Here we go again!

[MommaCat]

Evening Everyone,
it's been awhile since I have been around... Resigned from my job in Auguast and have been volunteering at our SPCA NO KILL Shelter since.

OK.. welll I Have fallen in love with another fur child and brought him home today as a trial to see how CLAYTON would react to Taj.....ewwwwwww. I KNOW that I am supposed to keep the separated but I can only keep Taj 1-2 days as I have not yet adopted him.
I brought Taj home and broght him upstairs to out master bathroom... then I brought CLayton up.....CLayton growled and hissed.. which I expected. Taj acted like Clayton wasn't even there.. NOT a sound from Taj...this boy is so laid back.

OK so Taj went back in the bathroom.... BIG bathroom by the way TWO huge windows.....he's been in a cage alot for the past severeal months and likes to look outside. He has also explored our bedroom.

A little while ago, my husband and I tried again.. He held one and I the other.. Clayton touched noses with Taj.. then growled and hissed... Still not a sound from Taj.He just wants som elove... he is a love.. and my Clayton is my son... we haven't even taken Taj to see Shadow yet......one at a time.. Clayton is the big issue.

Is it a positive sing that Clayton touched noses?
Just keep trying to introduce? I'll cal the SPCA tomorrow and give them a progress report... do you think there is hope?


THanks...
Love you all,
Momma Cat... Deb

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Yes, I think there is a lot of hope. The initial hissing and growling is to be expected and the fact that they touched noses on their second sighting is a very good sign. I think the fact that Taj is so laid back will be a big help because he will allow Clayton to be top cat if he must. I think 2 days is not near enough time for total peace to reign, but I think you've gotten a good start and Taj will fit in just fine - congratulations! ;) :D

[MommaCat]

Oh Deb,
do you really think so?
Clayton is still hissing..... Poot little guy stays under our bed... and clayton saw him under the bed this morning and started growling....
I am whipped emotionally and it's only been 1 day! He is such a sweet little guy..... and LOVES to be held and hugged and kissed....
Shadow is in her room.. where she usually stays and doesn't have a clue another invader has moved in... Clayton is the big hurdle.
Deb.. do you have any suggestions? I am keeping then separated and bring Clayton in periodically....any hints? Taj is so sweet an dlaid back... and Clayton is being a brat.. but that's my boy.. he is momma's handsome prince and I adore him.. an dhe knows it. I guess he needs to tell the little one that he is theboss...It wasn't that long ago when Clayton was the new kid.... only 10 months ago...but I guess he feels that he has always been here. My friend who is an animal communicator.. clayton said to her MY MOMMA!
EXACTLY what Shadow said last year.....
ANy suggestions my friend I would be grateful... I am keeping them separated and love each one so as not to have any one feel left out.

My husband said "You have to take him back"? I said he is not ours yet thisis only a trial.... My husband said THat's not fair.... you have to take him back and then bring him home again? I know I can work it all out.... but I am surprised that he ha staken to Taj so quickly.... He said We need a new litter box ( I Have one from the shelter now) and he needs his own bed... I was shocked.
Taj climbed in his lap last night and feel asleep....THat's what CLayton did last year too.... Jim is a GOner once they do that.

What do you think of new names.... Fletcher.. Logan Lewis Pete Andrew... MACS RADAR ALEX Matthew WIlliam????

Oh Taj is orange and white....Wish I knew how to down load pictures....
If I give you my e mail address can I send you pictures of all my babaies and you post them?

Thank y ou Deb.. thank y ou so much.

Love and lIght..
Mommacat Deb

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

The only advice I have is to give it time. Even the most vile of enemies eventually learn to tolerate each other over time, and I don't think you've got that to worry about. Just keep introducing them slowly. If you can, put something like a baby gate or something in the doorway of the bedroom so they can see each other and sniff each other, but can't get at each other.

It's so sweet that your hubby wants to keep him already. Wish some of your hubby would rub off on Terry. ;) :rolleyes:

my email address is [email protected], so go ahead and send away! I'd be glad to post them for you. :)

[cruisetime]

I read from some other posts on this board that you can give each one the other's blanket that has a scent of that cat on it to get them used to the scent....Don't know if it will help but sounded like a good idea.... GOod Luck! Debbie

[MommaCat]

Welll it seems that he new baby is related to Houdini! He keeps escaping from the bedroom! I found him coing out of Liz's room which is where Shadow sleeps... Shadow was under the bed probabaly having a herat attack.....I put him back in the bed room.. then I was sitting on the top step....CLayton was at the bottom. All of a sudden.. there is little Houdini sitting next to me.
I put him back in the bedroom.
Jim comes home.. takes him in his study with him....he walks All over the room casing the joint.. then Jim sees him stretching all the way up trying to open the doorknob.. then trying to open the door from underneath.
He's a pistol.. VERY quiet though.....so I know this is unusual but we have let him out to explore....CLayton is in the living room in the corner.. Shadow is in her room.. so I have let him out to roam...I know I shouldn't but this little guy must have been asafe cracker in a past life....
I Have the basement door closed .. if he goes down there we'd never find him.. That is where CLayton's litter boxes are and where his Fort is....
I hope I'll survive this....

