Miley asks: Is this my new brother or a stuffed animal?

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Originally posted by sasvermont
Miley aka Sybil.

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Another laugh out louder! :D

Poor Miley girl! She is just misunderstood. This is her palace and she is Queen and is just setting the tone so that this new Ti fellow gets it straight from the start! :) Seriously though, I am glad you found him and everyone is unscathed. These kitty adjustment periods are probably much harder on the humans. In time all will work out I am sure.

Congratulations to you on a very handsome addition! Can't wait to hear and see more. :) Lots of love to you and the furry ones from the Joizey gang.

I hope it doesn't take too long for them to get used to each other:)
The way you explain how he feels, I'd love to hold him:D

Aww!!! he sounds like a real sweetie :)

He'll come aropund. Of that I am sure. Now, even though Ti and Biddy have very different backgrounds (Biddy came straight off the street) I can see similarities. Biddy did not know what "play" was and he also did everything by the dark of night (including using the litter box). But no one has ever become a more loving addition to the family as Biddy. I think, because Ti does not seem to have the need to be boss, all should go well with Sybil...er...Miley :rolleyes: She'll show him what for and he'll say "yes, ma'am. No ma'am":D

You seem to be doing just the right things to ease Miley and Ti into being comfortable with each other, and to let Ti explore his new territory. I'm looking forward to more pictures of your beautiful new furbaby. It must feel wonderful to hold him.

Sallyanne, please don't get discouraged. I'm sure that by the end of the week that Ti will feel much more relaxed in his new surroundings and also with Miley. My new kitty Cirrus became quite relaxed after a few days. Now he and Storm are playing and not quite buddies but almost there. Sunny is still having some issues with Cirrus. He still gets scared of him. I've even had to put Sunny's food and water up high so he'll eat. Maybe this is an aby thing since Sunny is half aby. In the beginning I thought that Sunny would bond to Cirrus much quicker than Storm but it always seems that cats will do just the opposite of what you expect.

Good luck with gorgeous Ti and I can't wait to see more pictures of him.
:)

Drat, Ti is playing hard to get - which translates into Drat, no pictures yet. ;) :) I'm glad you were able to hold him, and he was doing head bumpies. That means he's not afraid of you, just unfamiliar with the surroundings. I'm sure Miley will get over her "Sybil-ness" once he comes out more and she has a chance to get familiar with him too.

Sounds like everything is like you say - going well, just slow. I know you'll keep us updated and will post pics as soon as you can. Just can't wait to see that beautiful boy. :)

Oops late again - Sallyanne, Ti looks like a gorgeous furboy! I think you said it with - slowly, slowly. Time's what they need to get used to each others company. Miley's been traumatised with losing both her beloved brothers - so I 'spect she's being very cautious with this 'interloper'! Good luck to you all and {{{Hugs}}} all round.

Lynne

I've looked through the postings again and you haven't mentioned his background. Has he been with the breeder the whole time ? Was he being considered for breeding but was too shy to " do his thing" ? Maybe he wasn't around the other cats or they intimidated him. I wonder !! I'm sure you will having him feeling happy and confident in no time. My Bodhi is a shy kind of guy too. At a year and a bit he is only now starting to assert himself. (Well he doesn't give in to Maya ALL the time, just most of the time. ) So we wait patiently for your pictures.

So happy to know that Ti is now home with his new family! Don't worry .... I know it can seem discouraging during this time ... but before you know it, they will be friends!!! Trust me .... since taking in all these rescues these past few weeks ... I have LOTS of Sybils on my hands!!! :eek: ;)

Ti we are all patiently awaiting your Pet Talk debut. Please don't let Miley bother you. She has gone through a horrible experience recently and is just a little out of sorts. We want to learn all about you and see your handsome face. Did you know you have landed in the most awesome home? Please do appear and let us get to know you. :)

Slowly, Ti is exposing his little personality and big body. I just finished playing with him while he stayed under a bureau in the guest room. He is non-violent for sure, never scratching or biting even though I have been sticking my arm into his space. His head will pop out every now and then....and then a long, long paw....and he is rolling around under there, trying to get scratched by my hand....Some day soon he will feel good enough to come out and play. I have only good feelings about him, so I will wait.

