Fratenizing Felines Part 2
This morning Cory was caterwauling to be let out again, the episode with the stomping neighbours apparently forgotten. Locking up the others (Saffron in the backyard which has been converted into kitty apartments, Pep and Ging on the balcony), I let Cory out. A little more confident this time, he made his way towards the balcony, the extent of his previous day's exploration, still making his small high-pitched "eow? eow?"s. Pep was crouching at her favourite spot, the threshold where the sliding door opened whilst Ging was basking and dozing in his usual spot at the other end of the threshold.
When Cory came face to face with Pepa through the balcony's glass sliding door, they regarded each other with curiosity. Pepa then gave him her greeting chirrup and tried to keep pace with him as he walked up and down the length of the glass sliding door. Until she stepped on and upset a flower pot, that is.
Recalling what I'd read about integrating cats, I scooped out two portions of wet cat food and placed each on either side of the glass sliding door. It is supposed to help them associate each other's presence with a positive experience.
After the food was gone, I slid open the glass door. Pepa stepped gingerly in (Ging was still inspecting the now empty food bowl). She and Cory regarded each other and touched noses in kitty greeting. "Oooh, this is going better than expected," I thought. Just then, Pepa pinned back her ears and hissed at Cory. Rats. What do I do now? Remembering the experts' advice to keep preliminary encounters short and sweet, I ushered Cory back to the quarantine room.
Before long, the caterwauling started again. Apparently, Outside with its hissing cats and stomping neighbouts is preferrable to Inside. Exasperated, I let Cory out again, this time with the other three cats lounging around. He first inspected Saffron who had a start, growled and hobbled to hide under the kitchen cabinets pursued by Cory who wanted to sniff at him throughly.
Deciding that the situation warranted catnip, I sprayed four toys liberally and offered one to each. It worked for a spell and I was able to snap the following photo. But then the hissing and started up again and back to the quarantine room Cory went. This time around, he settled down for his siesta and allowed me to type this post. Gosh, I shall be glad when they can finally coexist peacefully.
When Cory came face to face with Pepa through the balcony's glass sliding door, they regarded each other with curiosity. Pepa then gave him her greeting chirrup and tried to keep pace with him as he walked up and down the length of the glass sliding door. Until she stepped on and upset a flower pot, that is.
Recalling what I'd read about integrating cats, I scooped out two portions of wet cat food and placed each on either side of the glass sliding door. It is supposed to help them associate each other's presence with a positive experience.
After the food was gone, I slid open the glass door. Pepa stepped gingerly in (Ging was still inspecting the now empty food bowl). She and Cory regarded each other and touched noses in kitty greeting. "Oooh, this is going better than expected," I thought. Just then, Pepa pinned back her ears and hissed at Cory. Rats. What do I do now? Remembering the experts' advice to keep preliminary encounters short and sweet, I ushered Cory back to the quarantine room.
Before long, the caterwauling started again. Apparently, Outside with its hissing cats and stomping neighbouts is preferrable to Inside. Exasperated, I let Cory out again, this time with the other three cats lounging around. He first inspected Saffron who had a start, growled and hobbled to hide under the kitchen cabinets pursued by Cory who wanted to sniff at him throughly.
Deciding that the situation warranted catnip, I sprayed four toys liberally and offered one to each. It worked for a spell and I was able to snap the following photo. But then the hissing and started up again and back to the quarantine room Cory went. This time around, he settled down for his siesta and allowed me to type this post. Gosh, I shall be glad when they can finally coexist peacefully.
Comments
btw, it just hit me that saffron... isn't saffron-coloured!
saffron isn't saffron-coloured, but ah, he has rather twisty forepaws which look like uh, dried up stigmas?