New Addition!!

[Pam]

Well the day my kitties has feared has come! Yesterday we adopted a baby standard poodle to come live with us. My kitties have lived with dogs, but it's been almost 3 years since the death of our last poodle. This puppy has been raised with cats (she's 8 weeks old) as much as you can be "raised" in 8 weeks! She is a precious little cream colored girl, weighing in at about 5 lbs. now and really seemed to want to be friends with my little guys.

My big guy, Trevor, took one look at her and went upstairs where he has been ever since (under the bed as I type). Andy, who I thought would be the scaredy cat, did a total "puff" when he saw her, doubling up to twice his size! He seems to be spending lots of time in the basement since then. The pup is on the main floor, so you see everyone is now living on a different level.

Hopefully when I get home from work I will make another attempt to bring everyone together. I don't want to force anything but I want my kitties to know that everything will be OK. I'll keep you posted!

[Helen]

Pam - She sounds delightful! What is her name, or are you still deliberating? I hope you realise how excited everyone here will be at this news - and will hassle you constantly about how she's doing, and how Trevor and Andy are coping with the life change. You'll need to up-date us daily!

Well done, and welcome to your very lucky little baby.

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Helen

[wolflady]

Congrats to Pam on her new addition to the family! Yes, I'm sure we'll all be wanting to know how this change in kittie's lives is progressing! Especially since I'm planning on adding a dog into a 2 cat household sometime down the road. It will be a great reference! I can imagine their behavior!! The image of your "puff" is so silly, because I can imagine what Marius would look like all "puffed" out! I hope everyone comes to being comfortable on the same floor soon!
tell us about your new girl! Where did she come from? HAve you decided on a name yet? That's always a fun part...

Good luck with the adjustments!
Karen

Andy ~ Trevor ~ You guys OK? Boots, the Kat, here ~

Oh, m'gosh - yer Hoomins reely went an got a dog-mutt and brung it home wiffout lettin you check it out first? And how come the Mutt gets first floor privilages right off? Seems like she should be the one inna basement. And did they get a krate for her, or is she just allowed to roam all over yer house? No wunder you guys are *tweaked* an hidin outa sight.

Now 'member, you guys gotta learn how ta defend yerselves while the pup-mutt is still liddel - teach her rite now while she's still small and managable, and you'll have a well trained mutt for life. Don't furget the stuff I told you on the other post at: http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/Forum12/HTML/000093.html Since you don't have any razor-klaws, you gotta praktis makin fist-paws ta *bonk* the dog-mutt onna top of the nosebone.

And guys; ya gotta work together as a team - it's no good wiff Andy all *puffed* inna basement and Trev unner the bed upstairs. Find a common spot where you can hang together - you look tuffer as a twosome. And if you work your hissers an growlers together, the stereo effect will have that Pup thinkin she's dealin wiffa couple lions!

Give us a *meow* here at KatTalk iffin you guys need sum help. /s/ Boots, the Kat



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/s/ Cinder & Smokey
the Rescued & Adopted
FurKids of *Phred*

[Pam]

Thanks for all of your good wishes!! Helen she still has no name. I hope that will be resolved tonight. I have been calling her sweetie pie and don't want that to sink in!

Karen we got her from a breeder about an hour away. We batted around lots of names last night but nobody could agree on any one of them. I have named all of my other poodles, and the kids have named the cats. I'm thinking of letting hubby select her name. That's a scary thing to consider! I'll let you know.

Boots.... Trevor here! This is worse than we thought. Here we are waitin' for our lady human to come home last night so as we could snuggle up on her lap again in the recliner. In she walks with this furry K-9 and she's talkin all baby talk jibberish to it. It was disgusting! I took one look at the pup and headed upstairs. I am far too dignified to give anyone or anything a royal welcome into this household, especially if it is taking away from my lap time. I've been hanging out under the bed and the lady human is worrying about my "elimination functions" (as she should be) so this morning she brought me my very own litterbox up to the bedroom along with some food and water. I could really grow to like this! For now, I'm still under the bed (just came out for a minute to type this ). I want to make her sweat for what she has done. She's lays on the floor and talks all kissy-huggy-smoochie talk and begs me to come out, but I'm ignoring her.