Love,
Mommacat.. Deb

[MommaCat]

Morning Everyone,
We have given up trying to keep the babies separated. The new little guy is Houdini and is an expert escapr artist. He has been wandering around and exploring.
Clayton hisses and growls BUT this morning Clayton did sniff TUCKER's Butt when he walked by. I am hoping that is a good sign. Clayton is still growling, hissing and has tried to swat the little invader.
We are just letting them alone. I try to tell Clayton that just 10 months ago HE was the new kid in the house...he seems to have a short memory!:)

The new fur child is very laid back and just wanders around exploring. I htink his new name willbe TUCKER. Jim calls him Bullet becasue he seems to love racing around the house!

CLayton did NOT sleep on the bed last night. Tucker slept under the bed. I miss my son not sleeping with me. Am I being punished?

You think we'll all be happy happy again?

Blessings,
Mommacat... Deb

[Laura's Babies]

Sounds to me like it is working out for them... I feel like while it may take time (and it always does), all to soon they will be the best of buddies and you will wonder why you worried so much about it!!

Took mine about 4 months when I got Samantha, but that was over WHO was here FIRST!! I had Giz and Amy for almost a YEAR when my neighbor FINALLY let me have Samantha so Giz and Amy thought they had been her first and she didn't belong here.. (Fur flew some, believe me!!) Samantha had been here for a year and moved away and that is WHY I got Amy.. So Sam thought SHE was here first and they didn't belong here.. SOooooo, we had fur fly often, over who was here FIRST!! Now, they play and tolerate each other.. NO sleeping together yet, but they will play!

(Samantha was my neighbors cat that lived on my doorstep 24/7 crying to get in my house. I would let her in and she would stay 3, 4, 5 days before the neighbor would come get her. After she had kittens in March this year, she kept one of the kittens and finally gave me the Mama that I had been begging her for, for 2 years!!)

[MommaCat]

Evening all,
Well for every step ahead we move two back!
Tucker is now our new fur son... I signed the final adoption papers this morning!

Susan gave me the scoop on him...we have some volunteers that
live in a group Home for emotionally challenged people. One of the residents found him under a car and brought him to our shelter...His ribs were showing, he had worms, mites,had been shot behind his ear with a BB gun etc etc etc.

So he is my new furn son. I am so happy that I have been given this blessed little boy to take into my heart and my home.

Tonight, when I got home Clayton was in the kitchen... Tucker walked in and Clayton went up to Tucker on his own and touched his nose to Tucker's... THEN hissed! What was that?????

OK so as a treat I gave a smidgen of ateeny bit of chicken to Tucker as a welsome treat.. he gobbled that up... and then Igave a smidge to CLayton... well Tucker walks over and thinks he is going to eat Clayton's....Clayton HISSSSSSSED and WHAM! hauls off and smacks the baby with his paw.....
Doesn't matter if Clayton wanted it or not.. it was placed in front of Clayton... is this normal? and are they establishing who is Alpha Kitty?

I have a headache!
You know this is why I love you all so much... I feel I can come here and exchange Momma stories and you all have been there done that.
I love you all,
MommaCat... Deb

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Deb, click here (http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=63425) to see the pics of your babies that you sent me.

Yes, there is going to be some hissing and swatting for awhile, until they get the dominance issue straight, and especially if Tucker tries to steal Clayton's food!

Congratulations on making it official. Welcome HOME Tucker! :)

[MommaCat]

THank you SO MUCH for posting the pictures.
The SPCA named Clayton.. when I finally saw him.. my heart stopped.. I knew he was my fur son... you see my Grandmother's Maiden name was CLAYTON. It was a sign!

He is my soul kitty...there is something very special between us. I adore this fur son...

You think they will work things out?

I love you all,
deb....

