Snoopy waiting on food

Snoopy waiting on food
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

She spends a lot ot time in this spot right outside the kitchen. She has a regular routine where she appears here to wait...and to wait...and to wait.

This old girl has come a long way in a year's time. She's figured out that she is still the boss around here and the young upstart is just a pain in the butt, not a real threat to her safety.

She really likes the fact that Sakaura is such a picky eater. She loves to scavenge over her leftovers!

Sakaura on Ice

Sakaura on Ice
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

I don't think she would make a very good outdoor cat. I wonder if she ever did wander around outside in her "other life". If she did, she's forgotten all about that now that she is a Princess who must be waited on hand and foot!

Who is this and what is she doing here?

365-23
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

Snoopy is not so sure she likes sharing space with another princess!

She gets braver and braver. Lots of hissing and growling going on as Snoopy steps out into the space that Sakaura has claimed as her own. Snoopy is not giving ground, which is good.

I think maybe in year two we will see the two cats figure out that they both belong here and maybe they need to get along a bit better.

Office Assistant

Office Assistant
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

"So where do I file this?" LOL

Don makes the biggest mess. He says he is "organizing" these files - all over the living room floor. He was not around when I found Miss Sakaura sitting on top of a stack of his files.

I did hear him yelling at her last night because she was messing with some of his papers.

Men!

Begging at the back door

Begging at the back door
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

Why do these two yellow cats want to roam around the neighborhood when it's below zero outside?

This is the less attractive of the pair. He looks like he has some sort of eye infection or else he lost a fight. I fed him, and he even ate the Serengeti Cat Food that all the other cats reject. At least he has good taste LOL!

Sakaura shows no interest in this one. But his brother will bring her out to the door to "flirt".

Wishful thinking

Wishful thinking
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

Sakaura is so fascinated by all the action at the bird feeder and on our porch where the birds scavenge for seeds that have dropped from the feeder.

I don't know what she'd do if she actually could catch a bird. Probably tuck tail and run. She's a lot of bark and little bite.

Phoey!

Phoey!
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

I've never seen a cat that has her tongue out of her mouth so far and so much! Don says it is a sign that she feels at ease - I think she is sending a raspberry to the world.

We've had big changes here in the way the cats interact. Snoopy has realized that Sakaura is a picky eater and, like Rusty, leaves food in her dish uneaten and ready to be cleaned up. So she lingers in the hallway waiting for Sakaura to abandon her food and when she feels it's safe she goes and quickly gobbles down the leftovers. We feed Sakaura tiny amounts of food, so we need to continue to do this. We do not want Snoopy to start putting on the pounds again.

Last night for the first time in almost a year Snoopy came into the living room and jumped up on the sofa where Don has been carrying her to "visit". Sakaura was sleeping on Snoopy's purr pad. Uh oh - but no hissing or growling. I moved Sakaura and, after a lot of sniffing at the very unpleasant smell that Sakaura had left on the pad, Snoopy relaxed and napped.

Snoopy has become much more independent and open. I think she's past a lot of her fear of Sakaura who has proven to have a loud bark but little bite!

I'm BAD!

I'm BAD!
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

This cat has such CATtitude! I often wonder if she ever recalls her days digging in the dumpster. Of course, we know little of her background and how she came to be a shelter cat. But sometimes I imagine her as Cinderella who lived with the evil step-sister cats until we rescued her and brought her here to her palace, where she truly feels she is royalty. Takes little to amuse me, eh?

Dinner?

Dinner?
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

Sakaura's entertainment is watching the wildlife outside the back door. I wonder if she is dreaming of dinner? I sort of doubt it since she is the most picky eater in this household.

Her world is a bit shaken. Yesterday, Snoopy roamed all over the house freely - like she did before Sakaura arrived. She even went into Sakaura's playhouse. When Sakaura decided to attack the invader, she ran up and Snoopy let out a loud growl, and Miss Aggressor stalked away with her tail between her legs.

It could get quite interesting around here in days to come!

Snoopy comes out!

Snoopy comes out!
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

This is not the best picture in the world - taken with my cell phone - but I had to capture the moment.

Don and I were sitting here watching the football game and all of a sudden Snoopy walked right up to Sakarua's scratching pad and started sniffing around it.

She has NEVER been in this room on her own in almost a year.

Maybe she has made a New Year's resolution to be more social. LOL!

