A Lot Of (still) Newbie Questions

[MoonstoneWolf]

Shadow is the first one here to eat in the mornings and the last one to leave at nights as well as making like 20 or more trips to the area to play, sleep or eat. Here she is this morning. Her tail in the food. lol

 

[Furballsmom]

LOL, my boy does that, they don't seem to pay much attention to their tail sometimes

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

And I"m onto Shaman. I have to admit (even though this is interjecting human emotions, it seems this way) that she appears to go missing for awhile and then returns after 24 hours as in the past I gave her (and any of the others) lots of food and special treatment to celebrate their return. I think this has to stop right now though or she'll think she can just stroll in whenever she wants and I'll go running out with food. I know Treasure was here in the middle of the night because her toy that none of the other cats play with was moved to the other side of the cat area.

And Treasure has figured out the cam. Every time the food bowl is empty and I haven't gone out there yet, Treasure sticks her fact right in front like "Hey the bowl is empty" and sometimes she'll even mess with it and turn it off.

 

[Furballsmom]

Treasure is one smart cat!!

You're right, sticking with scheduled feedings is a better way to do things now that you're at this stage, they're becoming more and more familiar with it

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Treasure is one smart cat!!

You're right, sticking with scheduled feedings is a better way to do things now that you're at this stage, they're becoming more and more familiar with it

I sometimes talk to them through the Echo Dot. I see them on cam and drop in to talk to them. One time I experimented with Facebook live and Shaman was going to the computer to see the screen. Sometimes I just stand in the doorway. When it's cold, rainy and blowing, I have to come up with creative ways for them to get used to me. And they notice me on the facebook live and know my voice on the Echo Dot.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Shaman came and let Shadow run her off from the food bowl. Hard to watch but I'm not going to play referee or guard the food bowl. She's going to have to be a bit more "assertive"? when it comes to her food. I even had different bowls out for each one. Silly cats. I'm sure she'll be back when she gets hungry enough

 

[Furballsmom]

I'm sure she'll be back when she gets hungry enough

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

If Shadow, Shaman and Treasure have been spayed/neutered, how does the vet tell? Is it through bloodwork? They may have been fixed without the ear tipping if they belonged to someone. Just curious now as someone asked me that just now. Sorry about the other post. I flagged it as I'm sure you want all my questions in one spot.

 

[Furballsmom]

The vet looks for the surgery scars.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

The vet looks for the surgery scars.

Thanks.

 

[Furballsmom]

You're very welcome

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Ok all the cats ate this morning except for Shaman who once again let Shadow chase her off. That's even with the different feeding stations again. But they now come running to eat when I use the clicker and within 10 minutes are here so I'm making progress this way. I guess I need to figure out how to feed Shaman or feed her separately (maybe with the double click you mentioned earlier) as a signal meaning her. Or I can be "mean" and let her learn to stand up and defend her food bowl on her own. I always feel so bad being tough though

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Shaman is staring into the cam like "Feed me". It really is hard being tough

 

[Furballsmom]

Wow, I knew they're smart but that's fast!!

I don't have any really good ideas about how to help your shy kitty but I'm not sure the dynamics between those two cats will change.... For indoor-only cats the advice is to play with and love on the shy cat to build it's confidence but I don't know if you're able to do that in this situation?

 

[Furballsmom]

Is Shaman getting access to the food after the other cats leave, or are the other two eating it all?

If she's not getting any, is there a way you can work out something just for her, as you mentioned? You might not need to use the clicker, she'll figure it out right away.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Wow, I knew they're smart but that's fast!!

I don't have any really good ideas about how to help your shy kitty but I'm not sure the dynamics between those two cats will change.... For indoor-only cats the advice is to play with and love on the shy cat to build it's confidence but I don't know if you're able to do that in this situation?

I wish I could but the problem is with my Mom. Shadow is on the cat tree and Shaman and Treasure are down by the garage (the garage my Mom would see them coming and going out of btw so even that isn't an option to leave the door open).

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

She is but seems Shadow has no intention of leaving today and by that time Shaman is gone. Shaman did come yesterday and ate though.

 

[Furballsmom]

LOL I just edited my last post and I think we were typing at the same time but anyway, I'm wondering if you could do something different/separate for Shaman. Maybe a dish for her off to the side a little bit, behind a box so she's out of sight of Shadow? It might not require much.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

And then by the time Shadow leave, Shaman is gone. The clicker, no matter the sequence brings all of them to the bowl and again Shaman goes without. I only have this one area so sadly if Shadow is here, Shaman can see at the other end of the yard and won't approach. Even with a box. It's a messed up situation. Shaman is the one that brought Shadow to the food bowl 9 months ago and now she won't go anywhere near her.

 

[Furballsmom]

The clicker, no matter the sequence brings all of them to the bowl and again Shaman goes without.

l thought that might be the case, so maybe if shaman's food is behind a box so Shadow can't see?