gini
08-29-2004, 06:14 PM
I have three cats and all are strays.
Rascal came first and he will be seven years old over Labor Day.
He has been with me for about 5 1/2 years and he is wonderful. Everyone loves Rascal - and he loves them and shows them by giving lots of loving to anyone that comes to visit.
Annie and Emma are the last of a litter of kittens that a stray had next door to my home. My neighbor trapped the Mom and two of the kittens. Then he came to my door and announced THAT I COULD HAVE the other two. He also announces THAT THEY *MIGHT* BE PREGNANT.
He stopped feeding them.........and I took them in and had both spayed.
Annie is adorable, full of herself, normal, fun, loving, demanding and still a bit skittish of strangers. Rascal is showing her the ropes and she watches from a safe distance.
When I had the BBQ, I doubt that anyone even saw Emma. I think once she showed up on my roof and looked down.
My routine is to let them out during the day and bring them in the house in the late afternoon.
There are some traits that Emma has that seem easily explained. She is scared to death of doors. She is also afraid of feet.
God only knows what happened to her next door in her first nine months.
I am extremely patient with her and wait until she feels like going out (and she tells me) and even more patient when she wants to come in the house. I literally stand there as still as possible with the door wide open waiting for her to decide. When she does she makes a mad dash in the house - sure I am going to slam the door on her.
We seem to have resolved the feet issue. I am just very careful where I walk if she is in the room.
She will jump on the bed at night and sleep with me and that is probably the only time I can freely pet her. At first she would freak and jump off the bed. We seem to have overcome that.
She is just a loner, afraid of everything. Annie and Emma used to be thicker than thieves - that has changed and Annie hisses at her once in a while. Rascal is good to both of them but clearly favors Annie - giving her lots of baths and tolerates her antics.
I want to socialize Emma more, but it just seems like such a hard road I am on. Sometimes I pick her up when I can, and just cuddle her and then gently put her down. I try to make it a secure, pleasurable experience.
One day she is fine......and the next you would think I was Dracula. It is very frustrating.
So many of you have multi-cat households and I was hoping that one of you had some ideas for me.
Sorry this is so long....................Gini
Rascal came first and he will be seven years old over Labor Day.
He has been with me for about 5 1/2 years and he is wonderful. Everyone loves Rascal - and he loves them and shows them by giving lots of loving to anyone that comes to visit.
Annie and Emma are the last of a litter of kittens that a stray had next door to my home. My neighbor trapped the Mom and two of the kittens. Then he came to my door and announced THAT I COULD HAVE the other two. He also announces THAT THEY *MIGHT* BE PREGNANT.
He stopped feeding them.........and I took them in and had both spayed.
Annie is adorable, full of herself, normal, fun, loving, demanding and still a bit skittish of strangers. Rascal is showing her the ropes and she watches from a safe distance.
When I had the BBQ, I doubt that anyone even saw Emma. I think once she showed up on my roof and looked down.
My routine is to let them out during the day and bring them in the house in the late afternoon.
There are some traits that Emma has that seem easily explained. She is scared to death of doors. She is also afraid of feet.
God only knows what happened to her next door in her first nine months.
I am extremely patient with her and wait until she feels like going out (and she tells me) and even more patient when she wants to come in the house. I literally stand there as still as possible with the door wide open waiting for her to decide. When she does she makes a mad dash in the house - sure I am going to slam the door on her.
We seem to have resolved the feet issue. I am just very careful where I walk if she is in the room.
She will jump on the bed at night and sleep with me and that is probably the only time I can freely pet her. At first she would freak and jump off the bed. We seem to have overcome that.
She is just a loner, afraid of everything. Annie and Emma used to be thicker than thieves - that has changed and Annie hisses at her once in a while. Rascal is good to both of them but clearly favors Annie - giving her lots of baths and tolerates her antics.
I want to socialize Emma more, but it just seems like such a hard road I am on. Sometimes I pick her up when I can, and just cuddle her and then gently put her down. I try to make it a secure, pleasurable experience.
One day she is fine......and the next you would think I was Dracula. It is very frustrating.
So many of you have multi-cat households and I was hoping that one of you had some ideas for me.
Sorry this is so long....................Gini