He is eating, using his litter and being a good boy. Miley is beginning to think he really is a stuffed animal. She needs a play mate for sure. She has been reduced to playing with pocketbooks on doors and dust bunnies.

I say that Ti will be "out" by the end of this weekend!

So, no pictures yet, unless you want to see how pretty his paws are..... !;)

I'm glad he's starting to come around:D I can't wait to hear (and see) the two of the them playing together!

Actually, I'd be willing to look at pictures of his cute paws.:D And those pictures will be reminders of his first days after he is all settled in and relaxed.

I shall go into his room and start the flashing! Be right back!:cool:

Here ya go. I put the camera under the bureau and hit the flash!

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...3/fc79388e.jpg

He was not happy, but now you can see him. :D

SAS he looks to be such a sweetie ! What was his story before you got him, since he was already a year old?

Awww...Sas thanks for the new photo of shy Ti.:)
I am sure that before you know it he will sitting on top of doorways with Miley instead of hiding under the bureau!;)

Oh Ti, please come out, pweeze, pweeze, pweeze.

Yippeee!!!! :D

I was in general right now and I saw a post from you SAS, and I was like OMG a BENGAL and I ran over here as fast as I could to read the post! CONGRATS!

I do have to say though, as a Bengal owner for over 6 years, and once a breeder, they do have a weird personality and can be very shy and even agressive at times. Some are not as cuddly and really show their wild side. What generation is he? If he is an F1-F4 chances are he will still show a little wilderness in him. Did the breeder say how far removed from the leopard cat he is? Did her foundation stock include Leopard cats or did she start with domestic Bengals?


They do however bond very closely to their owners, so he may need awhile to get used to you and the kitty and the new surroundings, but when he does he will be the best cat ever. Their bonds last a lifetime! Don't be suprised if he has a strong prey drive, likes water, chatters more than meows and fetches. Yes Bengals love water and they do fetch. Mystic started playing fetch when he was about 3 months old.

I do wish you luck and I know you two will form a great bond to one another. Congratulations once again, he is such a cutie!!!!


BTW Cheetah says he's "hot". :rolleyes: :p

Having just gotten him, I don't know tooooo much about his background except what the breeder mentioned in passing. She did mention that he was from the same line of the original breeder of Bengals, whatever that means to anyone. He is not wild and is not an alpha cat at all and I was told that too. As I said, he is not a fighter and has shown no aggression at all, nothing...not even a growl or a hiss even when I picked him up. The breeder said to give him a couple of days to warm up.

Yes, the breeder said he loves water. I can tell by all the "paw activity" that he likes to play with toys and uses his paws to do his work!

I got the name of Ti's breeder from another breeder I know. She had kittens available but mentioned this one boy kitty, one year old that had been neutered a few months back after they decided to NOT use him as a stud. They had him inside their house and grew attached and didn't want to sell him. She didn't want him to go to another breeder since he was such a love bug and wanted him to have a home rather than a pen/cage. So they decided to "pet him out" rather than have him go to a breeder. - I didn't really want a kitten, knowing that Miley was out of that stage and that I was expecting another kitten in June....an Aby, replacing (?) Graemer from the original breeder of Miley and Graemer.

I don't know that I made the correct decision in taking Ti, but it surely seemed like it at the time. The way the breeder described Ti, he seemed like a good fit here. She kept stressing that he was not an aggressive cat or an alpha cat...he was a lover. Adn that he was smart, playful as all get out and a sweetheart.

I have his paperwork at the office and will look up his parents etc. to see who they were etc. and then I should know more about him.

The thing I find so amazing about him is how he feels to the touch. He is all muscle - and solid as can be. It is almost scarey and it is like touching a panther or tiger......so muscle bound but not fatty at all. And then there is Miley, a silkly, skinny, light weight who can wiggle her way off your lap in a split second....weighing just 6 lbs. and Ti weights 17! He is only a year old!

More pics tomorrow.

SAS

Sallyanne, Ti's pic is so cute even though he looks scared. :) I know he's going to fit in well in his new home. I look forward to seeing more pics of him and hearing more about him too. :)

Seventeen pounds -he must be a big cat too. Can't wait to see him standing or so to have a better impression. However when I look at his facie under the bureau I can guess how handsome he is.

