I Have More Trust Issues Than This Feral..

Buffster7

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Jcatbird, you are just the bee's knees. :hugs:
I hope all are doing well and have emerged from these crazy couple months as unscathed as is possible. Just popping in to say hi and give a good report. The boys are doing really well! I'll post a couple videos showing some recent interactions. The first vid was taken a week or two ago following a nap. Finn pushed his luck after the vid ended and ended up with a good-natured nip from Charlie that put him in his place:

The next video was taken his morning with Charlie being the pest this time:

The last vid was taken just now as Finn tried to share the chair back with Charlie for the first time. Charlie's not quite ready for that, but at least it didn't end badly!

I came to the conclusion that Charlie's over-grooming may be caused by seasonal allergies. I began adding fish oil and probiotics to his food and that appears to help the over-grooming. We'll see.
The only sad thing to report is that I opened the windows the other day (all screened) and that was a BIG mistake that I'll never make again. Finn got a smell of the outdoors and has been wretched ever since. Absolutely inconsolable, restless, pacing, crying at the doors and windows wanting to go out - very mournful sound, and it makes me so sad for him. Transitioning to an indoor cat hasn't been easy on him. Charlie seems to understand somehow and actually seems more patient/consoling with him.

So all is well with the cats over here! I think by the time we hit the one-year mark, they will be "real" friends. I can't express how happy that makes me, but I know you guys will understand.:redheartpump::hearthrob::redheartpump:
 

Jcatbird

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We certainly do understand. They look like they are true family now. They could be brothers by the way they act together. It’s wonderful to see the affection they are showing. Fin wants to love and play and then Charlie gives him what he wants later. Okay, you try to sleep and i’ll Chase your tail!! :lol:
THe last one is Finn trying to fit into a tight snuggle but not quite enough room. Lol I love watching them!
We are all managing. The cats do it best! :happycat:
 

Buffster7

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What wonderful videos Buffster7 Buffster7 !! They are so funny. They look so very good together, I'm glad things have settled down. It was good to get an update.
We are coping here.
Stay healthy and well!
I've tried to do a search for posts you may have shared about your process with Gracie and Ziggy and Mooshoo - do you have a thread I can check? How are YOU faring with your intros?
 

Buffster7

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Fin wants to love and play and then Charlie gives him what he wants later. Okay, you try to sleep and i’ll Chase your tail!! :lol:
I know! And I think that Zylkene is partly responsible. It does affect Charlie strangely - he gets a little wild-eyed and some ghosting behavior with it. If that protein binds to the same receptors as Xanax and has the same effects, then maybe he's just more sensitive to it? When he gets a little wild-eyed, I almost get the impression that the dose is just 'kicking in' and he feels a little weird. But...it does make him nicer, if a little weird. :lol:
It almost makes me think about getting a feline sibling Ruby. :catrub:
I had to laugh out loud when I read that! Ohhhhhh....if you do, you will certainly have to give us the play-by-play every step of the way. I don't think I would do it again, but Pearl99 sure seems to be having a lot of luck!
 

Jcatbird

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Well, I know a certain little femal Ginger that might like to be Ruby’s shadow! Lol I wonder if Ruby would find that puzzling? :lol:
rubysmama rubysmama If you do decide to get Ruby a roommate, of course everyone would be here for you. Fostering might be an option! That way, if you changed your mind or Ruby refused, you would be helping a kitty but not locked into a commitment. Either way you decided with a foster, it’s a plus.


4721CC3C-C3A6-4FD0-AEBB-E4D55E6E3A5A.jpeg
 

pearl99

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I've tried to do a search for posts you may have shared about your process with Gracie and Ziggy and Mooshoo - do you have a thread I can check? How are YOU faring with your intros?
Oh I haven't posted any threads, but here goes- loooong post:
Ziggy and Gracie are intro'd as much as they will be with Gracie's main interests in life being sleeping in a soft bed, having a lap once or twice during the day for a bit, and sleeping with me. Waffles and Moo stopped sleeping with me when the weather got warmer, preferring the cooler finshed basement, so Gracie is with me at night- my bedroom door is open. Ziggy is in a room right across the hall. Gracie sooo Hates with a capital H to be closed off from me. She has started taking a stroll all around the house in the mornings after breakfast, then it's snooze time. Moo and Waffles still hiss if she gets too close and she still minds them. I had to laugh because yesterday Waffles was sitting in the hallway and Gracie wanted to get by, he was being hissy, so she waited then decided to chase him a bit to make him move so she could get by in the hall. She's learning his Achilles heel! Being chased!