[QueenScoopalot]

Catgratulations on your new furkid! He sounds adorable (I saw the pics Debbie posted earlier). I hear the the Feliway plugins although a bit pricey, work very well at keeping peace in the household. I'm sure in no time flat, they'll all be romping through the place like old pals! :D

[MommaCat]

Dear Scoppa lot,
Thank you so much!
Looking at the pictures of your fur children.. I think maybe mine will work things out!!!!

Many Blessings,
Momma cat Deb

[MommaCat]

Hello friends,
Wellll time for an update on Tucker and Clayton.
It'll be a week tomorrow that I brought Tucker home...just when I think we are making progress.. Clayton gets nasty.

Example.. This morning, I Had the front door open.. Tucker was looking out of screen door.. enjoying the breeze and sniffing the air.. just sitting and being happy. Clayton was watching him... all of a sudden BAM! Clayton hauls off and smacks Tucker in the head! NO REASON! Tucker just sat there and looked at Clayton. Then Tucker came into my study and hopped on the windowsill to look out the window. Clayton HIssed...
Is it too soon to think that Clayton would start to accept Tucker? Am I trying to look at things thru rose colored glasses?

Any advice???

Blessings,
Mommacat Deb

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Yep, still too soon. This will happen, probably for months to come - if not years! There will always be a bit of sibling rivalry, but as long as there is no blood shed or serious attacks, let them work it out. Clayton will come to realize that Tucker is not a threat to his top-cat status and will eventually relent.

But overall, if you've had them together for most of the last week (seeing as Tukcer is aka Houdini) and there have been no serious all out brawls, I think things are going wonderfully.

Oh, and about the random acts of swattiness. My meek little Peanut girl who has never been top-cat sometimes, for no reason that we can tell, just hauls off and smacks Tubby - then runs! We think it's hilarious because Tubby always looks stunned like "what the....?" :D So I wouldn't worry about the random swats, and, like I say, they will probably diminish over time. 1 week is not considered a long time. ;)

[MommaCat]

Deb,
You are my angel from heaven.....
Noooo no major battles..... Clayton will touch Tucker's nose and then two minutes later smack him.
CLayton sniffs Tucker's Butt but when Tucker tried to sniff Clayton's he got HISSSSSSED at.
This poor little guy is getting mixed signals. One minute he is touches noses then BAM! a smack!

No nasty attacks.. nothing physical.. just alot of hissing... and smacking.
They CAN and do sit in the same room... several feet apart and stare at each other....last night, I tried to get them to play together. I would throw a toy and one would run and then I'd throw it to the other one.

it has only been a week.. I just thought that by now Clayton would ease up.
Do I correct Clayton when he hisses or smacks Tuicker or let them be?

Thanks Deb.. You are my new best friend!
Momma cat Deb

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I would just let them be unless they get into a serious battle. They need to work it out amongst themselves. :)

[MommaCat]

ok.....
I just feel so bad for TUcker.. bless his heart.. he looks at me with those huge eyes as if to say MOMMMMMMA what did I do?


THanks Deb... sorry to keep bugging you....

Blessings,
Deb

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

No problem, Deb. :)

[MommaCat]

Hi Deb, and everyone.
JUst to let you all know that CLayton and Tucker RACE thru the house like they are in the INDY 500. THey wrestle and race...the early morning and late at night are their favorite times.

Shadow is not the least bit interested. Jim and I spens time with her every day and that makes her happy.. but she wants no part of CLayton or Tucker. Our daugher is home from college for the holiday weekend. She forgot to completely shut her door.. welllll ole sneaky Clayton decided to pay a call to Miss Shadow. Our daughter was awakened at 5 am to the sound of Shadow and Clayton getting into it and then Clayton (all 13 pounds of him) racing across our daughter;s bed. Scared her half to death as she was in a dead sleep....CLayton has not tried to sneak back in since. :) Momma's little devils.

Elizabeth had fallen in love with Tucker. I think he reminds her of her Pumpkin who was a long haired Orange and white tabbly bundle of pure love. She thinks Tucker is adorable and keeps saying awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

TUcker has a SHOE FETISH. He LOVES my husband's shoes. NOT mine... ONLY his. ALL of his shoes. Tucker finds his Daddy's shoes.. sticks his head in them and falls asleep. He rolls in the shoes.. tries to climb in them, puts his whole head in them and finally will fall asleep on them. I took pictures of him. Maybe I could persuade Deb to post them for me. He loves my husband's shoes... I Have never seen anything like this before... Very strange.. but cute.

SO there is finally PEACE IN THE VALLEY!!!!!! THank you Deb, Jen and everyone!!!!!

I Love you all!!!!!!

Momma cat.. Deb