- Joined
- Mar 14, 2016
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- Purraise
- 2,542
"Hello! Just a few small updates." - Hello, let's take a lookHello! Just a few small updates.
Monday night, things went smoothly again. The two cats will have treats fairly close to eachother, inches away at some points with minimal issues (the odd growl from Sapphire but no swatting yet). Fluffy seems pretty calm for the most part and will lay down sometimes still while Sapphire watches. At times he will try and walk slowly towards her but I will distract him with either my hand or a treat. Even though Sapphire is calm I can tell she's still a bit tense and unsure and I don't want to rush interaction while they are still doing good having treats together.
Tonight there was a minor incident that luckily didn't end badly. As I was going into my bedroom to play with Fluffy after work, he quickly snuck out through my legs and ran downstairs where Sapphire was laying on the cushions at the bottom of the stairs. I ran after him and called out to my partner to pick up Fluffy. Fluffy however, ran right passed Sapphire and towards the kitchen/dining room where I was able to pick him up. Sapphire looked absolutely terrified and was in a ready to run away position and also bracing herself for him to jump on her. I'm actually unsure whether his running to the kitchen and her scared position where a result of the situation, or the noise from me coming down the stairs. As I carried Fluffy back upstairs she ran upstairs as well, still looking scared, but she didn't seem to care about him and was looking around as if to try and see whatever scared her, which is making me think that she wasn't that scared of him, and more so, the sound of me running down the stairs. She seemed fine a minute or so later.
Face to face went the same as it has to this point with maybe a bit more excitement from Fluffy and a bit more nervousness from Sapphire. She would watch him while he stayed near me and would occasionally try and go see her (I could tell he also wanted to go to her food bowl which was still half full). He eventually laid down in the cardboard box and didn't get excited again until Sapphire started to move back towards her cushions. After I put him back in his room and the baby gates up while I got his feeder ball, that's when his tail really started thrashing while Sapphire sat and watched him.
She also has still been slightly playful after the introductions but not as much so this week. She's mostly just been going straight upstairs to lay on my bed.
Overall I think things are still progressing slowly, but steadily
"Monday night, things went smoothly again. " - Great
"The two cats will have treats fairly close to eachother, inches away at some points with minimal issues (the odd growl from Sapphire but no swatting yet)." - PERFECT!!! Growling is just communication telling him not to try anything and if he respect it that is great.
"Fluffy seems pretty calm for the most part and will lay down sometimes still while Sapphire watches. " - Awwww, i am SO PROUD of him!!!
"At times he will try and walk slowly towards her but I will distract him with either my hand or a treat." - Of course, he wants to play with her. But all indications are his intent is all about play and nothing nefarious.
"Even though Sapphire is calm I can tell she's still a bit tense and unsure" - Yes, for a resident cat it is normal BUT she is doing very, very well most of the time so the uncertainty is mild or rare.
"and I don't want to rush interaction while they are still doing good having treats together." - Yes, you are doing great.
"Tonight there was a minor incident that luckily didn't end badly." - Ok, let's see.
As I was going into my bedroom to play with Fluffy after work, he quickly snuck out through my legs and ran downstairs where Sapphire was laying on the cushions at the bottom of the stairs. I ran after him and called out to my partner to pick up Fluffy." - Ok, where you pretty scared, stressed?
" Fluffy however, ran right passed Sapphire" -
"and towards the kitchen/dining room where I was able to pick him up." - Ok
" Sapphire looked absolutely terrified and was in a ready to run away position and also bracing herself for him to jump on her." - Ok, I am not surprised. And I am guessing if you were running after him (something different) it was also unsettling.
"I'm actually unsure whether his running to the kitchen and her scared position where a result of the situation, or the noise from me coming down the stairs." - Awwwwwww, yes, probably both. So him running down towards her was unsettling then a human (probably in a excited state) will add to the caution.
" As I carried Fluffy back upstairs she ran upstairs as well, still looking scared, but she didn't seem to care about him and was looking around as if to try and see whatever scared her, " - Well THAT is great!!!
"which is making me think that she wasn't that scared of him, and more so, the sound of me running down the stairs. " - Totally agree. Judging by her actions I think you are more correct. That is really good.
"She seemed fine a minute or so later." - THAT is REALLY GREAT!!!! Fast rebound = POSITIVE!!!!
So I would say that "test" they passed with flying colors!!! I actually think it is a great indication they are much better off than we may realize.
"Face to face went the same as it has to this point with maybe a bit more excitement from Fluffy and a bit more nervousness from Sapphire. " - ok, was this before or after the "incident"?
"She would watch him while he stayed near me" - Totally fine
" and would occasionally try and go see her " - Ok, normal
"(I could tell he also wanted to go to her food bowl which was still half full)." - Awwwwww, makes more sense!!!
" He eventually laid down in the cardboard box and didn't get excited again until Sapphire started to move back towards her cushions." - AMAZING!!!
That all sounds so close to perfect!!!
" After I put him back in his room and the baby gates up while I got his feeder ball, that's when his tail really started thrashing while Sapphire sat and watched him." - Awwwwwwww, he wanted to play.
"She also has still been slightly playful after the introductions but not as much so this week. She's mostly just been going straight upstairs to lay on my bed." - Totally fine.
"Overall I think things are still progressing slowly, but steadily " - I think you are pretty much there!!! There were so many places and times it could have gone wrong and it didn't. AMAZING!!!!
I am absolutely ecstatic at where they are!!! Keep up the great work!!