The CAT room!

thanks for posting that thread, i really enjoyed it. Yes Roberta has to write a book,

Incidentally, all our cats have usually come when called.

We had one who could open doors but the next little stray who moved in didn't learn from him at all, she just miaowed for the staff to see to it. so, either she was cleverer than we thought - why do it for yourself? - or just as dim as we thought - couldn't work it out.

Seaglass, I think your alpha male will adjust but will remain eternally jealous!

Timmy was a one-person cat, mine. He was friendly to the family but it was me he cuddled up to and owned. When we took in a little fluffy scrap of a kitten when he was 5 he was furious. He hissed at her and when he was told off never did it again but always put her in her place.

If she was cuddled up with me as an adult and he walked into the room, he'd just look at her and she'd slither down off the sofa trying to make out she'd just 'happened to be there - cuddle up with me? no, not her...'

Seaglass, just bide your time, they'll come around.

I had a similiar problem recently with my two cats. Paddy always slept on my bed, Lacey just slept everywhere and anywhere. Lacey decided she liked my bed and nuzzling my book while I read, so Paddy took off and never came back onto the bed for 3 weeks. I thought he would never get over it. Lo and behold, last night the two of them slept on the bed, side by side, I was so happy!

And talk about a temper on Ms Lacey? There's no mistaking when she's pissed at us ... she glares at you and takes off in the opposite direction. She will not make eye contact and will have nothing to do with us, until she's over it. She's as adorable as she is spitfire, yah gotta love her!

Keep the faith girl, it will get better, you just have to let them know you're the stronger one:)

seaglass, you new kitten sounds gorgeous. I'm envious! Yes, I agree with Vivien & Misti. It won't be too long before yourresident cat accepts the new one. I speak from experience!

Remember this story?:

OFFERS POUR IN TO END CAT'S DETENTION

Groups from as far away as America are offering to help unite a refugee released this week after 18 months' detention on Manus Island with the cat he had befriended there.

A stray cat was Aladdin Sisalem's only companion during the 10 months he was held alone in the detention centre. He called her Honey. When arrangements were made to fly Mr Sisalem to Australia on Monday after he was granted a protection visa, he said he didn't want to leave the cat behind.

There was not enough time to organise the cat's departure, but offers of financial assistance to fly the cat to Australia have poured into the Australian Democrats office since. One person offered to pay the air fare plus a $500 bonus for a person to accompany the cat.

The World Society for the Protection of Animals in America offered its help and the Royal Humane Society in Melbourne offered to desex the cat and check it.

Calls from constituents prompted the Democrats to try to organise the cat's transfer, immigration policy adviser Kate Gauthier said. But they met a stumbling block - the detention centre's management said that Honey could not be found.

Undeterred, Ms Gauthier said enough money has been donated - including a pledge from Sydney radio commentator John Laws - to fly someone to Manus Island to look for the cat and bring it back, she said.

Steve Hamilton, the mission head of the International Organisation For Migration, said the cat was seen yesterday and was being fed by staff.

"Aladdin is not the only one who took care of this cat," he said. "It is an island, the cat can't go far. I'm sure if someone wants to come up here and find the cat and bring it to him they could."

He warned that there could be ownership problems because the cat was not born at the detention centre.

Ms Gauthier said she did not think this would be a problem and hoped to soon reunite Honey with Mr Sisalem, who carried a photo of the cat when he arrived in Melbourne last Monday.


`

Well, Check out what's happened. Don't you just love a happy ending? :


The sole detainee for months on Manus Island - and the stray cat who befriended him - are revelling in their new life in Melbourne, writes Andra Jackson.

http://theage.com.au/articles/2004/09/14/1094927576518.html?oneclick=true

aaaaah that's lovely - love happy endings and don't they both look happy

Yes, Vivien, it gives you a warm glow, doesn't it? But the thing is, there are LOTS of refugees in need of the sort of assistance Aladdin received ... & mostly it appears they don't get it. It was the cat aspect of his story that united the strangest cross-section of Oz society to help him. I don't know what to make of this, really .... But, of course, I'm very happy for Aladdin & Honey, though.

Incidentally, from this story I gather he lives quite close to where I live. So, who knows, one day I might bump into him while shopping in Sydney Road. Walk the same places every day ...

good morning!

yes we have a huge amount of refugees where i live - at the moment mainly Somalians arriving - what some of them have gone through is heart rending.

Olga, Thanks for the info re the immigrants. I'm glad they're together. A lovely photo and one of the few stories these days with a happy ending.

Seaglass, When I introduced a new cat to my home, I decided not to intervene. The cat who was already there, Miranda, was very unhappy about the situation. The newbie, Patty, was spunky and oblivious. They eventually worked things out, but it was an uneasy peace, at best. I think you're doing all the right things. Defer to the older cat. And give it time.

