.
04:43 I also think Teddy would love to have another cat buddy.
04:47 Or maybe a dog friend.
04:49 Teddy is such a social guy and he loves to be in the mix.
04:52 So if you think you might be his person.
04:54 A person that checks all the Teddy boxes and is willing to love an imperfectly perfect cat.
05:00 Please get in touch.
05:02 But until then, I'll keep working it out and giving him the best home I can.
05:07 [Music]