Waffles and Ziggy are now spending time together once or twice a day out in the house. I have to supervise, Ziggy walks all around, Waffles gets under the coffee table. I have to distract some stares- but Waffles will all stretch out under the table or be a meat loaf. Today I wasn't watching close enough and Ziggy did chase him, but she only does that for about 6-10 feet then stops- Waffles scoots to the basement. But he comes back up. After this chase today Ziggy walked back into the kitchen- it was all silent so I went to check, and Ziggy was on one side of the kitchen and Waffles on the other, both just sitting there! So it's steps forward, steps back, steps forward. I can't tell if Ziggy is trying to play (she's very playful for 13 years old) or if she's trying to intimidate with the chasing.
There is no fighting at all, they will both look away from each other and not stare all the time.

Mooshoo is just starting to come down to the room Ziggy is in (I have baby gates stacked, they can see each other) to sit and watch her. Ziggy, Waffles and Gracie all eat (with the gates up for Ziggy) within about 6 feet of each other with no problem. Moo is farther down the hall, she's not ready to be closer while eating yet.

Ziggy will stick her paws under the gate sometimes when Waffles is there watching her. So funny the other night, Waffles was at the gate laying flat on his side with his face right near the gate on the floor, Ziggy walks over and sticks her paw under, Waffles stays laying on his side face on the floor right there hissing...like dude why hiss?? You're laying on your side, face right there, all relaxed...made me laugh.

Oh man it's a circus sometimes with all the intros! It is so lucky that Ziggy really likes her room. She does not complain a bit being in there, and she's happy to come out in the house too. Whew!!! It could be so much worse.
I am at my limit now. No more. But I don't regret taking in Ziggy.

I just don't know why Moo and Waffs still hiss at Gracie, she's so benign.
I will try to post a little video of Gracie's bedtime conversations, she talks when I've climbed in the bed to tell me all about things: (and after the video will put a picture of Ziggy and Waffles. Hope it all works. The white line in the photo is just a string from a wand toy.)

View media item 423468
And now a photo:

ZandW.jpg
 

rubysmama

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As much as I enjoy reading about the interactions between "sibling" cats, I'm not sure if Ruby would ever accept another feline in her house. She's older now too, like 8 or 9 (we think) so that would probably make it harder too. Maybe if I'd found TCS before I adopted Ruby, I might have considered getting 2 cats, but for now, I think I'll have to be content reading about Finn and Charlie, the cats at Chez Catbird, etc. :catlove:
 

Buffster7

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I will try to post a little video of Gracie's bedtime conversations, she talks when I've climbed in the bed to tell me all about things
Oh my word, what a wonderful update! You must have the magic touch, because your introductions appear to be going so smoothly and low-drama! I mean, a little side-lying-hissing under a gate, how laid-back can a hiss be?! :lol:

And that video is absolutely adorable!! What a sweet little chatter she has. I am SO glad you rescued her from the shelter - she deserves to be in a warm bed with her human at night.

It's funny the Moo seems to be the most reticent one? Is that a tux thing? I've heard that tuxedos are some with the most cattitude? I'm not sure if that's true, but I can believe it with my two.

It makes me so happy to see your successes with your four. Gives me hope that it CAN be done for future reference - far, far future reference. Now that I have had the pleasure of sharing life with cats, I will always have cats. It'll just be a very long time before I try to do this again - may my boys live very long lives. :p

Love you ladies here - thanks for sharing in all the joys and cheering on through the rough spots!
 

pearl99

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Oh my word, what a wonderful update! You must have the magic touch, because your introductions appear to be going so smoothly and low-drama! I mean, a little side-lying-hissing under a gate, how laid-back can a hiss be?! :lol:

And that video is absolutely adorable!! What a sweet little chatter she has. I am SO glad you rescued her from the shelter - she deserves to be in a warm bed with her human at night.

It's funny the Moo seems to be the most reticent one? Is that a tux thing? I've heard that tuxedos are some with the most cattitude? I'm not sure if that's true, but I can believe it with my two.

It makes me so happy to see your successes with your four. Gives me hope that it CAN be done for future reference - far, far future reference. Now that I have had the pleasure of sharing life with cats, I will always have cats. It'll just be a very long time before I try to do this again - may my boys live very long lives. :p

Love you ladies here - thanks for sharing in all the joys and cheering on through the rough spots!
Thanks! Yes I adore cats. It rubbed off on my daughter, she is a crazy cat lady too. They are so cool and complex, and loving in very gentle subtle ways.
Gracie cracks me up. Siamese are talkative, now I know from experience.