Poor boy, not being a figghter and now in a completely new environment with a sister with extra special Aby cattitude.

But he is starting to bond with you:) :)

Don't doubt your choice. I've experienced the "hiding under the bureau" stage of a few kitties, and it passes. They like to observe from a safe area. It will be SO rewarding as he makes his progress, one small step at a time. I think he's perfect.:)

Trevor was so impressed to hear that there is another kitty out their in Pet Talk Land who makes that needle on the scale climb almost as high as it does when he gets on! I was quick to point out to him that Ti is lean and muscular though. :o Sallyanne he is beautiful and it will be worth waiting for to see him in all of his glory. We shall be content for 'under the dresser pics' for now and stories of how he interacts with you and Miley in these next several days. I remember my early days with Andy. He was a kitten and a real BITER, attacking ankles and anything else with nicely exposed flesh! I remember thinking on more than one occasion that I had adopted The Cat From You Know Where. As my little boy matured his personality did a 180. He is now Mr. Affectionate and is the sweetest cat, always demanding a spot on my lap and purring away! I'm sure Ti is still a bit stressed (after all Miley didn't really roll out the red carpet upon his arrival :rolleyes: ). I am sure that 'Ti The Handsome' will be a lovebug once he feels a little more secure. :)

17 pounds is a big cat. I can't wait to see more pictures. It won't take too long and Ti and Miley will be the best of friends.

Ti might also be grieving the loss of the humans he considered his family. Give him time. Soon he will discover he has come to the right place to get the life he so rightly deserves and what fun it can be to play with the Miley girl. Would there be a way you and Miley could play in sight of him as he hides under the dresser? Maybe just his observing some fun activities might convince him that life *out there* might be interesting.

Don't get discouraged. Just remember that good things come to those that wait. (Lesson learned in potty training Hannah.)

I am not as discouraged as much as I am worried about Ti. He seems happy under there and all his functions seem to be fine.... and Miley isn't that bad with him. There was a little spat last night, because I had left my bedroom doors open and Miley went missing....in search of the furry roomie and FOUND HIM! There was hissing and howling for a minute until Ti found refuge under the sofa. Miley isn't that anxious to tangle with him - I think she just doesn't want a strange cat hanging around her turf!

Gabe was 13 pounds and he was NOT fat. He had a bit of fur on him, but no fat.

Ti has very broad shoulders, neck and torso. He has huge paws and long legs. The photo of him crouched down in the container doesn't really show his length and girth. If Miley only knew what and who she was tangling with....hehehehehehe. He is not a fighter though, at least not that I know of!

More pics tonight. I think I will put Miley away for the evening and drag Ti out into the living room and try to keep him there. The alternative is to take Ti to the bathroom, where he cannot hide and then give him all the loving that he needs right now. Or maybe I should lock Miley out of the bedroom - reverse it. Or maybe I should just let things be.....

Advice please.

Sas

I am no expert, Sallyanne. Obviously, my two will never be friends. But, I would give them more time and pretend everything is normal, giving each of them their own time with you, but otherwise, just let them get used to each other. I daresay that Ti will NOT live out his life under the dresser! LOL!!!! It's easy for me to say, since I'm not going through it, huh? Time is probably what he needs most. :) Good luck!!

What i did with Guinness and Dandy, since they couldnt be exposed to each other right away, b/c he hadn't been checked for Feline AIDS, was lock her in one room for an hour, and let him explore the house, then lock him up and let her smell his scent around the house...at night time, he was with us in the bedroom, for 2-3 nights in a row, so he knew he could find comfort in us, if he was scared of his new surroundings. So they were exposed to each other, but only thru their scent left around the house...

I felt bad locking Dandy out of our bedrrom for a few nights...but made her feel sure when we were around her, that i still loved her. I just thought it was important to have Guinness feel close and comfortable with us, so if Dandy didnt accept him right away, he would feel safe with us (if not with her). You might want to put him in the bathroom, with just the 2 of you for a while and let him get to know you better. He might want to come out of his hiding spots...just to look for the new found friend he has in you, ya know. I am definitly not an expert in introducing cats to one another...but just thought i'd share what i did.

