Wensday Update

TBT:   Well things are not going perfectly among The Mews.  But it has been only 3.5 days.  I expect things will calm down.  Soon, I hope.  I left the door to the Mews Room open yesterday morning.  I'll discuss each of The Mews in turn...

1.  Lori is being the most difficult!   She is completely upset that there are intruders in her house.  She hisses and growls. She even grumbles while eating.  Which sounds rather funny, but she is very disturbed right now.  She has even hissed at Marley and whapped him a couple times.  Lori is being very watchful.  

2.  Marley is being very good.  It is sort of like "Oh, 2 more"...  But it it having some kind of affect on him.  He refused to eat his kidney care food for 2 days.  He started again last night though.  But he can walk past Loki without any signs of distress.  And they have sniffed each other a couple of times.  He isn't paying any attention to Binq yet.

3.  Loki is adjusting well.  He seems to be a very calm cat.  He was walking around the house by yesterday afternoon.  He is very exploratory.  Seems to accept attention calmly too.  He purrs slightly when I stroke his fur.  He ignores Lori when she hisses at him.  I kind of expect that from a cat that was calm in a shelter community room.  

I am a bit worried about his breathing and appetite though.  He seems to have sneezing or throat-clearing issues.  I hope it it nothing serious.  He doesn't want to eat.  I've tried canned fish, chicken and beef.  I've tried kibbles.  I tried treats.  I even tried a pill-pocket.  

4.  Binq is confusing.  She doesn't seem to want to leave The Mews Room even with the door open for an hour.  Yet she runs to me when I enter the room and seeks attention enthusiastically.  But almost too enthusiastically!  She is very "clawy".  She wants to grab my hands with her claws and she wants to climb up my pants legs too.  Good thing I was wearing heavy jeans (though I felt her claws anyway).  

And I'm not sure why she wants to climb up me; she fights being held the couple times I tried (so of course I am not trying to force that).  Meanwhile though, I have many claw-pricks on legs and hands.  Nothing serious, but I look like I have flea bites...

She wants to play, but she is very rough about it.  I wouldn't have expected that from a female cat.  I had a few toys in the room and she played with those some.  Yesterday, I tossed her a rattley mouse and a spring and she played with those briefly.  

Her real obsession is the Turbotrak.  I mentioned that she seemed good at it.  But she is really REALLY good at it.  The Bridge is a problem for most cats.  She whaps it right over.  When she hits the ball around the track in a certain way, she waits for it to show up under the Bridge.  She knows it is coming.  I hear her playing with it frequently.

I often participate in the game, flicking the ball back to her.  She sees me flick it and she knows just where to expect it to arrive.  And yesterday, I saw the ball roll out of the room.  But she wouldn't chase it beyond the doorframe.  I don't know why.  

But, since she loves it so much, I think I will improve it. Lori used to play with the turbotrack often herself, so I bought a second one and made it a single bigger one (that took a while to figure out).  Lori didn't like that, so I made it the smaller original version and she played with that sometimes.  But I think I will combine them again.  Binq might enjoy the challenge.

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So that is the current state of The Mews.  I have a few things to do next.  I hesitated for a few days in case there was something so obviously wrong with the newbies that one or both might have to be returned (and it would have had to be pretty serious).  But neither of them seem to have problems beyond initial "new home" adjustment.  Marley is not a problem.  Lori should settle down in a week or two.

Call my Vet for a complete exam for Loki and Binq.  Get accounts opened there for them and hand over copies of what medical records the shelter provided.  Get them shots for any they are missing.  Get all The Mews claws trimmed (I wonder if there is a groomer who visits at home).  Or I'll just bring them to the Vet in pairs.  

They sent me an email about "Holiday Specials" that included grooming and claw-clips.  Loki has some dried stuff on his back and tail (that he resists me getting at) so he needs a bath and Binq has a smell.  Well, as shelter cats, there is only so much care they can be given, so I'll get them washed, groomed, and cleaned.  Maybe Lori will stop hissing if the newbies are all cleaned up. LOL!

I have some pics on the camera but haven't organized them yet.  Next time, I hope...  It will take a while to get back into regular routines.

Last Week

TBT:  I didn't post yesterday (feeling both uncreative and a bit worried) and it was a busy day.  But it occurred to me late last night that a lot have things went "off" with The Mews the past week that I hadn't mentioned (being worried about it and waiting for resolution).  Then things seemed to get resolved, so I kind of ignored them.  But then I thought I should mention those things.

I mentioned Laz going to the Vet and having some blood drawn for and FiV test.  I didn't mention a minor issue the visit revealed and what happened for several days after.  And do keep in mind that "almost all was resolved".  ;)

So what was the bad stuff?

When Laz returned from the Vet, Lori sniffed him.  Then hissed and swiped a paw at him.  And she growled at him.  OK, I know that is not too unusual a response to a cat returning from the Vet with strange medical smells.  But then she even attacked him (briefly).  Poor Laz was shocked and confused!  

