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- Mar 14, 2016
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"I wouldn't say that my stress level amps up at all." - Ok, good.I wouldn't say that my stress level amps up at all. And Duncan was with other kitties, I'm sure, before I got him. He was in a foster home. But again, I got him at 6 months old, and he's 12 now.
Yes - that other cat did attack Duncan, twice. The worst was when she launched herself off the top of the cat tree and chased him down. He hid under that bed most of the day after that. I had her 5 weeks before I pulled the plug. The main reason, aside from her attacks on Duncan, was that she just wasn't getting comfortable with me. I'd have Duncan locked up in the bedroom for 8+ hours a day, trying to let Gracie out in the house to get comfortable. Instead, she would hide under the couch the entire time. This was still going on at 5 weeks.
No, I think he was eyeballing Indy the entire time.
Duncan was fine when he came running over to me. Nothing about him said he was upset, or still upset at that point. I didn't see Indy right after, but from what I've seen before, nothing really rattles him. I would think this would be the same.
"And Duncan was with other kitties, I'm sure, before I got him. He was in a foster home. But again, I got him at 6 months old, and he's 12 now." - I am wondering about proper socialization from his mother. But with that said, he is fine with Indy a lot of the time. So if it was that he wouldn't be accepting as much.
"Yes - that other cat did attack Duncan, twice." - Ahhhhhhhhhhh. I think we have it now. He is getting over the trauma of that. The stress. That is why he accepts quite a lot but then just doesn't get that final bit.
"The worst was when she launched herself off the top of the cat tree and chased him down. He hid under that bed most of the day after that." - Yep. He was traumatized.
"Instead, she would hide under the couch the entire time." - Poor thing. That is actually very common. I deal with ferals so I see that all the time but I see it with non-feral cats all the time. There is a process that works pretty well. Moot point now but too bad we didn't know each other then.
"No, I think he was eyeballing Indy the entire time." - Ok, try to get him to look away. He does it at the beginning so I know he can do it later in the session.
"Duncan was fine when he came running over to me. Nothing about him said he was upset, or still upset at that point." - That is great. That tells me it was nothing really. Sounds don't always mean bad and when respected it actually is pretty good. This is what tells me they are so close. He would not be acting like this if there were real issues.
"I didn't see Indy right after, but from what I've seen before, nothing really rattles him. I would think this would be the same." - Yes, I don't think Indy would have had issues. Which again tells me that Duncan is not really scary to Indy. You know when you were a kid you kinda knew when your parent was just "upset" at you and when they were "really seriously mad"? You know how when you know it is like "Oh no, I really am in trouble". It is the same with cats, they know the annoyance hiss or actions vs the "this is serious" actions.
Both Duncan and Indy don't view the other as an "existential threat". If they did they would be avoiding, hiding, never eating with them, turning their backs, fighting, attacking, etc. It is more like having a pesty roommate rather than having a "serial killer" roommate.
I think I understand what is going on better. Makes sense. (Gracie experience). But Indy is doing everything right which is why you are this close.. I do believe in my heart Duncan is going to accept and I expect soon. It is literally almost like a light turning on. I think you are almost there.