It’s been far too long since I last wrote about Mara, and as it’s just a week shy of four years since we adopted her from the Scottish SPCA, it seemed fitting to share a wee post about our beloved pet cat today.
I’ve often wondered what Mara’s life was like before she came to us, what she looked like as a kitten and how she got the scar on her nose, but she settled in with us so quickly, establishing her own little routines that it’s hard to remember what life was like before we adopted her.
Caring for Mara has provided a grounding consistency to our daily life, and in return she’s been a constant source of affection and companionship. Mara can still be shy and skittish around strangers, but she actively seeks out our attention and company, from rushing to the front door to greet us when we return from work to following us around the house as we go about our chores and squeezing herself into the smallest gaps to snuggle up close.
Much has changed since the newly-wed couple just back from their honeymoon adopted a squeaky, tabby and white cat from the rescue shelter – we’ve moved house, we’ve both changed jobs (and the whole direction of our careers), and just as significantly Mara herself survived cancer. We’re now preparing for another significant change, but so far Mara seems oblivious to my pregnancy. I’m not sure how she’ll react to having a noisy, little human infant in her midst but we couldn’t have imagined a more gentle, playful and cuddly family pet (such a contrast to the rough and tumble cats my husband and I had growing up!) and we hope Mara will take this latest shift in our little family’s dynamic in her stride.
Happy anniversary to Mara, and wishing everyone else a lovely week. X
lovely and grateful 
She’s beautiful, happy anniversary!
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Aw, thanks – I think so too, but I’m biased. ☺️ X
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Mara is such a cutie.
And congratulations. Xx
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Thank you. 😊 Hope Slinky and Hugo are well. X
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Ahh yes. Reunited after a weekend at the caravan. Do wonder if we should take Slinky with us, but Im not sure she would like it. Always welcomed Hugo back with a nose rub , then a bat round the face. 😉
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Oh dear! She’s got to remind him who’s boss. 🤭 We’ve wondered about taking Mara on holiday with us too, she tolerates it when we take her to my dad’s but she doesn’t like travelling and she’s a homebody at heart. X
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Yes I think cats are mostly homebodies really, they have their own little territories of course. Slinky’s doesn’t extend further than our back yard but our old cat Tibbs had the whole street and my lovely Sophie from years ago would go hunting in the castle grounds, even accompanying me home from the pub I worked at in the evenings. She could recognise my footsteps and would jump over the hedge to walk me home. Think she was a dog at heart! X
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I would be terrified of the cat getting out and getting lost in an unfamiliar place, so I think you’re right to let the homebody stay at home. 🙂
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Good luck with the cat and the baby. Our ferocious Roxy (pictured in my avatar) predated our babies and wasn’t impressed at all by their arrival – she reacted by keeping well out of their way until they were old enough to understand. She did them no harm at all and they learned from an early age to treat animals with respect and love. Since then we’ve inherited 3 rescue cats which were all passed on to the cat rescues by their owners when babies arrived in their households. We benefited! I’m sure yours will be fine.
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I hope cat and baby will get along, we couldn’t bear to part with Mara and she’s already been rehomed once when her previous owner died so she’s been through enough upheaval. I love hearing about other rescue pets finding good homes – all my cats have been rescued, they’re the best. 😊 X
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Hopefully, Mara and the baby will become great friends. Mara may be unimpressed at first as cats don’t like change, but she will adjust. It makes me really sad and frustrated when I hear about people assuming before the event that a cat will not accept a new baby’s arrival, or may even hurt the baby. My own parents rehomed one of their cats before I arrived, just based on that supposition. Fortunately, he went to some relatives who lived a few houses away, so he was still part of the family and visited our house, but it still upsets me that my parents didn’t even give the new situation a chance.
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Mara’s part of our family, rehoming her is not an option. It will be an adjustment for all of us but I think Mara’s more likely to take herself out of range than to harm the wee one, she’s a very gentle soul. I’m sorry your parents rehomed their cat, but at least they went to a good home nearby. X
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Oh what a beautiful post, she looks a delightful companion and how wonderful to catch sight of another book lover and bookshelves brimming! (rarer and rarer these days!) I was worried about my cat when I had my baby, but it was all ok in the end, they settle down very well.
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Thank you. Books are my biggest vice – I’m always having to rearrange my shelves to make room for new additions. ☺️ I’m hopeful that Mara and the wee one will get along. X
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Ah…she is just so sweet. Our pets make such differences to our lives, often without us even realising it 🙂
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I couldn’t agree more, Mara has been such a comfort this year, she’s been there to snuggle when I’ve been upset and even just the routine of caring for her has been grounding at times when I’ve felt overwhelmed. X
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Maya was lucky to find you and I am sure she will welcome your growing family! X
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I always feel incredibly lucky that we found Mara, there was another potential adopter looking at her before us, we were so relieved when they took a dog home instead. ☺️ X
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My beautiful calico that I had growing up loved my babies. She would wrap herself around the top of their head with her paws near their faces to protect and love them. It was heartwarming. I love my cats. Yours is so cute!
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I hope that’s how Mara will be too – she’s a cuddly lump most of the time. Thank you. 😊
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