She even growled and swiped at Marley!   Now, that's pretty futile.  It's like waving a ping-pong paddle at a tennis racket.  So she must have been very very upset.  And that was all very confusing to me because Laz has come back from the Vet before since Lori arrived.

Worse, she kept it up for 2 full days.  I saw Laz approach Lori next to the pillow on the bed (where they routinely nap together) and she hissed at him even then.  I considered whether Lori was have some separate problem coincidently occurring at the same time.

And then, none of them wanted to eat!  Well, Ayla did, but she stays separate from the others.  Marley, Laz, and Lori were all turning up their noses at the regular canned food, even when I put a few kibbles on top,  and even when I crushed some freeze-dried chicken on top (which would probably get Laz and Lori to eat dried potato flakes, but Marley hates the dried chicken anyway but does like the kibble sprinkles)!

Lori's odd actions lasted until Thursday.  I saw then napping "nearby".  Later that day, I saw them curled up together.  But even today, I notice they don't cuddle like they used to.  I hope things get back to normal soon.

I tried some various things.  I got Lori up on a table and "carefully" ran my fingers through her fur looked for something that might be bothering her (wound, thorn, sticky-seeds, tick) and found nothing.  I also checked Laz thoroughly  to see if he had some infection at the blood-drawing site or anywhere else.  Nothing I could findLaz and Lori are now almost back to usual.  I say almost because even now it is more 50-50 mutual napping rather than 90%.  

They are all eating normally again, so that is good.  And yesterday, Laz and Lori chased each other all around the house after dark in apparent good spirit.  

This will probably just be one of "those cat mysteries" I will never have an answer to.  I will just accept that things are mostly back to normal and be grateful for that.

Yesterday (once)...

Lori - More 2nd Day Pics And New Events

TBT:  First, more pics from the 2nd day.  I'll get to newer ones in upcoming days:

She felt safe enough to eat after a 1st day not eating.

She likes sitting on The Lap.

She looks at me with adoring eyes...

And likes to be closer.

She feels safe on me.  Doing some washing...

And touches me with love...

She is not bothered by the camera and seems to look bravely at her new world!

She is going to be the gem of my old age...  The last youngin.  And I "almost" named her "Gem".

Second, some mention about adjusting to the new home Tues/Wed/Thurs.  I don't want to be confusing, showing first couple day pics and then talking about the most recent later days, but I will lose track of some events if I don't mention them now.

Tues afternoon, the adults were out of the house so I carried Lori around letting her see most of the rooms.  Mostly, I just stood still and let her look around a few minutes in each room.  I also let her sniff places the adult Mews tend to nap.  

Then Marley was at the deck door and I let him in.  They seem to be getting along well.  But for then, I just let them look at each other.  They were both relaxed about it.  I brought Lori back to her room, as I felt she had had enough stimulation for the day.  And I continue to spend about 10 minutes per waking hour with her in physical contact and playtime.

Wed morning, with the adults outside I carried her around again and then let her wander around on her own.  She enjoyed that and she went all around investigating furniture.  To my surprise, she is both a climber and a jumper!  She went straight to the top of the cat trees for several minutes, going in and out of the huts and looking outside from the platforms.  And she unhesitatingly jumped down 4'.

To my further surprise, she then went right down the stairs to the basement, so of course I had to follow her.  No telling what she might find down there.  But she just poked around stuff and went back upstairs.    And then back down and back up.  Apparently, she is familiar with stairs!

Wed afternoon, with the adults INSIDE, I carried her around again so she could see them all.  Ayla and Laz were NOT thrilled!  They both hissed at Lori.  But they also left for the bedroom after a few minutes.  I guess those were "I'm confused" rather than "I'm angry" hissies.

After I put Lori back into her room (with some contact and playtime) I went and comforted both Ayla and Laz.  They need attention too, and may be feeling a bit ignored.  Ayla tends to self-isolate anyway.  But I have been giving Laz so much attention for the past 18 months (wow, it really HAS been that long?) he may sense a change.  And I sure don't want a relapse after all that work!

Thursday morning, with the adults outside, I gave Lori a full hour to wander around in peace.  She seems quite comfortable here.  She enjoys exploring nooks and crannies.  Sometimes she disappeared for 10 minutes at a time only to appear again from under furniture or behind a drape.  

She even tasted a bit of adult cat food leftover in the kitchen.  She isn't quite ready for that yet (I have a new box of 24 cans of kitten food which will last her until the end of the month).  The box is half Fancy Food Kitten Chicken (which she is accustomed to) but also half Kitten Salmon.  

I'll be happy if she keeps liking chicken (and she ate the 3 cans of FF Turkey Kitten I bought), but the adult Mews are mostly Fishy-fans and (at some point) I would them all to like the same foods.  

Laz is a kibble-lover, which makes things complicated enough and I'm working on getting him to like canned.  If a sprinkle a few kibbles on top, he goes for those and usually keeps on eating.  I don't really want a 3rd specific individual preference with Lori.

Ayla is less fussy.  Poultry is "usually OK" but she prefers the fish.  Marley eats almost anything (and anycat's).  It is odd.  Before Laz arrived, Ayla and Marley preferred poultry...

