Monday, March 31, 2008

NEWS FLASH

Just got an email at work from Don
Right now Sakura and Snoopy are both sleeping in the middle bedroom. Snoopy is in her normal place near the pillows and Sakura is on the chest at the end of the bed! They are both curled up sleeping. No growling.
This is major!

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Innocent

Who, me? Pick on Snoopy. Not me, ma!

She just wants to play so badly. And the old lady will have none of it.

We play with this kitty, but I think she really really wants to have some kitty roughhouse fun.

We've made a little progress. At least the blood curdling screams have stopped. Now it's just some low growling, and hissing from time to time.

This cat loves the laser lite. She loves catnip. She's a much more normal cat than her housemate. Snoopy just loves being alone!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Kitty Valium

Well actually it's human valium but being prescribed for the kitty. She gets 1/2 of a 2 mg. pill twice a day. So she just had her third dose.

Already she's a bit more confident. Earlier today she left the bedroom where she's been hiding for weeks and went downstairs to the litter box and her bed on the futon all by herself. Don's been taxiing her around so this was major.

Now she's sleeping on the sofa. She did not come out here on her own, but she did not protest too much when I brought her into the room.

And her arch enemy is within just a few feet. I'm hopeful that this medicine will keep her calm and let her realize that Sakaura is not some wild animal who eats cats for breakfast!

Friday, March 28, 2008

Sleeping Kitties

When they are sleeping they are good cats. Snoopy sleeps on the bed in our guest room. Sakaura sleeps anywhere she pleases!

We have had a few less stressful days here but the cats are still at odds. I'm doing my best to stay calm and not let Snoopy's obstinate behavior make me angry with her. She's an old cat. She's had all sorts of health issues. It's not her fault that we mistakenly thought she was lonely.

On the other hand, we've had Sakaura long enough to have come to love her and there is no way we'd consider getting rid of her. So we will make adjustments and just hope for the best - for both of the cat girls.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Valium

The vet called me at work late this afternoon and said he'd call in a prescription for Valium. So we will try that.

When I got home Don said that when he came upstairs this afternoon he found Sakaura in Snoopy's bed, with Snoopy in her tent. Sakaura is getting brave!

I hope the medicine will calm the cat a bit. I am trying hard to be patient with her and try not to upset her and make her more afraid. But I get so annoyed at her. Some days I could just choke her!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

It just gets worse

Snoopy was so scared yesterday she even refused to come and get her meals. We had to dig her out from under the bed, and when we did she was shaking so badly you could see it from across the room. She is petrified!

Sakaura is scared, too, but she is still brave enough to look for Snoopy before she attempts to walk down the hall and down the stairs to the litter box.

We have a call in to the vet to see if we can give Snoopy some sort of sedative to calm her down for a while and let her get used to having the other cat here. I don't know what to do anymore.

I'm past thinking they will ever be friends or companions, but I would like them to co-exist without all this drama.

Monday, March 24, 2008

The saga continues

Don thinks bringing Snoopy out into the living area and having her sleep on the sofa is productive to making her "normal" again. For the record, I don't think she was ever very "normal", but she was a bit more social pre-invasion of the Tiny Terror.

Anyway, this morning she was there, and he had left the room, and all of a sudden Sakaura jumped up into Snoopy's space, they hissed at each other, but did not actually touch, and then Sakaura jumped back to hide under the coffee table. Don said she'd been wanting to do this for some time - that when she walked past the bedroom where Snoopy was sitting on the bed, she'd sat at the doorway staring for a long period of time, deciding if it was a proper move, I'm sure :)

Snoopy's blood pressure must have gone through the roof, and later Don carried her back to her room. But she did not panic and try to find a place to hide. She sat there and faced her enemy - maybe a bit of progress.

I am ever hopeful.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

I can only dream

Maybe one day my cats can "be friends" like these cats.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Early morning showdown

I really thought that the twice daily doses of Rescue Remedy were working well. Snoopy has gotten more independent and will move from room to room (somewhat) on her own with little prodding or coaxing.

Don said he heard screeching at 2 a.m., but I slept through that. But right before I left for work, Don had Snoopy out on the living room sofa and we both left the room. I was in the kitchen so I could see that Sakaura was ready for attack. Before I could grab the water bottle she jumped up on the sofa - slapped Snoopy and then jumped down. Snoopy freaked and jumped off the sofa and got behind and under it. This is something she could never have done before, but she's thinner and this could be a new hiding place.

I had to get the water bottle and spray her to get her out. She ran into her room and was hiding under the bed when I left.

They just don't get it. I thought Snoopy handled the attack well - she just stayed in her place BUT when she then slithered under the furniture, that proved my theory wrong. We were both all wet this morning!

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Rescue Remedy

Went to Whole Foods today to get some Rescue Remedy for Pets. They did not have that but the lady there told me that lots of people bought the "human" Rescue Remedy for their pets. So I bought some.

