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| Angel, playing yesterday morning |
We have been practicing site swapping, with Angel upstairs, then downstairs, and Da Boyz downstairs, then upstairs. If they ever met on either side of a closed door, there was hissing, growling, and paws flying. And Angel was meowing, meowing, meowing all day long, no matter where she was.
Therefore, The Hubby and I decided last week that everyone will be kept apart. Angel now is full time upstairs, living in the area that used to be an apartment. There are four rooms, plenty of windows, perches, beddies, toys, etc. This is where Angel and Chuck used to live when they first came home with us as wee kittens. Angel is also on a mild mood stabilizer, temporarily.
Manny and Chili Bruce occupy downstairs, which includes the front room, dining room and back hall (and the kitchen, if some person forgets to latch the screen door), with many catification climbers, scratchers, boxes, beddies, toys, windows, and of course, the human(s) during the daytime. When it's meal time the humans, we 'park' them in the front parlor, so we can eat in peace without two cat noses in our vegan sloppy joes, salads, or oat meal. Both cats have each grabbed a sandwich right out of our hands, and run off with it, and who cannot forget
The Struggle Is Real post!
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Chili Bruce, looking at camera, and Manny
chillaxin' on Sunday afternoon,
on a coat-covered chair |
Thank you Pamela Merritt from
The Way Of Cats Blog, for answering my questions, and being encouraging when we were at our wit's end. Point of note: Feliway Diffusers have done nothing. Thanks also to all of my blogging and non-blogging friends, who've offered one-on-one encouragement, and the benefit of their own experiences with similar situations. You know who you are, and I appreciate all of your help.
This situation is far from settled; we will keep working with Angel, Manny and Chili Bruce to see if relations can be re-established. For this past week, this new set-up has worked. No humans are being driven from the house, and no cats are ready to attack...well, except Da Boyz who must have a tussle or two every day. Brothers...!!!
Angel is VERY bonded to The Hubby, and recognizing this key to her emotional strife has helped all of us. He knows that he must spend quiet time and playtime with her a few times a day. We will rearrange some furniture so he can comfortably interact with her AND keep his old, creaky bones comfortable too. Of course, I too share Angel's space often, but it's really The Hubby who makes her heart go pitter-pat. Obviously, I don't mind sharing him with another female; after all, I have The PO'M who is my boyfriend...
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| Patty O'Malley, on my lap |