Thursday evening!  There comes a time when a new cat (even a kitten) has to face the other cats in the house at floor level and nose to nose (and probably noses to butts, but I didn't see much of that).  Since I was doing cooking and kitchen-work, I was right there in case some anger-issues showed up.

Lori went around the house like when the others were out.  It didn't go "purrfectly".  Marley came over and they sniffed noses.  But it seems Lori is A Very Confident Kitten.  When she decided Marley was being a bit pushy, she whapped him (gently).  That surprised Marley, but he stayed politely close, sat down "breadloaf-style" and let her walk all around him calmly.  Marley is a Wonder sometimes!

Ayla hissed again at her from the top of the easy chair, though the hiss didn't seem to have much anger in it.  Ayla just seems to want other cats to leave her alone.  Even Lori didn't consider Ayla's hiss much of a threat.  I wish I could speak "cat" better.  There must be subtleties in hisses I can't interpret.

Laz, as you may suspect, is my major concern.  He attacked Ayla when he was younger and uncertain of his position in the house.  He is probably still a bit sensitive/uncertain of his status.  I WILL say he is SO much calmer the last 6 months.  He and Ayla haven't so much as hissed at each other in some months now.  He MIGHT even be relatively normal now, with only the deepest memories of his bad original home.  At least he seems almost like those first couple years never happened.  But you never know...

So I have to relate a funny story that I am still trying to decide about.  Laz turned a corner into the kitchen only to find Lori standing there (she puffed).  He raised his paw in surprise.  AND SHE WHAPPED HIM!  

Laz ran to the top of the stairs and then Lori chased him down the stairs!  Laz fled...  I listened for fighting sounds but there were none.  Lori came back up in a few minutes.  Laz stayed in the basement for an hour.  I gave them both positive attention later of course.

I understand that sounds bad for cat-relations, but 9.2 lb Laz retreated from 2 lb (I really have to weigh her) Lori?  The good way to look at it is that Laz has learned not to attack female cats in the house (Laz an Marley "wrassle" brotherly sometimes).  And that Lori is willing and able to defend herself.

I should also mention that I have brought Lori into the bedroom to sleep with me for several hours each of the past 3 nights.  Door closed so she HAD to stay around me (for socialization and not other-cat hissies).  She LOVED that, curling up next to me under the covers and purring.  But only a few hours.  She needs her room (litterbox, food, water, stimulation-reduction) until she adjusts further. 

Then I leave the bedroom door open for the adult Mews.  They like my night-time company too.  Laz loves getting under the covers  if I lay on my back with the left knee up so it seems like a tent and he can drape on a the right leg.  Marley likes getting under but not directly in contact.  Ayla sometimes gets under if Laz is not there.  It's a balancing act...

It has been quite an interesting few days...

Freaky Friday

IZA:  Oh Carp!  I got  "Time Out".  I was mean to Ayla. 

I made a scab...

I didn't mean to...

 But I was wrong to do it.

I have to stay this way for 5 whole minnits!

That's like, forever...  And TBT is watching me.

Saturday Caturday - Three Kitties

AYLA:  OK, sometimes we don't stay all this close.  And sometimes when we do there are some face-offs.  And it is usually Iza and Me.  We confront each other sometimes, and it is innerestin.  Iza is bigger, but I am faster with the paws.  Purrsonally, I like to think of it as Me being a BIG LEOPARD and Iza bein a small lioness.

And as as you can see, Marley is ready to go run unner the bed.  He knows when to get out of the way...  He would smooth things over after or stop annything serious if TBT dint, but hes not sure what ta do right there.  Boycats, MOL!

 But then we just stopped.  La-La-La, friends again.  Well, sometimes we just like to test each other. 

Well, we all wanted to go out.  Never mind it was dark.  We wanted to.  But TBT wouldn't let us.  He never does.  It never hurts ta ask though,

I held the door area while Iza left.  I won... Ya can tell I won cuz my tail is curled around me and Iza's tail is lowish.

 You can tell it was all calm again cuz Marley is just sitting there...

Not our typical evening, but all was resolved with TBT tossing kibbles around fer us to chase.  There aren't many hissies that a few tossed kibbles won't solve. 

Easy Like Sunday

MARLEY:  Bast, was Iza ever annoyed this morning.  She been tearin up the house all yesserday and night!  She even whapped ME, an I was just sittin around, ya know?  She chewed the skins offa TWO new rattley mousies last night too.  Somethin about bein 16th on Spittys list of girlcats. 

So, annyway, me an Ayla just sat up high today an waited til she calmed down.  Cuz Iza isnt in a climbin mood when she's annoyed.

Sometimes, ya just GOTTA let Iza have the whole floor...

I let Ayla keep the watchful eye out...  Me?  I napped.

The good news is that TBT finally stepped in an made Iza go read her email and Spittys blog, where she learned (to HER chagrin and OUR laffter) that the list was Spittys list, but in no special order.  So now she is all settled down and napping in the bedroom.

So it turns out ta be an Easy Sunday (afternoon) after all...