Yum!

Yum!
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

Snoopy is watching as her dinner is being dished up. She's obviously looking forward to this!

This is as close as they get

Close Encounter
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

Snoopy will come and sit at this corner and sometimes Sakaura will come into the same vicinity, but they are both there thinking about being fed - not bonding.

I've been sort of worried that Snoopy was ill since on Monday she had little interest in eating. She is such a chow hound that any variance causes me a bit of alarm.

But today I was chopping up some ham and I felt a cat "swirling" around my legs. I assumed it was Sakaura until I heard some very loud purring and looked down to find Snoopy standing there begging for a handout. For her to come all the way into the kitchen is a very big step. That corner where she is sitting in the picture is usually as far as she will come out into the open.

And speaking of the ham, later on Sakaura came and I offered her a bite of ham. They both loved it. Sakaura is a picky eater - even of "human food" but she does like ham.

Merry Christmas from Snoopy

Merry Christmas from Snoopy
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

A year ago today you were a very sick cat, Miss Snoopy. But you were on the mend, and we were so happy to have you back home.

A lot has changed for you, and you've adapted pretty well. Merry Christmas and hope you celebrate many more with us (in spite of the fact that you will be eating your Christmas dinner at the boarding kennel).

Merry Christmas from Sakaura

Merry Christmas from Sakaura
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

Little does she know that she will be spending her first Christmas with us NOT with us. Of course, it is just another day to her, but I feel semi-guilty shipping her off to the Cat "SPA" for her holiday.

We will send along some of her Fancy Feast favorites, so hope she's not too mad when we return.

Worth 1000 Words

DSC02484.JPG
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

At least in her own mind, she has the power.

The spot where she is lying belongs to Snoopy, but Sakaura had claimed it lately. This does not please Snoopy but it's not worth a fight.

So Sakaura Mae (as I've nicknamed her) is here leering as Snoopy is glowering at her from the love seat.

Oh, and the other cat is nicknamed Snoopy Delia - not sure where that came from, but they both respond to those names.

Sakaura on her turf

Sakaura on her turf
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

In the spirit of fairness, Saki should get a post, too.

Saki is a very "needy" cat. So I am not sure if my diagnosis of her being an Alpha Cat is totally correct. I have a lot of reading to do.

She is a very picky eater. She knows what she likes and what she doesn't and she refuses to eat anything that she does not approve of. Don mixed an entire bag of EXPENSIVE "Serengeti" cat food in with a bunch of "cat junk food" (Meow Mix, etc.). She can pick all around the Serengeti - she does now want a "healthy diet" and you can not make her eat one.

Snoopy the Dominant Cat

Snoopy the Dominant Cat
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

I am not really sure that is true. I did order a book this week that I hope will help diffuse some of the ever present turf wars around here.

I think that both my cats are Alpha cats and that is part of the reason they don't get along.

It is much better and Snoopy is 100% more out in the open than she was even 6 months ago. BUT she still wants to stay in her bedroom most of the time. So I guess Sakaura is sort of winning the war.

Making history!

Making history!
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

Snoopy did not vote BUT if she had, I'm sure she'd have gone for Obama!

Her hair has really grown out. I am not sure how long since her last haircut and I am hoping she will not get so tangled as to need another haircut soon. Since she's not on the insulin, and supposedly "cured" of her diabetes, it does not seem she has as much of a bad coat problem as she did back then. She still does not like to be brushed though.

She and Sakaura still do not love each other, but they are a bit more tolerant. Snoopy will come out and sit by the kitchen wall waiting to be fed. Sakaura will come and STARE at her - a bit of hissing but so far no scratching and clawing.

Scarey Cat

Scarey Cat
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

What big eyes you have!

Sakaura is the boss cat. She goes where ever she pleases!

She seems to want to taunt poor Snoopy by acting like most favored cat. But Snoopy does not fall for that. As long as she has food, she could care less about being favored!

Snoopy, Oct 26

Snoopy, Oct 26
Originally uploaded by fbruehl

Time for a progress report, I suppose.

First, Snoopy's hair has mostly grown back. It is not really as matted as it used to be - maybe her "miracle cure" from diabetes cured her bad skin condition, too.

She's a bit more comfortable around the house, but still does not like the other cat - ONE.BIT. At least they do not fight, so all is good.