Boida!

My Miranda is sitting on the ironing board, as I type - gazing adoringly - if a little incipiently mischievously - at Oscar. An old cat and a new cat relationship made in heaven!!!

Found homes for another litter of yard cats today. We discovered three on Monday, old enough to have their eyes open, and more or less able to eat the hard food. Well, one disappeared, one was adopted yesterday, and another lucked out to day and found a home with three older cats.

It's odd about these feral cats. This, and the previous litter were born friendly, and all but the mia found homes within three days. The litter before that (proud parents, now) were hostile from the go git. The two survivors are still homeless. Seems some kittens are born to purr - others are born to hiss.

I've got a year-and-a-half old kittencat who has grown up alone with me being home most of the time. I'm getting ready to go to work full time and know she needs a playmate--she's very demanding of attention: not lap time but play time. But I can't see bringing in a new cat when I'm not going to be here to keep the peace...not to mention training the new cat. I know my cat will adjust to 9-10 hours a day alone. . .RIGHT??????

Yes!

Everyone told me to get a second cat, to keep the senior cat company. You know, a little playmate. I should sue the lot of them for alienation of affection. I got Nermal for Spooky, and he hasn't been the same since. Finally, I took in Barney, who was an injured feral. At least now I've got one cat that notices when I come home from work.

Hiyall, I don't think full grown cats even notice your absence. When you're gone, they mostly sleep and eat. That's about what they do when you're home too, except for late at night when they are playing Thundering Herd of Wildebeast, with your bed doing duty as the Sarengetti Planes.

Sorry, Deb. That sounded good, so I stole it!

Thanks, Roger, for salving my conscience!! Gawd do I know about that Thundering Herd...one cat can be just as effective as a herd...especially when you have miniblinds. Mine feels it her mission in life to play them like an accordian...but only when I'm trying to sleep.

She will get used to it, but she will not like it. Be prepared for a little retaliation at first, and be sure to give her lots of attention when you are at home every night. Be sure she has lots of cat toys so she doesn't choose a few of your beloved possessions for stalking and mauling.

A second cat is a great idea...they DO keep each other company. But I wouldn't consider it if you don't have the time to train that second cat first. You need to be around for at least a few weeks to ease the transition for the first cat and make sure the second cat knows the house rules. Otherwise, you are really asking for unpleasant surprises when you get home.

I agree, Eva--Annie will have plenty of toys (paper bags being her favorite) and lots of playtime when I get home. Once I build up enough leave, I may consider a second cat. Before this one, I had two abandoned kittens that were inseperable at first but grew to barely tolerate each other. But I was working then and I suspect part of the spatting was simply vying for my attention when I was home.

I've had one cat (several) and two cats, but have never tried to introduce a new cat to an old one.

Well, it's easier when the new cat is a kitten. The older one will bat it around a bit, but it's rare that it will actually hurt it. It's more likely to assume the role of "mother" or "big brother." If it's an older cat, though, fights are more common.

Our two cats (both are 4 yrs. old) pretty much ignore each other, too. But when one of them is gone (to the vet's, for instance,) the other gets panicky. So I know they're more attached to each other than they let on. Sometimes, when they think I'm not watching, they actually bathe each other. But you're right, they do compete for our attention.

OK, Eva. You've convinced me. When I can get several weeks off (I'm going to work at a University, so we get pretty good holidays and leave), I may go to my vet...that's where I got Annie. She takes in Animal Shelter siblings and keeps them in a big cage in the waiting room, trying to adopt them. The big advantage is that they have aleady de-parasited and somewhat socialized by all the handling the staff give them. So I lose a few plants and trinckets...what the heck. (Never have found the watch Annie stole from the bedside table!)

That's how we got our two (Rosie & Buster) too! Plus, they were spayed and neutered.

Have you moved all your furniture looking for the watch? Even bookcases & major appliances? We moved our refrigerator out to clean under it (for the first time in 5 years...<blush>...) and were amazed at how much stuff the cats had wedged under there.

Oh I've no doubt that watch is under or behind a major appliance. But, hell, it was a cheap Timex--not worth the embarrassment of appliance moving!

OK, if I get Annie a kitten playmate, I'll be back on here desperately seeking advice!

I've had several experiences involving bringing in a kitten to older cats. They've both been very agressive, with senior cat being relatively tolerant. The best technique seems to bring in the kitten, by the way, and just set it in the litter pan. From there on, it's sink or swim. I tried bringing in one that I was cat sitting for a week, and leaving it in the carrier so they could become accustomed to each other. He hissed; she spat, and it was a really long week for all of us. Just let them work out their differences by themselves.