Mayhem

[flowerbug]

how's kitty?

 

[canesisters]

Well, things aren't going as sparkly wonderful as I had hoped.
She's ok. She's eating well. And I caught sight of her streaking out of the heated kitty cave the other morning so I know she's staying warm at night. But her slinking and hiding and bolting has Chaos starting to stalk her. The IDEA was that I could STOP letting him in at night once he has a buddy in the barn. But I'm keeping him in at night now so that I can be sure she has access to the warm bed and plenty of food - at least over night when he's not in there.
I'm trying to just be pragmatic about it - they'll work it out eventually. Pampered-pet wise, she's no worse off than if she had been released back into the parking lot she was picked up from. She's actually SAFER here since she'll have to go out of her way to get near traffic, and before she was right on a 4-lane highway. She's been spayed and vaccinated and - maybe - when the weather gets a bit nicer and I'm out there a WHOLE lot more, she'll get a little less spooked.

 

[thistlebloom]

I had two cats who were half brothers, or cousins, but related. One was a month or so older than the other. I kept them indoors the first winter. They shared a huge dog crate in the house at night with no problems. In fact they got along well, and I had no reason to think they wouldn't. They both got neutered etc.

I expected them to be mouse and gopher killers, which was my intention when I got them. That summer they moved outside, and proved to be great rodent control.

Then the younger one started acting shy and hiding a lot. I noticed wounds on either side of his hind legs and above his tail and assumed that a roving tom had beat him up. These wounds didn't heal, but always looked fresh. Wound dressing was applied and promptly licked off, and no way to bandage that area on a cat.

Finally the mystery was revealed, the other cat had been stalking him, grabbing him, and ripping him open.

This wasn't kitten play, but intentional maliciousness. Really ticked me off. Of all the many cats we have had through the years, I had never had such an issue. They all got along, or simply avoided each other. Never had a cat constantly attack another he had grown up with. And the attacker was a real affectionate cat with us. Always purring and looking for rubs.

The malicious brother cat is gone now, and Zephyr is back to being a friendly cat who greets us and follows us around and lives in the open again.

Sorry for the long story. I hope Chaos and Mayhem eventually come to a friendly arrangement Cane.

 

[canesisters]

I think you've mentioned those 2 boys before. Odd that one became so aggressive out of the blue.
As strange as this is going to sound - Chaos is a very 'doggy' cat. At first he chased the inside girls - one of them the moment he spotted her. But after some scolding (and a couple of water bottle squirts) they can all hang out in the den without seeming to notice each other. When I can spend some time out there and make sure he understands that she is welcome - I think he'll be ok.

 

[flowerbug]

perhaps bring them both inside at night when you can keep an eye on them?

 

[thistlebloom]

I'm guessing she will not be caught easily to do that.

 

[canesisters]

Alone, and just the 2 of us, I can pet her (at meal time) and she PURRRRRRRS.
However, animal control described her as 'A Swinging Ninja' when they tried to pick her up, and I got to see that first hand last week. She is Definitely a NO BELLY TOUCHES kitty. They also said that she went a bit nuts when she was inside. "Climbed the walls like Spider Man", I believe was their description. I don't think I want to test that one.

I really think she will be fine. Chaos is a lot of bluff and fluff - and I'm pretty sure, wild as she seems to want to be, she could take him.

 

[flowerbug]

I'm guessing she will not be caught easily to do that.

perhaps sitting with nice tasty/smelly kitty treats will bring her around to be more
social? leaving blankies that smell like humin with nummy foods may also help lure her in for scritches/loving. rotate blankies once in a while to keep the reminder. i really don't know for sure, but these are ideas that come to mind.

i didn't know details about it being somewhat or mostly feral so perhaps this wouldn't be possible.

 

[ducks4you]

Cats have stone tablets. I told you'all about the 3 (3 weeks old, at the time of their mother's disappearance) kittens that we brought inside last March. Their mother would let you pet her, but I could never catch her to get her spayed. 3 years ago I thought that I had caught her, but I had caught her son, instead. Told the Vet to spay the cat. Vet prepped the cat for a spay, thought is was a female bc of all of the cat fat, but then noticed that "she" had testacles, so she called and asked if we wanted "him" neutered. I Swear this male cat has NEVER gotten over it. We call him "crazy cat", though I named this coal black cat, "Night Shade." He can be Very affectionate, then claw or bite you out of the blue. He isn't vicious like a true feral cat could be, and won't rip your flesh wide open, just unpredictable. He is the ONLY cat that either doesn't get along with "Eva", my 6 1/2 mo GS pup (50+ pounds BIG) or cannot tolerate her bc he growls and runs away every time, exCEPT when Eva and Pyg are laying on the couch. THEN crazy cat will lay and sleep on the TOP of the couch with them!
The kittens like Eva even though she still puts her mouth around their necks periodically. Tomkins smacks Eva around if she is too pushy. All of the other cats know that Eva is still a puppy, though I watch her bc she either nailed a rabbit in December or stole a dead one from one of the cats. I couldn't bring myself to take it away from her. Still she has the capacity to be a killer.
I am thinking of breaking Eva of mouthing any of the cats with a flyswatter.
ANYWAY, cats can really get set in their ways.
Btw, the 3 kittens are THE MOST DOCILE CATS we have ever owned. Destructive...but docile.
Bless you for giving this kitty a good home!

 

[canesisters]

Awww.. I love to watch the cats play with my lab. She just lays there with this look on her face that says "OMG... don't swat me... don't swat me.. don't swat me" while they rub all over her and chew on her feet and cheeks. She LOOKS like she's scared to death of them, but she never gets up and leaves. Chaos likes to make biscuits on her belly and she'll tolerate that for a while but he's so big and he gets SOOOO into it that he eventually pokes her enough that she will swing around and poke him hard with the end of her nose.

At the rate I'm going ( a new one every 2 years or so ) I'm well on my way to becoming the crazy cat lady living alone on top of the hill with dozens of cats.. and a cow & chickens.