Cat Update
Aug. 9th, 2008 01:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
silverthorneSo last weekend, I posted about this, both on my own journal (that's where the link goes), as well as to two cat communities I belong to (gee, must be the ones I'm posting to again).
First off, I want to thank everyone for their suggestions and support.
So. I kept Ula completely seperate and in the bedroom for three days, and Foot got the living room to herself. I also put the litterbox Ula was familiar with back in the bedroom, fed Ula on the other side away from the closed bedroom door, etc. She didn't have/hasn't had any more accidents after that.
Around Tuesday, I started switching Ula and Foot when I'd get home for work, and did that for a few days. They'd poke at each other under the door, but no hissing. Thursday, I switched to keeping the girls closed in 'their' rooms, switching them for an hour or two when I got hoime (and after they'd greet me), and then leaving the door opened for the rest of the night so they could come and go as they please.
Foot still chases Ula until she disppears under the bed, but will back off when I come to see what's going on and then will leave Ula alone. Ula is also improving--she's back to checking out the living room when Foot's asleep. She also makes sure she's on the kitchen counter-top when it's meal time (Foot, good little CatAlarm that she is, starts calling for food when it's time to eat, and once Ula knows I'm headed to the kitchen, she'll bolt for her highspot.). I let her up there because 1) It's not where I prepare food 2) Nothing dangerous for her to get into and 3) Anything to encourage her to come out and mingle.
Anyway, when it's meal time, I'll serve Foot in her usual place, and put Ula's bowl in the 'cubby hole' part of the cat tree that sits next to the sink counter and let them eat. They actually leave each other alone, and Foot will even walk by Ula's spot without going after her, even if she's aware Ula is there, and go sit in a window or something. Typically, Ula will leave food in the bowl, so at that point I'll move the bowl back into the bedroom and close the door once Ula goes in. If it's morning, I leave it closed til I get home from work, if it's evening, I'll give Ula an hour or two to finish her meal and use the litterbox without stress from Foot. (And also to keep Foot from eating Ula's share, greedy little ex-stray that she is. XD).
Anyhow, that seems to have evened out Ula's stress problems, and I met with the people who fostered her today and told them what was going on and they said that was probably the best way to handle it (They run daoptin fairs at the Petco where I shop two Saturdays each month). That way both cats get some quiet time, and then some supervised 'mingle time' as well.
Anyway, thought I'd let you all know how it's going, and thanks again. :)
First off, I want to thank everyone for their suggestions and support.
So. I kept Ula completely seperate and in the bedroom for three days, and Foot got the living room to herself. I also put the litterbox Ula was familiar with back in the bedroom, fed Ula on the other side away from the closed bedroom door, etc. She didn't have/hasn't had any more accidents after that.
Around Tuesday, I started switching Ula and Foot when I'd get home for work, and did that for a few days. They'd poke at each other under the door, but no hissing. Thursday, I switched to keeping the girls closed in 'their' rooms, switching them for an hour or two when I got hoime (and after they'd greet me), and then leaving the door opened for the rest of the night so they could come and go as they please.
Foot still chases Ula until she disppears under the bed, but will back off when I come to see what's going on and then will leave Ula alone. Ula is also improving--she's back to checking out the living room when Foot's asleep. She also makes sure she's on the kitchen counter-top when it's meal time (Foot, good little CatAlarm that she is, starts calling for food when it's time to eat, and once Ula knows I'm headed to the kitchen, she'll bolt for her highspot.). I let her up there because 1) It's not where I prepare food 2) Nothing dangerous for her to get into and 3) Anything to encourage her to come out and mingle.
Anyway, when it's meal time, I'll serve Foot in her usual place, and put Ula's bowl in the 'cubby hole' part of the cat tree that sits next to the sink counter and let them eat. They actually leave each other alone, and Foot will even walk by Ula's spot without going after her, even if she's aware Ula is there, and go sit in a window or something. Typically, Ula will leave food in the bowl, so at that point I'll move the bowl back into the bedroom and close the door once Ula goes in. If it's morning, I leave it closed til I get home from work, if it's evening, I'll give Ula an hour or two to finish her meal and use the litterbox without stress from Foot. (And also to keep Foot from eating Ula's share, greedy little ex-stray that she is. XD).
Anyhow, that seems to have evened out Ula's stress problems, and I met with the people who fostered her today and told them what was going on and they said that was probably the best way to handle it (They run daoptin fairs at the Petco where I shop two Saturdays each month). That way both cats get some quiet time, and then some supervised 'mingle time' as well.
Anyway, thought I'd let you all know how it's going, and thanks again. :)
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no subject
Date: 2008-08-09 11:57 pm (UTC)Apparently, Max was the king and somehow kept peace. Now it's crazy chaos.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-10 12:06 am (UTC)From what I understand, cats do have a hierarchy that cna get upset when one dies or is removed. Everyone else has to figure out their new 'rank' now that there's a hole in the kitty social structure.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-10 12:36 am (UTC)My cats were upset when Mehetabel died, Archie especially, because he and Archie were kitty buddies together. But when we sent Kitty Con Carne to another home, neither Archie nor Freakshow batted an eye or indeed seemed to care, because she was low cat on the totem pole. She never found her niche with the boys.