Boots.....Andy here.....I'm known as the scaredy cat around here but I'm handling this better than Trev. At least I came within 3' feet of the K9. That's more than he did. My fur all started to stick straight up in the air and the humans thought I looked funny and even laughed at me. That hurt my feelings and I went straight to the basement. I've been hanging out down there today but I am sitting at the bottom of the steps listening to every thing that's going on in MY house! Sometimes the pup is in a crate (it's sorta like a little jail cell) and I think maybe I'll explore the upstairs when I hear that latch click but then I think maybe not. Boy does she make some noise cryin' in there. It's starting to interfere with my naptime!! My lady human feels bad. I can tell cause I'm the sensitive one, but she has to look at it from my point of view. There's talk of maybe forcing us all to get acquainted tonight. I'll have to let you know what happens, Boots, but if they get too pushy I may just keep hidin' in this ole basement and there's lots of neat places that they don't even know about!

[Fuzzy317]

Lynn and I had three cats, when her youngest son, Chas, came to live with us along with the family dog, Eli.

Eli is about a 75 pound collie/lab mix, and has lived with cats entire life, Lynn had been a foster home for a local humane society. Jackson and Fluffy just basically ignore him, he doesn't mess with them, they don't mess with him. Our Rosie is a different story, even 6 months later, she is still hissing and swatting at him if he walks too close.

The cats and the poodle should reach a mutual agreement on “who’s who” and “what’s what” at some point.


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Recently adopted by 3 cats, a dog, some fish, and my fiancee

[Vi Co Bi]

Fuzzy, Eli would be 75 lbs. if we'd lay off the puppy treats... he's around 100-125
now and the vet's gonna have a fit.

Jackson and Eli seem to get along pretty well. Eli's tall enough that Jackson can
walk underneath him, and does when he's in the way. Sometimes I think Jackson eggs Eli into messing with Rosie. Fluffy doesn't seem to care who else comes into the house as long as the food bowl is full and the little box clean.

The biggest mistake I ever made with bringing any new animal into my home was allowing the new animal to displace the current residents and having the current residents notice that someone new had the run of the house and first dibbs on my attention. Once I learned to abide by the hierarchy that the current
residents and I created, things went much smoother. Sometimes it's a difficult and messy lesson to learn.

Best of Luck to you and the new addition, Pam.

[Pam]

Here's a bit of an update on the new addition. She has been named Bella (hubby picked out the name and we all voted on it and it won). Those of you who read the dog posts may know that about 3 months ago a toy poodle was attacked by rottweilers and paralyzed. Her name was Bella, and her owner (Alison) cared for the pup for three long months and was the best example of the most loving pet owner that I have ever seen. It is a beautiful and deeply touching story but with a tragic ending as she had to make the decision to end Bella's life. I feel honored that my pup will carry that name because it was the name of a very courageous little poodle. I had mentioned the story in the dog posts to hubby but never mentioned the dog's name. It just amazed me when he came up with the name Bella!

Now on to the kitties......We are definitely making headway. Today has seen lots of movement from the kitties out of their respective hiding places. They are eating better and don't seem as spooked when they hear the little sounds the pup makes. Just a little while ago Bella and Andy actually touched noses and Andy laid on the floor right in front of her and stretched out in his relaxed mode. Trevor also touched noses with the pup but the hair in the middle of his back rose up like the hair on Mr. T's head!! He did a rather subdued hiss and that was about it. At the moment they are in the same room together under careful supervision. I am hoping that the worst is over, and I think it is. Stay tuned......

[This message has been edited by Pam (edited February 28, 2001).]

[casmeow]

I'm sure down the road the cats will definitely rule the roost & Bella! It's great to bring a puppy into a home with cats, as the puppy will very quickly realize who the "bosses" are and learn very early to respect them! That's the only way to have it! Best of luck with all the babies!

Andy, Trevor ~ BK here ~

Dang, that new pup-mutt Bella is kinda cute for just bein a Dawg! Glad you two are doing you best to get things off to a good start. Just make sure she knows you've got seniority and are gonna demand sum respekt. Be careful with where your Hoomins put your krunch bowls - mine gets put onna baffroom counter so the Mutts kant snak on it.

Keep yer kools, guys! ... /s/ Boots Kat

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/s/ Cinder & Smokey
the Rescued & Adopted
FurKids of *Phred*