I've learned so much here, from the people who respond to the introductions with the threads of people looking for help. "Oh mine are doing the same thing!" Then I read and read for insight. So it's all the people needing help and those responding that I've learned from, that includes your thread! Otherwise I'd be so dumb.
You've done such a wonderful thing with little Finn, what a dream life he has, even with the rough spots.
The more I've done intros the more I figure out a routine and logistics in this house. I'm good for looonnng while- two oldies and two youngies. I will stick to senior cats from now on, and choose from those in a pavilion or colony in a shelter so I know they have been OK with other cats.
And, with Gracie I worked with her at the shelter for at least a month and could read every bit of her history so she was hand picked!

Not sure why Moo is reticent, maybe is the tux thing. One intro then another right away may be stressing her so she's taking her time. Today with Ziggy out Ziggy did not chase Waffies when he scooted to the basement. He has learned 2 sentences, "Gracie's coming" and "Ziggy is out"- I don't want him surprised that they are in the vicinity! He knows exactly what those mean hahahah.

Waffles is calling for his bedtime meal, later! Stay safe and healthy.
 
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pearl99

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Buffster7 Buffster7 , I had a "cat convention" tonight, a first. I was in Ziggy's room playing with and brushing her (gates up in the doorway) and Waffles came down to observe what was going on.
Then Moo beside Waffs, and Gracie came to the doorway to my bedroom about 3 feet from doorway of Ziggy's room.
They all just sat and looked around at each other within 4 feet. (Ziggy and I were at her room's doorway.)
This lasted about 15 minutes. Had treats in my pockets and I passed them out, Moo did a little growling but they just looked around and at each other.
Couldn't believe it. We are coming along. :bluecat::gingercat::redcat::blackcat2:
Then one by one they went on with their evening.
 

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I just read the thread. Wow! What an amazing journey!!! I would never have the courage and patience. And Finn is A wonderful name. Lots of :hearthrob: you, the boys and all people who helped in this journey :heartshape:
 

Buffster7

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Buffster7 Buffster7 , I had a "cat convention" tonight, a first. I was in Ziggy's room playing with and brushing her (gates up in the doorway) and Waffles came down to observe what was going on.
Then Moo beside Waffs, and Gracie came to the doorway to my bedroom about 3 feet from doorway of Ziggy's room.
They all just sat and looked around at each other within 4 feet. (Ziggy and I were at her room's doorway.)
This lasted about 15 minutes. Had treats in my pockets and I passed them out, Moo did a little growling but they just looked around and at each other.
Couldn't believe it. We are coming along. :bluecat::gingercat::redcat::blackcat2:
Then one by one they went on with their evening.
OH MY WORD!! My eyes got huge as I read this - that sounds like PROGRESS!!! :bunnydance::banana1::woo:
And then they nonchalantly just get on with their evening, leaving you to pick up your jaw off the floor like NBD. CATS!!!
I am so so happy for you and for the peace that seems to preside, for the most part. What a smooth transition this has been for you - and I love it! Thanks for the update - what a great way to wrap up my night, with a little feel-good!
 

Buffster7

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Cat conventions are always fun. I love it when they act as though they’ve never had a cross word and the human is delusional to think anything was amiss to begin with. “Why wouldn’t we sit her together Hooman?” :lol:
pearl99 pearl99 Great job!
She HAS done a great job! I was thinking that the peaceful transition has to be due in part to her 'contribution' of keeping things calm and steady for them. Very well done!
 

pearl99

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OH MY WORD!! My eyes got huge as I read this - that sounds like PROGRESS!!! :bunnydance::banana1::woo:
And then they nonchalantly just get on with their evening, leaving you to pick up your jaw off the floor like NBD. CATS!!!
I am so so happy for you and for the peace that seems to preside, for the most part. What a smooth transition this has been for you - and I love it! Thanks for the update - what a great way to wrap up my night, with a little feel-good!
Cat conventions are always fun. I love it when they act as though they’ve never had a cross word and the human is delusional to think anything was amiss to begin with. “Why wouldn’t we sit her together Hooman?” :lol:
pearl99 pearl99 Great job!
She HAS done a great job! I was thinking that the peaceful transition has to be due in part to her 'contribution' of keeping things calm and steady for them. Very well done!
Well I wish I knew how to have Ziggy not chase Waffles. I'm intervening but not sure how to help it stop other than intervening, make things positive, time, play, distraction and all that. If any suggestions! But then it's only been 2 months so we are very early.
And it's good Ziggy is happy in her room- plus when she's out.
And yes, Jcatbird Jcatbird , it was just like "yeah ok, all's good..." Wish they'd do that all the time!
 
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