Good Luck...afterall, you managed to help Gabe (and all of his mulitple personalities), adapt to your hosue, so Ti will probably end up being a piece of cake! :) As everyone told me, time time time.

Robyn

My first cat Grisette, a rescued feral, was maybe 3 months old when we got her and then she spent 3 weeks under the kitchen cupboard before she came out and became a nice and friendly cat.

Filou and Tigris ignored each other completely for one week although they were much younger than Ti and Miley are. Up to my opinion a little hissing an grrrring is not to bad because they notice each other and start to interact. It is a step forward compared to just walking away and finding different ways through the house.

I did never think Ti was fat: I just imagine that he must be quite higher, longer legs, longer body than little Miley. Tigris is very similar to Filou in shape -just every detail is bigger -from nosepad to tailtip. So he can weigh the double of Filou without being fat.

Bringing Ti into, and Miley out of, the bedroom might be a start. I know Peanut is most comfortable with us when we are in bed, and that might just be a good bonding spot. (sounds kind of silly if you think about it ;) ). You might try the bathroom thing, but I almost think you shouldn't force him into anything. If, like Luckies4me said, that they really bond with their humans, it could be that he's just really confused with the unfamiliar territory and unfamiliar with the hissing and growling that Miley is doing.

You have to do what your instincts tell you, but I think he's doing great, and playing with you - even if it is from under the bureau - is a good start, and the fact that he's eating and using the litter box as normal is another good sign that he's starting to feel more comfortable. I know he'll be out and about soon, and I agree that by the end of the weekend he'll definitely know this is his new home - and his new sister. :)

Please keep us updated, and pictures of paws would be wonderful. He certainly doesn't look like 17 lbs of cat, but he sure is beautiful. :)

At least we can see he has beautiful patty paws and a sweet face!!
C'mon out Ti - we're dieing to see our 'new' boy - you look so handsome there are lots of furladies out here wondering just how striking you are - you show 'em sweetheart!!
Lynne

Don't worry, hissing and squabbling are normal. Miley has to let him know she is top cat. Do you have any catnip on hand? Giving them each a pinch may calm things down and mellow them each a bit. Chester and Leonardo had trouble being around each other. When I give them catnip they love everyone, even each other. They can now be beside each other with out fur flying. Good luck.

I personally don't like to pick up the new cat in order to move him to a new room to socialize him. I like to let them come out on their own. They will get to know the first room that they live in and it will become their safe haven, a place to run to if things get scarey. If you pick up the cat and carry him to another room, they may not know how to get back to their safe haven and that is traumatic for them. It took a couple of weeks for Calvin to venture out of his safe room and it took Willow even longer. And it was agony trying to wait them out (you know how impatient you can get). But they are finally at ease and that is what really matters.

Jen, Ti keeps moving from room to room, on his own! I never see him in the process, just that he is MIA from the last spot! His favorite spots are under or behind the sofa or under the dresser in the spare room.

I hope to let Ti roam the range tonight, sans Ms. Miley.

I will keep you posted!

Jen, I too, usually let things happen natually, but Ti is so shy, I just don't want him to starve for the lack of attention! He is so sweet and loveable.

:D

Do you have the Feliway plug in that NoahsMommy is currently using? That could help.

How about rubbing both cats down to distribute and get them used to each other's scent.

Also, like I mentioned to NoahsMommy, try putting a dab of vanilla on the end of Ti's nose so he cannot get so anxious over the new animal scent?

Just suggestions. Good luck with the sweet guy!

;)

Quote:

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Originally posted by sasvermont
Having just gotten him, I don't know tooooo much about his background except what the breeder mentioned in passing. She did mention that he was from the same line of the original breeder of Bengals, whatever that means to anyone. He is not wild and is not an alpha cat at all and I was told that too. As I said, he is not a fighter and has shown no aggression at all, nothing...not even a growl or a hiss even when I picked him up. The breeder said to give him a couple of days to warm up.

Yes, the breeder said he loves water. I can tell by all the "paw activity" that he likes to play with toys and uses his paws to do his work!

