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- Mar 14, 2016
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"OK, I've added two new videos - one from a morning interaction and one of her sitting outside his gate. I have one more too but just waiting for it to sync to my iCloud so I can download it and save it here. " - Great. Will assess below.OK, I've added two new videos - one from a morning interaction and one of her sitting outside his gate. I have one more too but just waiting for it to sync to my iCloud so I can download it and save it here.
These videos represent neither the best of their interactions nor the worst, haha. Whenever I turn the camera on, good behaviour gets a bit worse and bad behaviour gets a bit better. Note that if you can't hear it, in the one video where she is sitting outside his gate she is growling almost the whole time.
Still, probably always helpful to just see them interacting. And if I can, I'll aim to get one tonight with their face-to-face.
Hawthorne and Florie Gate x1.MP4
I was able to add the third video! I think it's in the same album as the other two, and should be available when you click that link.
"These videos represent neither the best of their interactions nor the worst, haha." - Hahaha, let's see.
" Whenever I turn the camera on, good behaviour gets a bit worse and bad behaviour gets a bit better." - Hahahaha, yep. :/ We'll see.
"Note that if you can't hear it, in the one video where she is sitting outside his gate she is growling almost the whole time." - Ok, I'll listen.
"Still, probably always helpful to just see them interacting." - Absolutely as it is the little things that can tell us a lot.
" And if I can, I'll aim to get one tonight with their face-to-face." - Great
Hawthorne and Florie Gate x1.MP4
"I was able to add the third video! I think it's in the same album as the other two, and should be available when you click that link." - Great
Morning video - I LOVE how she comes out, confident, tail up. Goes right to the puzzle. Great so far. Hawthorne comes to the gate and she is like "whatever" Hahahahaha and oges right back to the puzzle. Right there it tells me she is not really bothered by him. She doesn't even care he is right there and his body language is fantastic. That growl was absolutely nothing. Just her. Body language looks great. And look how he interprets her growl. He isn't fazed at all. THAT supports that the growl is really nothing. She is not at all focused on him which is great. Growling almost to say "give me more treats!!'. Hahahahaha. That growl is not directed at Hawthorne in my opinion. My goodness that is perfect. Her body language (and his) were perfect!! LOVE this!!!
At gate - She is outside the gate, body language looks great, she is looking around looking away from him. Perfect. And look at him, body language is fantastic. He looks at you, takes his eyes (I am assuming of her). Body language so far is perfect. Still no negative body language. She walks away and he wants to look. Great body language still. I LOVE that she looks away from him, walks away. with body language that is great. Perfect. I don't see (or hear) any issue. In fact, I get a sense they want to be together. They like each other.
Gate 2 - I hear the sounds but the body language suggest they are fine so far. He rubs on the gate. Body language still fine. Awwwww, he sticks his paw out gently (as if to soothe) and she made a noise and he pulled back. Body language still fine. He is talking a bit but again, body language is fine. He does want out but is good still. His tail is moving but not really in a bad way. I think because he wants out. And he walks away, she looks away. Situation (if any really existed which I don't think it did) was diffused. Great. He comes back, gently paws towards her, she has no reaction, and he walks away (I think that was all play from him). Her body language is great, she is totally fine, no issue with his pawing (which tells me she didn't interpret it negatively). Then she walks towards you, tail straight up (confidence).
In all these videos I didn't see one thing to suggest they have any issues. Body language was fantastic. Sure there were sounds but I think Hawthorne's is towards trying to get out, She is (I think) just being her (it does not seem aggressive or even really a warning at all). If I knew nothing about these cats I would say they have a great relationship. I see no signs of issues. Which is GREAT!!!
The fact they can be like this once in a while tells me they can for longer.
I am ecstatic at these videos. I thought I would get some signs of negativity but I didn't see it. And the sounds are not supported by the body language or actions so that is why I am not at all worried.
Florie looks confident and so does Hawthorne. I am not sensing any confidence issues in Florie which is fantastic.
"If it's helpful too, here is the schedule we've been following:" - Let's take a look.
- "7am breakfast - in view of each other. *I'm going to add playtime to this for Hawthorne, before breakfast" - Perfect. If you get it like the video it is absolutely perfect.
- "8:30 - Hawthorne goes in the French door room (with the door open but gate closed); Florie gets to come out and has playtime; then she usually joins me in the office (though she has free access to the house) after she is done growling; sometimes she sleeps in the main area on a bed she likes or a cat scratcher thing. Sometimes we do a few treats for both with me sitting on the ground near the gate." - Perfect.
- "12:30 - the cats have a treat session throughout which I use treats to guide them into different rooms, ultimately switching so now Florie is in the French door room (with the gate up and the door closed, because I worry about her jumping/sticking her head through the bars) and Hawthorne is out with me. He usually naps either with me in the office or in our bedroom. Florie growls a bit upon entering the room but then quickly goes to grooming and napping" - Great. Hmmmmm, if you think Florie might want to get out of the french door room she can't be that afraid of him.
- "3:30 or 4pm - another treat session, ultimately swapping the cats again so Florie is out and Hawthorne is in; playtime for Florie" - Perfect.
- "5:30 or 6 - supper (now a face-to-face) - Florie is out and Hawthorne comes to join her. We do what we need to do, but ideally we end with Florie going back in her room (this office, this time) and Hawthorne staying out" - Perfect
- "8-9 - Hawthorne goes back in the French door room with the gate up; Florie comes out and has playtime and mills about. Generally in the evening she just hangs out until she gets what she really wants which is: her paste treat. We use the treat to guide her back to her room, and once the gate is closed, we let Hawthorne out - and then she and Hawthorne have a snack close together (about a foot or two apart) with the gate up with her in her room and Hawthorne out. Then we throw a few treats, and then close up the door to Florie's room and turn out the lights. Then that's the day!" - Perfect.
If they are acting, walking around like they are in the videos it is great.
I am interested to see face to face video. Remember to distract and reassure. If you can get them to act like in the videos it is perfect.
Keep up the great work. If you are getting the results in the videos sometimes you will get them all the time.