Snoopy totally freaked out earlier. But I am not sure it was the spray of RR in her mouth or the little "jacket" I tried to put on her. She does not like being dressed. I picked up this cheap little dog coat and thought it might keep her warm while her hair grows back out. But she totally freaked. So much for that bright idea!

Today is my birthday and we went to eat sushi at Minado in Natick, so I was near Whole Foods and was able to shop for the RR.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Big Meany!

I was just getting ready here to update the cat story with some positive news. It seems that there is a bit more peace here these days. Snoopy was out laying on the sofa. It was not here choice, but she has been letting Don bring her into the living room to "visit" without a lot of fussing and fighting.

Anyway, out of the blue, the big meany ran and jumped up in Snoopy's face - hissing and scratching - and just as quickly jumped back down and hid under the coffee table. < < < sigh > > > I guess we still have a long road ahead, but there are still many less encounters. And Snoopy has been a bit more aggressive when she does run into B.M.

I am planning a drive to Natick tomorrow to eat lunch and we will be very near Whole Foods. I think I'll stop there and see if they have Rescue Remedy for Pets. I've given up on Feliway, but there has to be something that will calm the air here.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Picky eaters

Actually it is just one picky eater. Sakaura will eat something one day and if you offer it again a few days later, she will turn up her nose at it.

Yesterday we got two cases of Fancy Feast - the standard mix and one of just salmon flavored food. She would have nothing to do with the new food. So I gave her some of one of the "standard" flavors. Nope. I gave her some of her pouched Purrfectly Fish that she usually loves. Nope.

Okay cat - I've had it. So I left the fish and she later ate most of it.

Given her way I'd be running a cat food buffet though.

Snoopy, on the other hand, is eating much too aggressively. If she continues to woof the food down and continues to lose weight, it means a trip to the vet to see if she has the same thyroid problem that Pepper had. There is just no end, is there?

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Take me back, Mom!

That would be Sakaura's cry this morning. She is not a happy kitty. Today was another ear mite treatment, and then I decided it was time to clip the nails - all four paws. So she is now pouting under the coffee table. Her wounded pride won't last too long though. She'll be back giving us her innocent look.

Last night I caught Snoopy sitting in the bathroom giving Sakaura the raspberry (or at least it looks that way). She is still so afraid and tiptoes around trying to avoid running into her nemesis. Last night Don said he heard a "growl down" and went into Snoopy's bedroom and found Sakaura up on the bed with her - both of the growling loudly. I wish they would just get over it!

There was an actual clawing and scratching (and screeching) fight mid-week. It's not getting any better at all. But we keep hoping.

Today's mission is to find some sort of carrying basket for Snoopy - she hates to be held, but Don taxis her around up and down the stairs to protect her (he says). I had a basket for my yarn at one time that she loved to ride in, so I need to find another of those.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Peace and Quiet

Snoopy's hair is growing a little bit and she's overcome some of her shock of being "naked". She has not become the courageous cat that she appeared to be while under the influence of the anesthesia last week, but she's at least brave enough to come out and get her food.

She is laying out on top of the bed for a lot of the time and Sakaura has not been in tormenting her.

So we have relative peace even though for all practical purposes it appears that we have only one cat. Snoopy is either in "her bedroom" or the bathroom where we feed her. Don carries her down to the litter box morning and evening - otherwise she's a total hermit.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

All about Sakaura

There won't be a lot of pictures of Snoopy since she spends her days (and nights) hiding. She always seems a bit shy after she's been stripped of all her hair, and I don't blame her. She really does look like some alien space creature lately.

Sakaura, on the other hand, remains the center of attention. She's always out and about, and there is nothing shy about her.

Peace has returned to the house as long as the cats are just left in their own spaces. Snoopy is brave enough to come out to be fed. We've had her sleeping on the sofa but she will not come out there on her own.

Don showed her the new water fountain this morning but she was not interested in it at all. So we will have the three water sources, but Sakaura will have the exclusive use of the fountain it seems.

They are sharing the litter box, and seem to be able to avoid a showdown in that space.

Life is good - as long as they stay separate. Guess we can't hope for much more at this point in time.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Back to "normal" - sigh

Snoopy's courage came from a heavy dose of anesthesia, and she's back to her fearful self again.

Sakaura, on the other hand, is becoming braver as the days pass.

I have given up on these cats ever being friends. I am just hoping now that they can come to co-exist and that Snoopy will emerge from her hiding spots and join the household again.

That may be a lot to ask of this cat. She's always been anti-social, and this newcomer is such a pesky little cat, that Snoopy's totally intimidated and not at all interested in getting to know her.

I couldn't resist snapping this photo of Sakaura last night. All she needs is the beer bottle and the remote control to look that that big white cat photo that circulates the net from time to time.

Don's brought Snoopy out to sleep on the sofa for a while. As long as we are all here these two will ignore each other. BUT if we leave them alone, all heck will break loose.

Since it's a snow day we will likely be able to monitor their behavior for most of the day.