Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Monday, March 30, 2009

WHAT THE......? IT'S A ...

Will you look at this! There's a cat in our guest room. Let me tell you how this happen.

We went out one day to pick up a few things and got too close to the animal shelter. We said we would just look. It was too soon for another dog. Moke was still too much in our thoughts and hadn't left our heart yet. None of the dogs at the shelter were speaking to us. I guess we were just not ready for another .
On our way out we saw some cats through a viewing window and then (and this was our downfall) we decided to take a look at THE CAT ROOM. Well, guess what. This cat spoke to us. In fact she meowed in her loudest, most pathetic, cat-like voice saying that she was the one we needed. She said that even though we didn't come looking for a cat..., she was the best choice and would fill part of the gapeing hole that Moke had left in our lives. We thought it over for a day and then went to Walmart for supplies, went back to the shelter and came home with her.
After 12 years of being catless we are now the proud owners of Annabel, the beautiful. She's a Calico and for now she is living in the guest room because she and Maggie are going through a huge adjustment period. Maggie doesn't know what a cat is and Annabel thinks that Maggie is a giant monster that threatens her life. So, we are going very, very slow with this.

Annabel is a curious 2 years old. She was a stray but we think she has had a lot of human contact. She's very friendly and seems delighted with the Prospector and I. We feel like we have been choosen. Maggie is not so sure. I think we have some conflict managment looming ahead.

Annabel loves to play. She is fond of her catbox and thinks her food is something to bat around when she is finished eating some of it. My guest room will never be the same until we get her out of it and that's where Maggie comes in. We've been having long talks with Miss Mag. She's just curious about this little creature but she barks when Annabel hisses at her and ,of course, that scares the cat. If anyone has any ideas on getting these two together please let me know. I can deal with rattlesnakes and mountain lions ..,but this dog/cat relationship stuff is difficult. I need some advice.
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11 comments:

  1. that reminds me of how Harvey adopted us.He was someones cat at one time,but had been hananging aroung our condo development for a couple of months and finally decided that we were the one's that he would adopt.(laugh if you must)I had our attached garage door open and was taking stuff into the house from the back seat of the car,on my next trip out there he was sitting in the back seat with this look of I'm staying!

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  2. She is so pretty! I can see why you couldn't live without her. Poor Mags, lol. If you have a baby gate you could put in the doorway instead of keeping the door closed then they could see each other and interact without getting into each others space. Otherwise just keep doing what you're doing... time will tell.

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  3. There you go again!! Okay, I'm recommending the 12-steps intervention technique for fury-friend-addicts. Step 1: Admitting you have a problem. :-)

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  4. ...sorry, that's furry-friend-addicts! :-)

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  5. Hey! My Katie was a calico! We did the opposite--brought a dog into a 2 cat household. Either they'll work it out OR...they won't. It's beyond your control!

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  6. A baby gate is a great solution! They can get used to the smell and sight of each other.. and still have their respective areas until they end up bonding!

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  7. shes adorable... I like the baby gate idea...Cats certianly do choose their people!

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  8. GORGEOUS CAT! and you rescued one what a wonderful feeling! For the getting acquainted advice I would leave a comment over at Kathy's Dusty Trails.
    LOVE LOVE LOVE her name!

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  9. What a beautiful kitty. Maybe you should wrap each one up in a towel and put their towel then around the other, rub 'em up good to get all their scent all over each other on each other. Does Annabel have her claws and places that she can get to be safe? If she can defend herself and have someplace to get away, you may have to do the 'come what may' routine. I'd try mixing the scent and if Annabel can defend herself, try, when you are in the same area, letting them be together in the same room.

    As for 'jumping all over myself' I don't know if it's an Okie thing so much as a Helen thing. Now that you asked, I don't recall hearing it, but I talk to myself a lot and I say that when I'm fussing at myself. I just write it like I think it.

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  10. Pretty cat and good for you for adopting one that needed a home. I wish I had some advice but my cats and dogs have always got along great...now the cat/cat relationship is messed up here. Our two cats Lily and D.C. have been living together for years and they still hiss at each other. Of course D.C loves all animals, dogs, goats..anything but other cats which she hates. Sorry I am no help.

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  11. What a beautiful cat! I had one that looked quite similar years ago - we got her at a garage sale FREE box! she was the best cat!

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