I got the name of Ti's breeder from another breeder I know. She had kittens available but mentioned this one boy kitty, one year old that had been neutered a few months back after they decided to NOT use him as a stud. They had him inside their house and grew attached and didn't want to sell him. She didn't want him to go to another breeder since he was such a love bug and wanted him to have a home rather than a pen/cage. So they decided to "pet him out" rather than have him go to a breeder. - I didn't really want a kitten, knowing that Miley was out of that stage and that I was expecting another kitten in June....an Aby, replacing (?) Graemer from the original breeder of Miley and Graemer.

I don't know that I made the correct decision in taking Ti, but it surely seemed like it at the time. The way the breeder described Ti, he seemed like a good fit here. She kept stressing that he was not an aggressive cat or an alpha cat...he was a lover. Adn that he was smart, playful as all get out and a sweetheart.

I have his paperwork at the office and will look up his parents etc. to see who they were etc. and then I should know more about him.

The thing I find so amazing about him is how he feels to the touch. He is all muscle - and solid as can be. It is almost scarey and it is like touching a panther or tiger......so muscle bound but not fatty at all. And then there is Miley, a silkly, skinny, light weight who can wiggle her way off your lap in a split second....weighing just 6 lbs. and Ti weights 17! He is only a year old!

More pics tomorrow.

SAS

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Glad to hear he likes the water too, I would be worried if he didn't lol. It's hard to keep my cats away from any sort of water, espcially the shower. They actually hang out in the shower with me, so they never need baths hehe. :p


But again Bengals form STRONG bonds, so it's going to take a while for him to get used to you, but once he is you will share that same connection with him. It sounds as if his lines came from Leopard cat/domestic cat hybrids and not true Bengals so his shyness is normal. Look at his papers, what does it say? Does it say F1 or F2 or just list his breed as Bengal?

Yes they are pretty muscly. Have you seen an Asian Leopard Cat? I have seen them in person and they are amazing. Mystic used to weight 19 pounds but now he's down to 16, as he needed a diet. Houdini, you wouldn't even know she was a Bengal unless you knew her background, and Cheetah, well you can tell she's a Bengal, but her color is not show quality and she's a petite gal.


I am attaching a picture of an Asian Leopard cat, this will give you some idea of how his ancestors looked. :)


But he will come around, the breed is just slower than others, keep in mind this breed is farely new, they haven't been around for 30 years like some of the other breeds have.

I am sure he will fit in just great...and you may expect him to get just a tad bit bigger too. :p

Here is a Bengal boy I may get if they decide to not use him for breeding. I believe he weighs 20 pounds and he is 9 or ten months old. Much better coloring than my kitties now. :p

Baby steps (remember that movie, "What about Bob?")....

Last night I tried to coax Ti out from under the dresser, but to no avail. I actually got a bit ticked off because he was so close, but just wouldn't budge.

Actually, right now the two cats are fighting in the living room. Lots of noise, but they must go through it, so I will not interfer.

Anyway, last night, I shut the door to Ti's room and went to bed. Around 2 AM I noticed that Miley was not sleeping in my bed and so I went looking for her. Some smart kitty opened the door to Ti's room. She and Ti were in the living room, just looking at each other. At some point this nice meeting went sour and a fight ensued. Then I took Miley and put her in 1/2 of the house and left Ti with me. He spent several hours playing in the living room with toys, the scratching posts, my hands, etc. I slept on the sofa the entire time. He is a BIG boy and I wonder if Miley will figure that out the first time she really tangles with him!

Just a few minutes ago I left Miley come back into the main area (couldn't find Ti at all....) and of course, Miley found Ti and war broke out. I don't hear any howling so there must be at "stand off" taking place.

Gosh Robyn, too bad my kitties aren't as happy go lucky as your two! Actually, I have had worse introductions. Plus, Miley has been here much longer than Dandy was with you before you brought in Guinness. AND your kitties' personalities are so much more mellow than my current two.

I must work today :mad: - but will take pics. tonight or tomorrow, assuming I will have cats with fur left to photograph, when I return from work.

Have a good day everyone!:cool:

dont worry , when he sees what a great home he is moving into , he will become used to you and miley! Love will always find a way!